9 06, 2020

Still confined, with no income at the primate sanctuary

Covid-19 has greatly affected our society. Our health and that of our loved ones has been threatened.

Primates lucky to live in MONA are also threatened, because it has been proven that they can become infected. But they cannot be taken to the ICU, nor do they maintain social distance. To keep them out of harm’s way, we canceled all activities and closed access to MONA even before confinement was mandatory, because we are terrified about the consequences of the virus entering the rescue center. […]

31 03, 2020

Dear Caregivers Colleagues, WE MISS YOU!

The COVID-19 pandemic is a crisis that affects everyone without exception. The virus arrived just a few months ago and has already made a serious impact on our lives: it has taken thousands of them, and put the rest to a standstill. We live in an era of uncertainty; and fear has established itself within our homes. Much like tackling the virus itself, there is only one way we can overcome that fear – by staying united in battle. […]

31 03, 2020

Proximity between species

Our concern about the risk of the virus to humans is extended to non-human primates, of which almost 70% are in danger. This, of course, includes the chimpanzees we care for at MONA. We share almost 99% of our DNA with them, and this increases the chances of transmission of the coronavirus. In fact, common human respiratory viruses have caused deadly outbreaks in great apes in the past. […]

31 03, 2020

The Judeo-Christian tradition and the current pandemic of Covid19

Image 1. The Vitruvian Man (1470). Leonardo da Vinci. Symbolic reference of humanism that places man at the center of the entire universe.

The anthropocentric vision of western society regarding the natural environment has also contributed to the current state of pandemics

 

We speak with David Riba, Head of  the MONAEduca Education Department, professor of archeology and prehistory at the University of Girona, and of Human Evolution and Cognition in the  Udg-Fundació MONA Masters in Primatology.

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29 03, 2020

Bushmeat and wildlife trade

The exact origin of COVID-19 has not yet been identified, but human cases of coronaviruses are generally transmitted by the consumption of wild animals, known as “bushmeat”. […]