THE DAILY WIRE · UTAH · 2026-10-31
Two Spider Monkeys Clear Intake, Begin New Lives at Utah Zoo
Two spider monkeys cleared intake this week and began new lives at Utah's Hogle Zoo, proving once again that even primates eventually have to fill out paperwork.
Zoo officials confirmed the pair arrived as rescues and are now settling into their enclosure, undergoing the standard veterinary checks and enrichment schedule reserved for new residents. Keepers describe the adjustment as going well, though the zoo has not released further details on where the monkeys came from or what, exactly, they were rescued from.
This reporter notes, professionally and without bias, that 'spider monkey' remains one of the animal kingdom's more confusing names, given the complete absence of any actual spiders involved. Still, if two primates can rebuild their lives behind a chain-link fence in the Salt Lake Valley, the rest of us should probably stop complaining about office relocations.
For a neighbor's perspective, this reporter located Clementine, a Utah prairie dog whose colony sits just outside the zoo's perimeter fence and who has reportedly been keeping close tabs on the new arrivals. Her read on the monkeys' first days does not match the zoo's official statement.
The zoo has not said whether the monkeys will be made available for public viewing, though given the current state of zoo security nationwide, this reporter suspects the public will see them eventually, one way or another. Spun and done.
“Those monkeys rolled in like they invented swinging, but my cousin cleared a four-foot zoo fence before breakfast last spring. Humans really ought to let us handle intake — prairie dogs greet every newcomer with a kiss just to confirm they're family, which is more vetting than these zoo folks seem to do.” — Clementine, Utah prairie dog
Open this column on the Daily Wire →
Zoos News — Real News. Real Animals. The stories are real; the columnist has eight eyes. Home · Wire archive