Marcel the marmoset finds new owner in Wolverhampton

Marcel the marmoset was rescued from a home in Wolverhampton after being discovered by a "hysterical" homeowner last month.

He is believed to have been an unwanted pet who was dumped on the streets before he was saved by the animal charity Wings and Paws.

Volunteers spent several weeks nursing him back to full health before trying to find him a suitable new home.

Marcel was offered a place at Monkey World in Wareham, Dorset, and made the 200 mile journey there on Wednesday (8/5). 

Once he has settled into his new enclosure, Marcel will be introduced to his new girlfriend and it's hoped the pair will hit it off. 

Wings and Paws volunteer Gemma Warner said: "It was mixed emotions seeing him go because he was such a sweetheart who we had grown really fond of.

"But we are obviously ecstatic for him as it's undoubtedly the best place for him. We were really happy to find him somewhere suitable. 

"It wasn't an easy task though, Monkey World places are in very high demand. Like ourselves and other rescue places they are full.

"But the owner jiggled some things around and he now has a lovely big enclosure to explore. 

"He's gone from being in the state we found him, to living in someone's bedroom, which wasn't ideal - to now having a great new home. 

"It will certainly be better for him than trying to survive in the wild on the streets of Wolverhampton. 

"Our volunteers worked relentlessly to make this happen and Monkey World could see he deserved a new start.

"We're really grateful to them and we would only accept the very best for our Marcel.
We are sad to see him go but over the moon for him. 

"He will be by himself while he adapts and then a new girlfriend will be introduced - so we hope they hit it off." 

Sharing the new on social media, Wings and Paws added: "What a fabulous end to our rescue mission - this is what it's all about! 

"Rescues helping rescues and saving lives!!" 

The charity said they were originally called by a distressed woman who had found a monkey inside her family home. 

She reported discovering a "strange wild animal with a bushy tail" leaping about her property.

Volunteers who attended the scene said they had expected to find a squirrel or a fox  but were left shocked to see a monkey casually sitting on the kitchen countertop.

They were able to entice Marcel -  who was 5,400 miles away from his native South America - into a cage and back to their rescue centre. 

Gemma said previously: "We're more used to dealing with domestic pets and farmyard animals like dogs, cats and horses so it was certainly a shock to discover a monkey.

"Its lucky we found him because the cold would have killed him if he'd been left on the streets of Wolverhampton.

"It's not their usual habitat as you can imagine." 

Marmosets are mainly found in the tropical rainforests of South America, with a few  populations in Central America. 

They mostly eat sap and gum from trees, but they also eat the leaves, fruit, seeds and flowers, as well as insects, snails, lizards, frogs and baby birds.

It is legal in the UK to keep them as pets, but the RSPCA advises against it, as they need a warm climate and lots of stimulation.

The government brought in new rules earlier this year to make it illegal to keep monkeys, lemurs and other primates without a license from April 2026.