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Kei Mouth resident Cindy Smith has dedicated her life to rescuing and rehabilitating vulnerable vervet monkeys, giving orphaned, abandoned and injured animals a second chance in the wild.
Through the Debracy Primate Foundation EC, Smith has helped rescue about 20 monkeys since formally establishing the organisation in 2023, though her involvement in animal welfare dates back to 2019.
The 56-year-old founder and chief executive said her passion for animals was shaped by her upbringing.
“I have always been devoted to the wellbeing of animals, and my passion for them stems from being raised in a household where they are treated like emotional beings,” she said.
For Smith, caring for wildlife is more than a project.
“It is a lifelong calling that combines my love for wildlife with a desire to give back to nature.”
The foundation focuses on rescuing displaced, orphaned and injured vervet monkeys, many of which are found in gardens or on roadsides after becoming separated from their troops.
“We bring them in, we care for them, we rehabilitate them, we form troops, and then, once those troops are viable for being let free, we release them,” Smith said.
The monkeys are eventually released onto a nearly 500-hectare indigenous forest farm, where they can return to a natural environment and live independently.
Her love for monkeys began in childhood and has never faded.
“I grew up in a family that loved wildlife. My nickname is Monkey, and I’ve always loved monkeys from when I was a little girl,” she said.
Rehabilitation is a demanding full-time commitment.
Young orphaned monkeys often require constant care and regular feeding before they can be introduced to surrogate mothers or other monkeys.
“When these babies arrive, they are on me 24/7. Sometimes they’re feeding every hour on the hour,” Smith said.
She sees the work as a way of giving back to the environment.
“As humans, we’re so quick to take water, take wood and take whatever we want, but there’s not always any giving back.
“This is my way of trying to keep my footprint as small as possible by giving back somehow.”
Smith is also passionate about changing public perceptions of vervet monkeys.
“They get such a bad reputation. A lot of people see them as pests, but they’re simply opportunistic feeders.
“They don’t carry human diseases. In fact, we can infect them with our diseases, not the other way around,” she said.
She emphasised that rehabilitation was carefully managed to prevent animals from becoming dependent on humans.
“It is never a good thing to humanise an animal because when the time comes to release them, they need to be able to live as wild monkeys.”
While much of the foundation’s funding comes from her own pocket, Smith is supported by donors, sponsors and volunteers who help with feeding, maintenance and building enclosures.
The organisation is also exploring a volunteer programme to teach people about monkey behaviour, conservation and rehabilitation.
Beyond her work with primates, Smith regularly travels through communities such as Cwili township to distribute pet food, provide animal care and assist dogs and cats in need.
Rolene Grant, who nominated Smith for the Daily Dispatch Local Heroes accolade, described her as a tireless advocate for vulnerable animals.
“She has no major funding for this task, and yet, when there is a primate in distress, she drops everything to go to the rescue,” Grant said.
“All the primates in her care are so well cared for and released once they are ready to leave, but it is not a short-term rehabilitation process.
“She does this single-handedly and with her own meagre funds.”
Grant said Smith’s passion extended beyond vervet monkeys to other primates, including samango monkeys.
“I am sure Cindy could speak at many schools and conferences, and a lot of mindsets would change once they hear her story,” she said.
“People treat vervet monkeys as vermin, but in reality, we are the ones who have stolen their habitats by felling forests.
“Cindy is so passionate about her primates, and I think she is a hero for stepping up where others wouldn’t.”
Daily Dispatch
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