Couple in Zamboanga del Norte takes in monkey they rescued in forest

A couple in Gutalac, Zamboanga del Norte, has taken in and kept as a pet a monkey that they rescued in a forest in 2017. 

In Kuya Kim Atienza's report on "24 Oras" Tuesday, Pepito "Dodong" Gailanan Jr. shared that the monkey, who they named Moymoy, was then too young for them to return to the forest. 

"Nakita po namin si Moymoy noong nag-uma kami. Kinakahol ng aso. Papakawalan namin sana pero maliit pa kasi kaya hindi siya mabuhay kung ibalik namin sa forest kaya inalagaan muna namin," he said. 

"Para siyang bata. Nanghihingi ng pagkain kapag gutom. Hindi naman ako nahirapan sa pag-alaga ng unggoy kasi mabait naman siya."

Moymoy is a Philippine long-tailed macaque (Macaca fascicularis philippensis). Per the report, Moymoy grew close to the couple and their pet dogs and would continue to go back to their house even when they would bring it to the forest. 

"Gusto na niya, napamahal na din namin. Parang anak na tinuring namin. Wala kasi kaming baby," said Gailanan. 

"Parati niyang kasama 'yung aso ko kung saan kami magpunta. Kasama niya pagtulog sa gabi. Kaya napamahal na din siya sa aso."

Jay Fidelino, a wildlife biologist at the University of the Philippines Diliman, explained that monkeys are intelligent and social animals. 

"Sanay sila na may mga kasama silang ibang mga hayop na kagaya nila. Dahil si Moymoy wala naman siyang mga kasamang unggoy, baka rin natutunan niya rin na itong mga aso na 'to 'yung mga kasama niya," said Fidelino.

Meanwhile, Gailanan shared that he and his wife, Ching, are willing to process Moymoy's papers so they can keep him legally as a pet. 

"Willing ako na i-process kasi ayaw ko talaga ibigay sa iba 'yung alaga ko kasi alam ko na may kakayahan ako na mag-alaga," he said. 

"Napakahalaga talaga  si Moymoy sa amin kasi wala kaming anak. Para na ding tao na parang napamahal na [sa amin]."

According to Fidelino, the couple cannot simply release Moymoy back into the wild because it has been with them since it was a juvenile.  

"Masyado na siyang sanay na nanggagaling 'yung resources niyo dun sa tao," he said. "Sa batas lang naman, merong mga proper processes para mag-handle or mag-keep ng wild animals. Depende naman dun sa [Department of Environment and Natural Resouces] kung paano sila magdi-deal with this." 

—CDC, GMA Integrated News