An Abandoned Baby Monkey Made Some Unexpected New Pals – See The Heartwarming Photos
Hope was dwindling for a young vervet monkey found by the roadside in Zimbabwe, desperately holding onto his lifeless mother. A compassionate group of strangers discovered the tiny infant and quickly brought him to a nearby animal sanctuary. Although the sanctuary didn't have any other vervet monkeys, this little one wouldn’t stay alone for long. Unexpectedly, it wasn’t a human who became his hero and changed his life forever!
This Monkey Was Found Orphaned And Scared For His Life
This sweet little monkey is named Horace, and he now calls the Twala Trust Animal Sanctuary in Zimbabwe home. Horace arrived at Twala as a fragile infant after the tragic loss of his mother, who was struck by a car on a busy road.
"He was found sitting on her body, right by the roadside," Twala founder Sarah Carter shared with The Dodo in a 2016 interview. “He's lucky that the right person came across him and brought him here.”
The Baby Monkey Was Timid In The Caring Hands Of Humans
When Horace arrived at the Twala Trust Animal Sanctuary, he was a delicate little infant, likely scared and uncertain. Yet, he had found the perfect place to begin healing.
Twala is a remarkable sanctuary that opens its doors to a diverse range of animals—from everyday pets like cats and dogs to magnificent wildlife such as lions and antelope. Despite housing such a variety of species, the sanctuary's atmosphere is anything but chaotic; it’s truly heartwarming to witness.
Some Unlikely Creatures Were There To Help Horace Fit In
For a tiny vervet monkey like Horace, entering a world surrounded by unfamiliar creatures could have been overwhelming. But instead of fear, he discovered friendship.
"At that time, we had more orphans than caregivers, so they were all raised together… They naturally formed close bonds, which was truly heartwarming," Carter shared. In this caring environment, Horace quickly found companionship—not just from the kittens who took to him, but from many other animals eager to be his friend.
It Took Some Time, But Horace Eventually Warmed Up To Them
As Horace settled in at Twala, his playful nature truly started to shine. At first, he was especially drawn to the kittens—perhaps because they were closer to his size, or maybe their soft purring and gentle demeanor made them feel less intimidating.
Before long, he was cuddling with them, grooming their fur, and even napping alongside them. As he grew more confident, Horace widened his circle to include the sanctuary's larger residents. To everyone’s delight, even the older, more reserved animals eventually warmed up to the cheeky little monkey—proving that family can come in all shapes, sizes, and species.
Horace Developed A Special Connection With The Cats
Before long, Horace was cozying up next to his feline companions as if they were his siblings. Growing up side by side created a strong bond between them.
To the cats, Horace wasn't just another animal—he was a beloved part of their family. Though cats are often known for being aloof or selective with their affection, these rescue kittens showed a tender and caring nature. They didn’t just tolerate Horace—they embraced him fully, proving that love and friendship can easily cross species boundaries.
Soon The Other Animals Started Warming Up To Horace Too
Pretty soon, Horace was making friends with more of the animals at Twala. One of his closest pals would be Keiko, one of several rescue dogs who also lived at the sanctuary.
Twala is home to a variety of wild and domestic animals who've been abandoned or abused. Sarah Carter and her team continually work hard to provide a safe and nurturing environment for these animals who otherwise might not have made it on their own in the wild.
Horace Developed A Reputation For Some Particular Things
As he grew up, Horace earned a reputation for napping a lot. Horace has a tendency to fall asleep anywhere, especially when he's cuddling with one of his feline friends. It must be the comfort of having someone around to make you feel protected.
"Horace is a master napper. He fights it though as he is afraid he will miss something... And he loves to nap and sleeps anywhere he pleases," Carter told Daily Mail in 2015.
Horace Is Like A Real-Life Curious George
Horace has even made friends with the resident antelope at Twala. He may seem like a bit of a nuisance, but the animals know that it's just Horace's playful and curious nature. There is never any true roughhousing between these animals.
"Horace is hugely confident and affectionate having been raised in a very diverse and loving environment at Twala," says Carter. "He has many friends, human and animal, and is seldom alone. He is mischievous, extremely clever and endlessly entertaining."
Horace Always Wants What He Knows He Can't Have
"His biggest vice is being irresistibly drawn to the forbidden food he is not allowed to eat, places he shouldn't be, objects he is not supposed to touch," Carter told Daily Mail.
Horace may be a bit of a food-stealer, but lucky for him it was actually snack time when this photo was taken. The animals often share meals together and often eat a healthy buffet of natural fruits and veggies. Horace also spends so much time with other species that he starts to act like them too!
