Night Monkey Surgery

written by: SAH

All I can say is that I didn't even know about night monkeys, and I would never have thought to give them eye surgery.

BUFFALO, N.Y. - For a noctural animal that lives high in the treetops, being able to see is no small matter.

So on Monday, a monkey at the Buffalo Zoo underwent double cataract surgery to restore part of his vision.

Phantom, a 4-year-old douroucouli, got the vision back in one eye after Dr. Kimberly Stanz replaced the damaged lens with an artificial one. There was too much scar tissue in the other eye to attach a new lens.

By midafternoon, Phantom was back in the zoo's rain forest display, shaking off his sedative and able to see for the first time in months.

It is unknown why the animal developed cataracts last fall. Zoo veterinarian Frank Ridgley said that because Cajun, a sister of Phantom, also had cataracts and underwent the same surgery several years ago, “it's probably a genetic predisposition.”

Restoring the animal's sight will allow its future transfer to another zoo as part of the global species protection program.

Nocturnal douroucoulis, also known as night monkeys, are endangered in Panama because of severe habitat loss, so it is up to zoos to replenish the population through breeding programs.

Phantom is one of six douroucoulis living at the zoo. The animals, 22 to 30 inches long, including tail, and weighing 1.3 to 2.2 pounds, are native to South America.

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