Dudley Zoo keeper's mission to save rare monkey
A zoo keeper who has spent her life learning about primates is flying out to Indonesia to help a critically endangered species of monkey.
Jodie Dryden, who works at Dudley Zoo, will spend three weeks in Sulawesi to help educate locals about the plight of the crested black macaques.
The 25-year-old, who lives in Wolverhampton, currently works at the zoo's senior keeper of primates and helped design the attraction's new macaque enclosure, which was officially opened on Saturday.
She is being funded by the zoo and will meet up with members of the Selamatkan Yaki group, which translates to 'save the Sulawesi crested black macaque', on April 11.
"The species is critically endangered and their numbers have dropped by about 90 per cent in just 30 years," she said.
"That's because their habitat is destroyed, they are being hunted for bush meat and sold in the pet trade.
"We need to educate the locals, which can take time and we don't want to just preach to them or tell them what they can and cannot do."
Miss Dryden said she wanted to spread the word about the macaque's plight and had launched a fundraising campaign to help support them abroad.
"I'll be giving talks and presentations to the locals in Indonesia to try and persuade them not to hunt the monkeys for bush meat," she said.
"It's important they see how actively involved with are in trying to save them.
"There are so many people who care for them and we need to focus on educating the younger generations."
Miss Dryden was also full of the praise for the zoo's new state-of-the-art macaque enclosure, which opened over the Easter Bank Holliday.
The seven macaques have been moved to the front end of the attraction, with a spacious outdoor facility underneath the cable cars, which cost a further £40,000.
The enclosure, along with the new Flamingo Falls, forms part of the zoo's over all £200,000 redevelopment project.
Miss Dryden said: "I'm really impressed with the new facilities, which I helped to design.
"A local painter came in and did some of the work for free and we've made their new home feel as natural as possible.
"The monkeys have all settled in well and it's great for the public to be able to see them better.
"They have all got their personalities and I just love them to bits."