Horace Is More Mischevious Than Meets The Eye
Here are Horace and resident rescue cat Freddie. Horace appears to be napping on top of Freddie, but Carter warns that just might be a ploy.
She told Daily Mail, "Horace always makes me laugh, he is a consummate thief - he pretends to be otherwise engaged whilst sidling up to you to pinch a pen or a bit of paper or food. He will also come and cuddle someone, person or animal, as a ploy to distract them to steal something."
Horace Finds Fascination In Everything
"He is insatiably curious - into everything, and often comes and watches me writing or typing with absolute fascination, before stealing my pen or jumping on the keyboard," Carter said.
The other animals at the sanctuary don't seem to mind. In fact, they are happy to allow Horace's curiosity to flourish. At Twala, the animals miraculously coexist without having their animal instincts take a dangerous turn. This is probably thanks to the nurturing environment in which they were brought up.
Horace Likes To Roam With The Cats At Night
Horace has also taken on a lot of his friends' characteristics as well. Though he is a vervet monkey, Horace sometimes likes to act like a cat.
"He runs around in the middle of the night, in the dark, with the cats.. All the other monkeys got to sleep when it starts to get dark because that's their instinct. Meanwhile, Horace is busy running around the garden at 10 o'clock at night. He's a character," Carter told The Dodo.
Horace Thinks He Is A Little Prince Among His Friends
Being the sleepy monkey that he is, Horace is sometimes too lazy to walk on his own. But no worries! Keiko is happy to give Horace a ride to wherever he needs to go around the sanctuary.
Horace may be growing into his adult years, but he still likes to act like the baby of the bunch. His dog and cat friends, hilariously annoyed as they may seem in the photos, at least treat Horace like their own baby brother.
Horace Likes To Ponder The Complexities Of Life When He's Not Running Around
Horace has certainly developed a personality all his own as well. Growing up in a sanctuary is definitely different from growing up in the wild, but this makes Horace truly unique among his kind.
"He is a thinker - often sits gazing into the middle distance, twirling a leaf or a flower or a twig in his hands, totally lost in thought," Carter told Daily Mail. We can only wonder what Horace might be daydreaming!
Horace And His Pals Have Each Other As Support
Horace and the other animals are lucky to have been found and taken to Twala. They'll grow up with a strong support system that might not have been possible if not for the diverse array of inhabitants.
Some might say that goes against Horace's nature, but Carter would disagree. "Here [he] has friends and he's safe. He has the backup of everyone here at the sanctuary - people and animals," she told The Dodo. This was especially true after Horace was found in his own tragic accident!
Pairing Animals With Different Species Is Actually Healing
Freddie is one of Horace's favorite cuddling pals as you can see. Even though the animals are all of a different species, the Sarah Carter's sanctuary only proves that all creatures might share an empathetic instinct.
"We get lots of orphaned animals coming in, so you can't always pair them with the same animal. But for them to be able to be with another creature is really healing and comforting for them, no matter if they're different," said Carter.
When Another Baby Vervet Came, Horace Took Responsibility
Twala Trust Animal Sanctuary tries to pair animals with their same species if they can. So when another vervet orphan came tot he sanctuary, they knew just who to pair him with!
Now that Horace is older, he takes care of newcomers whenever they're introduced into the sanctuary. This little monkey is Hamish, who was an orphan just like Horace. Horace felt a special connection with this little guy since Hamish is reminiscent of himself as a baby.
Horace Showed Hamish The Comforts Of Cuddling
Hamish was attached to Horace for much of his upbringing in the sanctuary. Of course, Horace was happy to oblige to offer comfort. But that didn't mean that Horace still didn't need comfort on his own!
Carter told The Dodo that Horace has shown them how much comfort animals of different species can find solace within each other. "We learned that from Horace," she said. "They form these amazing bonds. It just brings so much comfort to all of them."
Horace's Playfulness Ended With Him Losing An Arm
Horace may be an adult now but that doesn't mean he still doesn't get into some trouble. In 2016, Twala shared the unnerving news that Horace suffered an intense electrical shock from a power line.
"He was found unconscious and severely burnt on both arms. It is an absolute miracle that he survived such a massic shock... Horace has always lived free, as he should do, but... we cannot protect him from the many dangers that animals face in the world," they wrote on Facebook.
Horace Can Go Back To The Wild, But Why Would He?
Though he survived the shock, the vets did have to amputate one of his arms. But that hasn't slowed Horace down. After recovery, it was back to his awesome life at the sanctuary.
"Horace is free to go wherever he wants. There's nothing stopping him from leaving. He chooses to stay... He really does have the best life," Carter told The Dodo. Horace is perfectly healthy and grown now, but the sanctuary isn't making him stay. He really has no reason to leave!
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