Barton Creek - Spider Monkey

There was a family that lived and had a small snack bar near the entrance to Barton Creek. Since Barton Creek is at the end of what felt like about ten miles of dirt roads, including two places where you needed to drive your 4x4 through a stream, it was pretty isolated. The people who lived there had a pet monkey on a chain and wire run like a dog. The boy holding the monkey is own of its owners and the way he threw it around I think I could not tell if the monkey was entertained or terrified. Will was offered the opportunity to hold the monkey and he declined.

Cathl: I have to say this whole thing gave me the heebie jeebies. The monkey, name Mango, was about 18 months old so just a bit younger than Lyra. I am not sure if it was orphaned or what. Its coat was dry and sparse and the little monkey just looked very very human and it didn't feel right to see it on a chain as a plaything like this (but of course, most of the kids really wanted to play with it). We saw another monkey at the Belize zoo just like this one and it looked much healthier and happier.