Christine M's journals Primates Animal keepers Conny Carson and Kim Lemier are truly enthusiastic about what they do. Our time at Primate Mesa, where you can find primates ranging from Geoffrey's marmosets to mandrills, showed us what a typical day might consist of for Ms. Carson and Ms. Lemier. I was blown away by their knowledge of primates and the loving relationship they both have with the primates they work with. Horticulture and the protection of natural habitats are especially important for most primate species because most of them live among foliage and depend on vegetation for part of their diet. Many primates are folivorous, or leaf eating, like the Francois' langur.
Plants are even a type of entertainment for primates.
They enjoy shredding up plants and play around in them for fun. Most importantly, foliage gives them comfort. In their natural habitat, their homes are usually in the forest canopy. It is no wonder that they feel safe among plants. One species of monkey in particular, the golden lion tamarin, is on the brink of extinction due partly to its shrinking habitat in Brazil.