High Moon Over the Amazon: My Quest to Understand the Monkeys of the Night

224 Pages·2013·2.73 MB·English

by  Patricia Chapple Wright

2013
Lantern Books
128 Second Place
Brooklyn, NY 11231
www.lanternbooks.com

Copyright © 2013 Patricia Chapple Wright
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a
retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the written
permission of Lantern Books.

Printed in the United States of America
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Wright, Patricia C., 1944– High moon over the Amazon : my quest to
understand the monkeys of the night / Patricia Chapple Wright.
pages cm
ISBN 978-1-59056-421-9 (hardcover : alk. paper) — ISBN 978-1-59056422-6
(ebook) 1. Night monkeys. 2. Wright, Patricia C., 1944– 3. Night monkeys—
Behavior—Research—Peru. 4. Titis (Mammals)—Behavior—Research—Peru.
I. Title.
QL737.P957W75 2013
599.8180985—dc23
2012046017
To Amanda Elizabeth Wright
And to Herbie and Kendra, who started it all
CONTENTS
Acknowledgments
CHAPTER ONE
MONKEY BUSINESS
(New York, 1968)
CHAPTER TWO
MONKEY MATCHMAKING
(Colombia, 1971)
CHAPTER THREE
TROPICAL DISEASES
(Costa Rica, 1972)
CHAPTER FOUR
FATHER CARE
(Cape Cod, 1973–75)
CHAPTER FIVE
MONKEY IN THE MOON
(Puerto Bermúdez, 1976)
CHAPTER SIX
INTO THE AMAZON
(New York and Peru 1977–80)
CHAPTER SEVEN
GREEN CATHEDRAL
(Cocha Cashu, 1980)
CHAPTER EIGHT
JUNGLE TALES
(Cocha Cashu, 1980)
CHAPTER NINE
THE RETURN OF GRINGA VALIENTE
(Cocha Cashu and Puerto Bermúdez, Dec 1980– Jan 1981) CHAPTER TEN
THE LONE RANGER
(Cocha Cashu, Jan–May 1981)
CHAPTER ELEVEN
HARPY EAGLE AND BIG FIG
(Cocha Cashu, 1981)
CHAPTER TWELVE
DARKNESS BRIGHTENS
(New York, 1982–83)
Photos
Author's Note
About the Publisher
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
My mother, Julia Chapple, and father, Ed Chapple, always encouraged me to
follow my dreams and cherish the natural world, and I would like to thank them
for providing me with a firm foundation. My daughter, Amanda, has made this
story possible by tolerating and enjoying years of jungles and monkey
adventures. James Wright, my first husband, chose Herbie to begin with. Jim
and Betty Wright, his parents, encouraged us in all endeavors in our early years.
Herbie and Kendra were my inspiration to find out why they did what they did.
Nancy Mulligan took a chance and funded the first expedition to find out what
owl monkeys do in the wild.
Warren Kinzey, my academic advisor, encouraged me at every step of my
career. His kindness and patience will never be forgotten. He taught me to look
at the whole ecosystem, to never forget what the anatomy can tell you, and that
persistence and motivation pay off. John Oates taught me to question
everything, and that science and conservation go together. John Terborgh
invited me to Manú National Park, and indeed there is no better place to raise a
child. He also kindly supported us at Princeton. Charlie Janson showed me how
to follow daytime monkeys and to observe carefully. Robin Foster inspired me
to look at the world from a botanical view. Louise Emmons mentored me on
how to trap, track, and study nocturnal mammals. Scott Robinson gave us the
birds' eye view. Charlie Munn taught Amanda to burp and draw birds. Nina
Pierrepont was a good friend in difficult days in the rainforest. Anne Wilson
Goldizen collaborated on learning why monkeys do what they do. Dave
Sivertson is thanked for his assistance with playbacks and recording Aotus
hoots, and thanks to John Allman for sending Dave to the Manú National Park.
Patrick Daniels devoted years of his time to be my field assistant and my friend.
Cirilo Lujan is thanked for being my guide in Puerto Bermúdez and then in the
rainy season of the Manú. Adremildo and his family were important support for
Amanda, James, and me in Puerto Bermúdez. Thanks to Peggy Stern for her
assistance following Callicebus in 1982 in the Manú.
Mia and Floyd Glenn are thanked for babysitting the owl monkeys while I
was in Peru. John Fleagle gave his support and kind encouragement, and took
my monkeys into his home in 1981. Fran Jones Frummer and Lisa Forman let
Amanda and me live with them in difficult times. Chris and Maureen Chapple,
my brother and sister-in-law, cared for Amanda in the second grade. Ted
Chapple, my brother, has given his continuous support and advice. I would also
like to thank Elwyn Simons for giving me my first job, and Friderun Simons,
Verne, and Cornelia Simons Seifert for helping Amanda with her quarter horse
and being such good friends.
And to all my friends and colleagues who helped make this owl monkey
study and life possible.
For helping with crafting earlier versions of the manuscript I thank Julia
Chapple, Maureen Chapple, Jukka Jernvall, and Rachel Ryan, and for guiding
the more final versions, Noel Rowe, Wendy Lee, Kara Davis, and Martin
Rowe.