It was a hopeful morning at the sanctuary. A kind cameraman gently cradled baby Nova, an abandoned newborn with silky fur and wide, frightened eyes. She had been rescued just hours earlier, left alone in the bushes, crying weakly for a mother who never came back.
Now, the cameraman was bringing her to two experienced monkey moms — Joyce and Libby — known for their nurturing hearts and willingness to care for orphans.
As they approached the large shaded enclosure where Joyce and Libby rested with their babies, the cameraman whispered softly, “Let’s find you a new home, little one.”
At first, Nova clung tightly to his shirt, her tiny fingers gripping with all her strength. Her eyes scanned the two big female monkeys waiting nearby. Joyce sat calmly, while Libby reached out curiously, sniffing the air.
But the moment the cameraman gently leaned forward to place Nova on the grass near them, Nova panicked.
She screamed — a sharp, high-pitched cry of fear and confusion.
“EEEHHH! EEEE!”
Instead of crawling toward Joyce or Libby, she turned and tried to climb back up the cameraman’s leg, her little face soaked with tears.
Joyce tilted her head, clearly surprised. Libby stepped forward but stopped when Nova screamed louder.
The cameraman knelt, rubbing Nova’s back. “It’s okay, baby… they want to help you.”
But Nova wasn’t ready. She pressed her face into his arm, refusing to let go.
Sometimes, even with good hearts and safe hands, a broken baby needs time to trust again.
So he didn’t force her. Instead, he sat quietly, Nova curled up in his lap.
Joyce and Libby watched patiently.
Because today wasn’t for adoption.
It was for comfort.
And tomorrow, maybe… Nova would be ready to try again. 🐵❤️🩹
