Jasper was just 12 weeks old when he arrived at Jungle Friends, but in that short time, his life had already been marked by hardship. He was torn from his mother’s arms and sold into the exotic pet trade when he was only days old. Though we don’t know exactly how many homes he passed through, we do know that at one point, he was traded for a used car and later given as a gift to a teenager. Unfortunately, the teen had little time for a baby monkey, leaving Jasper confined to a small crate, where he spent most of his days crying for attention.

Upon arriving at the sanctuary, Jasper needed intensive care, including round-the-clock supervision and bottle feeding. As he began adjusting to his new home, he was slowly introduced to the outdoor habitat. While naturally curious, Jasper stayed close to his caregiver for comfort, growing braver each day.

A few weeks later, when Jasper was finally comfortable in his surroundings, he met ChiChi, a lone female squirrel monkey. ChiChi quickly took on the role of a nurturing surrogate mother. These days, Jasper and ChiChi are inseparable, spending their time chasing bugs, darting through the runways connecting their indoor and outdoor spaces, and charming the neighboring female squirrel monkeys, who are all captivated by his playful antics.