In July 2025, the association "Cape Verde Monkey Sanctuary" saved a young green monkey, a male nearly one year old, who was being kept captive on a rooftop in Praia. The little monkey was living in horrific conditions: tied to a terrace wall by a rope barely 50 centimeters long, with no shelter from the scorching sun, no regular access to water, and fed only erratically. Under Cape Verdean law, such treatment constitutes a crime of animal abuse (Article 372 of the Penal Code). Captured and sold at just six months old, he spent half his young life in captivity before our team was finally able to step in and rescue him.
Without the swift intervention of our dedicated team and the awakening conscience of the owner’s young son, this monkey would have been condemned to decades of misery and likely death. Once the surrender agreement was signed by the owner, the young monkey—named "Tibo" by Ana Linda—was brought to our sanctuary in Cidade Velha, where he was united with Mia, a female of the same age rescued in May 2025. By the very next day, Tibo and Mia were already inseparable—the beginning of a beautiful journey that will one day lead them back to true freedom in the wild, following a dedicated rehabilitation process to ensure they thrive.