It’s been more than a month since the New England Patriots scored another win at the Super Bowl (2019 was their 6th turn at being champions), but as the world tuned in to watch Tom Brady and team defeat the Los Angeles Rams, another exciting event was unfolding some 8,000 miles away in Malawi…
Ronit Walther and her family were travelling back into Lilongwe after some time away, when they spotted a group of children stood at the side of the road. Noticing the children seemed to be holding something, Walther pulled over to ask the children what it was – in their hands, a malnourished baby vervet monkey.
Walther’s assumption was that the animal was intended to be sold to passers-by: fragile, cold and wet, the minute vervet monkey was visibly distressed, so Walther and her husband persuaded the children to hand it over. They wrapped the monkey in a t-shirt and set off to the Lilongwe Wildlife Centre, concerned for the animal’s health and desperate to seek help on its behalf. During the drive, the Walther family pondered over a name for their new passenger. It was the 4th of February, and the family had been looking forward to watching their favourite team play at the Super Bowl that very evening – so who better to name the monkey after than the Patriot’s most famous player, Tom Brady!
Upon the Walthers’ arrival at the wildlife centre, the project’s vet team were ready and waiting to take little Tom in. Just as they would with any new arrivals, the team gave Tom a health check and began to administer the care and treatment which he so desperately required after his ordeal. Tiny Tom was, sadly, extremely underweight, and was refusing food and milk. He also had an irregular temperature and was struggling with overwhelming anxiety, likely as a result of being separated from his mother. The harsh weather, too, had taken their toll on his fragile body, and things were not looking good. But the veterinary team were not about to give up on him. In order to provide Tom with the nutrients he needed, one member of the animal care team had to drip-feed him every 45 minutes. Slowly but surely, this miracle monkey began to regain his strength, keeping his food down and calming down enough to drift off to sleep and to recover.
Ten days later, Tom Brady was still under the care of the wildlife centre, but his progress was promising. We’re yet to receive any further updates on this adorable little guy, but the last we heard was that the centre had planned to introduce him to a foster mother when the time is right. We also understand that he will require a great deal of rehabilitation and care, but the eventual hope is that he will be able to return to his home in the wild. Here’s hoping that this pint-sized sweetheart (now known simply as 'Brady') continues to do well in the care of the Lilongwe Wildlife Centre!
Want to help make a difference to the lives of Malawi's wildlife? Head to the Lilongwe Wildlife Centre, either as a sanctuary volunteer or as a voluntary veterinary assistant!
