He exceeded the speed limit while under the influence. He had an emaciated clingy creature in the car

On Monday, a highway patrol in Madera, California stopped a man who was not only speeding, but also driving under the influence of alcohol. There was a spider monkey in his car. Owning this monkey is illegal in California. The man was taken into custody, and the animal was taken away by animal protection workers and placed in the Oakland Zoo.

The one-month-old spider monkey was malnourished, its fur and skin were unkempt, and it also suffered from an upper respiratory infection.

“It will take months for the animal to recover,” Colleen Kinzley, vice president of animal care at the Oakland Zoo, said over the weekend. – It's really terrible, it will be traumatized for the rest of its life – she said, emphasizing that the animal was not allowed to form family bonds.

Now the monkey is at the zoo in a place with appropriate humidity to help treat the infection. If she manages to fully recover, the zoo will look for a place where she will stay permanently.

“We are very proud to do this work,” Kinley said. – However, we must put an end to the illegal trade in wild animals – she added.