Ikea Monkey’s Ontario home seeking help following ice storm damage

The Story Book Farm Primate Sanctuary in Brock Township, Ont., is seeking financial help after an ice storm knocked out power and stopped its electric water pump.

The facility is home to Darwin, a Japanese macaque famously spotted in a North York Ikea in 2012.

“We lost power on Saturday. We have generators fortunately, however, we don’t have water,” volunteer Jaqcueline Waldorf told Global News recently.

Waldorf said employees and volunteers are working overtime and bringing in bottled water from nearby stores.

“It’s a lot having to bring in more water. It’s heavy,” she said.

“Not being able to do laundry has been difficult. Not being able to do dishes has been especially difficult.”

1:56
‘It could take years:’ Researchers, wood exporters still tallying damage caused by Ontario ice storm

Waldorf said the animals are safe and in good spirits, but the facility is in need of financial support.

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Donations will help with storm clean up and regular maintenance costs, which according to Waldorf, are higher than normal.

”These animals … would prefer to be in their natural habitats. … They don’t belong here,” Waldorf said.

“The least we can do for them since we took them out of their natural environment is to care for them and give them a sanctuary.”

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Restoring nature after a devastating ice storm

Despite the recent warm weather, Global News meteorologist Anthony Farnell said more winter weather is on the horizon.

“The winter chill doesn’t want to leave, but eventually summer and the warmth wins out,” he said.

“‘The problem is, as those two seasons battle it out, you can get ice storms and early next week we’re going to have another chance of snow flurries, squalls and some accumulation, so we’re not out of the woods yet.”

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