Darwin and his companion Dharma are white-faced capuchins, aged 13 and 11, who arrived at Jungle Friends on October 18, 2008. They reached the sanctuary about 8 am after an 18-hour drive from Michigan, only to be met by the film crew from Inside Edition. The celebs were only too happy to get out of the cramped quarters in the van and into the spacious habitat to stretch their legs and enjoy a good breakfast. Darwin was the first to inspect every inch of his new domain and it met with his resounding approval. Dharma was a bit slower to come around. She stayed in her indoor enclosure for a while, unsure of what to expect in her new world, but when she heard Darwin vocalize his approval she was at his side. It was much easier for the pair to brave this new adventure together than for a monkey arriving alone.

Darwin was originally purchased as a �surrogate child� by a couple who didn�t plan to have human children. The couple soon realized that Darwin needed a companion of his own species, and Dharma came on the scene. All seemed right with the world, but plans change� with two adult monkeys and two human toddlers it was becoming tougher and tougher to keep the children safe. The day came when their son was bitten quite badly and they had to do right by their human children and right by their monkeys. That was when Jungle Friends was called and after a year of planning and building their new home at the sanctuary, Dharma and Darwin arrived.

Watch Inside Edition on Tuesday October 28, 2008 to see their story. If you miss the broadcast, watch for the show on our Monkeys in the Media page.

Find out more about Darwin's illness and recovery