ACU-PUNK 2016 SPRING ISSUE | Page 2

vuom year of the monkey

mascot : mrs. tong

Hello

ACU-PUNKs!

2016 is the Year of the Red Monkey! A mascot is a symbol of good luck for an organization. I “adopted” Mrs. Tong, an endangered gibbon from the International Primate Protection League (IPPL)as a special way of honoring the Spirit of the Monkey. IPPL has received the highest marks in evaluations of charities. They work to support the well-being of all monkeys and apes, both in the U.S. and in 31 international countries to prevent human cruelty, abuse, negligence, experimentation, bushmeat, and illegal trafficking.

Let me tell you about Mrs. Tong. A frightened infant gibbon is suddenly orphaned, by the shooting of her mother, snatched by human hands, and sold as a pet! That is how Tong’s life began in the forests of Vietnam. For the next few years Tong was bounced from one pet owner to another, finally ending up in Thailand.

During this time, she developed rickets, a deforming bone disease. Fortunately she was rescued 30 years ago by the International Primate Protection League. She continues to live in peace and health at IPPL’s gibbon sanctuary in Summerville, South Carolina with her mate, Gibby. Learn more about these marvelous, gentle beings and the problems they are facing and ways to help at: https://www.ippl.org/gibbon