A spider monkey named Sully at Brevard Zoo had to have his arm amputated after a freak accident where he got it stuck in mesh-style fencing in his habitat. The zoo’s animal care team and his troop came to his aid and had to cut the mesh to free him. Tests revealed his arm was broken at the elbow and the decision was made to amputate the entire arm to prevent long-lasting pain for Sully. The zoo’s veterinarian, Dr. Zachariah, mentioned that due to Sully’s young age, he is expected to heal and adjust to the absence of his limb rapidly. He also stated that primates with missing limbs are able to thrive, especially spider monkeys who have prehensile tails.
Sully is currently recovering in his on-habitat nighthouse with his mother, Tika, and is expected to return to his habitat soon, although no specific timeline was provided. This is the first time an incident like this has happened with a spider monkey at Brevard Zoo, where habitats exceed regulations set by various agencies. The zoo is committed to helping Sully fully heal and reintroducing him and his mother back to their troop.
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