WRINKLE BELLY IS ALIVE!

Or so I think.

On my way into the forest this morning, I came across the North Group. Even though I was scheduled to follow the South Group today, I wanted to at least check them out before proceeding southward. So I peered through my binoculars, and there he was: Wrinkle Belly.

I couldn’t believe it. He was just sitting calmly in a big tree—pale, hairless, wrinkled—like he hadn’t been missing for over a week. I rubbed my eyes and wiped off my binoculars on my shirt and looked up at him again. Could it really be him or were my eyes playing tricks on me?

The belly was definitely wrinkled, but I wanted to get a good look at his face to make sure. He started moving and it was really hard to see him clearly. I called out to him, but of course, he doesn’t know that his name is “Wrinkle Belly,” so he didn’t respond. It was him alright; it had to be him, I saw the belly. Its just that he seemed darker and not quite as scrawny as the last time I’d seen him. So maybe wherever he went, he found something good to eat.

I took a picture of him, but he is on the move so it didn’t turn out very well. I am still kind of in shock. He was missing for so many days! Where could he have gone? I searched the North Group thoroughly and he was nowhere; I was so sure that he was the monkey who had died. It was tough, but I forced myself to come to terms with that.





To say that I am overjoyed that he is alive would be an understatement! Its like a miracle. Part of me wonders if this morning when I saw him I was still sort of half-asleep and it was all a weird dream. Maybe I just really wanted to see him. I hope I’m not jumping the gun on this and next week end up writing something like, “I don’t know what I was talking about in that last post, Wrinkle Belly is nowhere to be seen.” But for the moment, let’s assume that he really is alive. It is fantastic news, but leaves me back to square one with the mystery of who died in the mango tree. As any new developments emerge, I will be sure to post updates.

After my WB sighting early in the morning, I went on to spend the rest of the day with the South group. I got a really good photo of Uno in the late afternoon. Well, he’s not smiling or anything, but it is a close up and its clear.



Thanks for reading, until later then.