By Fallon Mullen, Animal Care Manager
When most people think about working in a monkey sanctuary, they picture the exciting moments—the first time a monkey accepts a new enrichment item, seeing a new friendship blossom between compatible residents, or watching a monkey enjoy a sunny afternoon outside.
Those moments are certainly special.
But if we’re being honest, sanctuary work is made up of many moments that aren’t exciting.
It’s scrubbing a floor one more time because you noticed a spot you almost missed. It’s double-checking a medication dose even though you’ve given it dozens of times before. It’s documenting every significant (or note-worthy insignificant) detail of the day. It’s returning to an enclosure to double check you added one more blanket – even though you’re sure you did.
No one would probably know if you skipped those extra steps.
Except you.
That, to me, is integrity.
Integrity isn’t about being perfect. We all make mistakes. Sanctuary work is complex, and every day presents new challenges that require us to learn, adapt, and grow.
Integrity is what happens after the mistake.
It’s admitting when you’ve forgotten something instead of hoping no one notices. It’s asking for help when you don’t know the answer. It’s accepting feedback without taking it personally because the goal isn’t to protect our pride—it’s to provide the very best care possible for the animals who depend on us.
The monkeys don’t benefit from our egos. They benefit from our honesty.
Working in a sanctuary also means making decisions that aren’t always understood by others.
Sometimes visitors wonder why we don’t encourage closer interactions with the monkeys. Sometimes supporters ask why we can’t share every exciting milestone immediately. Sometimes the right decision isn’t the one that creates the best photo or the biggest reaction online.
Our responsibility isn’t to do what’s most popular.
Our responsibility is to do what’s best for the monkeys.
That may mean moving slowly with introductions instead of rushing a new pairing. It may mean allowing a monkey to choose privacy instead of encouraging them to be visible for guests. It may mean quietly changing a treatment plan or adjusting enrichment because an individual monkey told us, through their behavior, that they needed something different.
Integrity means remembering who we’re here for.
It also extends far beyond animal care.
Every sanctuary is a community. Staff, volunteers, veterinarians, donors, neighbors, and supporters all become part of something much larger than themselves. Communities don’t thrive because everyone agrees all the time—they thrive because people trust one another.
Trust is built when our actions match our words.
It’s showing up when you said you would. It’s following through on commitments. It’s giving credit where it’s due. It’s having difficult conversations with kindness instead of avoiding them. It’s choosing transparency over convenience and accountability over excuses.
Those aren’t glamorous moments either.
But they’re the moments that quietly shape the culture of an organization.
One of my favorite things about working with primates is that they don’t care about titles, recognition, or social media. They don’t know who cleaned their enclosure this morning or who prepared their lunch. They don’t know who stayed late to finish paperwork or who spent hours planning enrichment.
What they do know is consistency.
They know who earns their trust.
They know who treats them with patience.
They know who respects their boundaries.
And every single day, they remind us that trust isn’t earned through one big act—it’s earned through countless small ones day in and day out.
We’re sure notorious picky eater Junior appreciates that we take the extra time to offer him a variety of produce, making sure he fills his tummy with whatever he’s in the mood for that day.
We’re sure Jojo appreciates when we stop to admire the toy he’s so proudly showing off, sharing in his excitement instead of rushing to the next task.
We’re sure Noah appreciates a fresh layer of straw to forage through, giving him the opportunity to express natural behaviors.
We’re sure Mars appreciates that we know he prefers to eat before every other resident.
We’re sure Batman appreciates the excitement that comes with discovering a brand-new enrichment item.
We’re sure Izzle appreciates that we remember something as simple as placing a red mirror in his enclosure because that’s the one he likes best.
None of these moments are required.
No policy says we have to admire Jojo’s toy. No checklist reminds us to give Noah fresh straw when his behavior shows he would like some. These are small choices made by people who know the monkeys as individuals—not just as animals in our care, but as unique beings with their own personalities, preferences, and routines.
That’s what integrity looks like in a sanctuary.
It’s choosing to do the little things, not because anyone is watching or expecting them, but because we know they make a difference in the lives of the monkeys who call Primates Incorporated home.
Jojo loves bananas!
Here is a “recipe” for you that is inspired by all the fresh produce we give the monkeys!
Hummingbird Muffins
Muffin Ingredients
– 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
– 1 teaspoon baking powder
– 1 teaspoon baking soda
– 1/2 teaspoon salt
– 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
– 1/4 teaspoon allspice
– 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
– 1/2 cup ripe banana (about 1 large banana)
– 1/2 cup milk (dairy or non-dairy will work)
– 1 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
– 1/2 cup oil
– 1/4 cup granulated sugar
– 1/4 cup brown sugar
– 4 oz crushed pineapple (do not drain)
– 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
– 1 cup chopped pecans
Crumble Ingredients (optional)
– 4 teaspoons granulated sugar
– 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
– 1/4 teaspoon salt
– 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Spray muffin pan with nonstick baking spray.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg. Set aside.
In a mixing bowl, mash the bananas with a fork. Add milk, vinegar, oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar, crushed pineapple, and vanilla; mix to combine.
Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients; mix to combine. Add the chopped pecan and mix to incorporate. Let the batter rest for 15 minutes.
Fill the muffin cups. Optional: sprinkle the tops with the crumble. See below how to make the crumble.
Bake for 5 minutes at 425º F, then reduce the oven temperature to 350º F and continue baking until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, another 20 to 23 minutes.
Allow the muffins to cool for 10 minutes in the muffin pan, then transfer to a wire rack to continue cooling.
Make the Crumble (optional)
Add the sugar, flour, and salt to a medium bowl and stir to combine. Add the melted butter and use a fork, or pastry cutter, to incorporate the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the muffins.