Ben, only two weeks old, was bought from a breeder to be a companion for another "pet" monkey, Annie. In his early days, Ben was quite the handful, banging and throwing his toys to grab attention. As he reached his teenage years, his increasing aggression led to the removal of most of his teeth. Eventually, Ben and Annie were brought from Illinois to their new home at Jungle Friends.

Ben eagerly explored their new surroundings, being the first to dart through the connecting runway from his indoor enclosure to the expansive outdoor habitat. He tested every feature, from the automatic waterers to climbing the limbs of all the trees. In the beginning, he would return inside to check on Annie before darting back out to chase bugs and observe his monkey neighbors. It didn't take long for Ben's adventurous spirit to encourage Annie to venture outside, where she delighted in foraging and quickly adapted to the more spacious life. 

Though Annie has since passed, her spirit lives on through Ben, who continues to thrive. A natural social butterfly, he quickly made friends and now spends his days playing with Mickey, another white-faced capuchin. Together, they explore and enjoy the freedom and enrichment they were once denied. Ben lives the life he was always meant to have: safe, enriched, and full of monkey mischief!

Like Richard Branson, his kindred famous doppelganger, Ben embodies an adventurous spirit, enthusiastically exploring every inch of his new environment and embracing challenges with boundless energy.