Spider monkey suffers bizarre injury after getting stuck at Florida zoo

A 10-month-old spider monkey at a Florida zoo had to have its arm amputated after it was involved in a freak accident.

The incident occurred last week when Sully weaved his arm through mesh-style fencing in his habitat at Brevard Zoo. “His animal care team and troop immediately came to his aid, and his keepers cut the mesh to free him,” according to a statement from zoo officials on social media.

Tests revealed Sully’s arm was broken at the elbow, and an assessment found there was a 10% or less chance he would be able to have normal function of his limb, according to zoo veterinarian Trevor Zachariah. After consulting with a board-certified veterinary surgeon, it was determined amputation of the entire arm was the best course of action as keeping it could result in long-lasting pain for Sully.

“Due to his age, healing and adjustment to the absence of the limb are expected to be rapid,” Zachariah said. “Primates with a missing arm are still able to thrive. This is especially true for spider monkeys since they have prehensile tails.”

How is the monkey recovering after having his arm amputated?

Sully stayed overnight at the zoo’s L3 Harris Animal Care Center and is continuing recovery in his on-habitat night house with his mother, Tika.

It is expected that Sully will return to his habitat “soon,” although no timeline was given. The zoo’s animal care team continues to care for Sully and will eventually help reintroduce Sully and Tika to the rest of the troop.

Has a monkey ever gotten stuck in fencing at Brevard Zoo before?

Zoo officials said this is the first time an injury like this happened with a spider monkey in the decades they have lived at Brevard Zoo.

Officials said the habitats exceed the regulations from several agencies, like the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

“We pride ourselves on being a safe place for our animal residents to spend their lives in, and we hate that this chance accident has led to such a severe injury,” a statement from the zoo read. “We are committed to helping Sully heal fully from his injury and continue to be a regular member of our troop.”