A motley troop of rescued macaques were released into the wild! The monkeys were introduced to each other and bonded at Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Center in Cambodia.

The monkeys were all rescued from the illegal wildlife trade or donated by owners keeping them illegally as pets. Macaques are very social animals and depend on their troop to survive in the wild. Wildlife Alliance carefully introduces rescued macaques to each other to build adoptive troops. The monkeys learn social skills and foraging behaviors from each other and form strong bonds.

When the group was ready, the Wildlife Rapid Rescue Team (WRRT) transported the monkeys to their release site. The monkeys will now get to live in a protected area of rainforest in the Cardamom Mountains.