Monkey World facts for kids
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| Date opened | 7 August 1987 |
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| Location | Dorset, England |
| Land area | 65 acres (26.3 ha) |
| No. of animals | Over 250 |
| No. of species | 20 |
| Website | monkeyworld.org |
Monkey World Ape Rescue Centre is a special place in Dorset, England. It's a 65-acre (26.3 ha) home for apes and monkeys. This centre helps rescue and care for primates from all over the world. It's like a safe haven where these amazing animals can live happily.
Contents
History of Monkey World
Monkey World was started in 1987 by Jim Cronin. He got help from Jeremy Keeling and later his wife, Alison. The main goal was to give a home to chimpanzees who had been mistreated by photographers in Spain. Over time, it grew to help many different kinds of primates.
One of the first animals at Monkey World was Amy, a Bornean Orangutan. She was later joined by Banghi, and they had a son named Gordon. In 1987, the first chimpanzees arrived, including Paddy, Busta, and Jimmy. In 1998, a young chimpanzee named Trudy was rescued. Her previous owner faced charges for being cruel to animals.
Jim Cronin passed away in 2007. His wife, Alison Cronin, and the dedicated staff have continued his important work.
Rescue Missions Around the World
Monkey World works with governments to stop the illegal trade of wild primates. In 2008, they carried out a huge rescue mission. They saved 88 capuchin monkeys from a lab in Santiago, Chile. Some of these monkeys had been kept alone for up to 20 years. The Chilean Air Force even helped fly the monkeys to England!
More rescues followed:
- In 2010, a Bornean orangutan named Oshine was rescued from Johannesburg, South Africa.
- Later that year, a baby Sumatran orangutan named Silvestre was saved from a zoo in Spain.
- In 2011, a chimpanzee named Kiki was rescued from Lebanon.
- In 2018, two female chimpanzees, Toprish and Naree, were rescued. Toprish had been stolen from the wild.
- In 2020, a 37-year-old chimpanzee named Kalu was rescued from South Africa.
Even during a big storm in 2022, two rare woolly monkeys were born at the park!
What You Can See at Monkey World
Monkey World has the largest group of chimpanzees outside of Africa. They live in four different social groups. Many of the animals here were rescued from the illegal pet trade, labs, or from being used for entertainment.
Orangutans and Gibbons
The park is home to three groups of orangutans. You can see two different types: Bornean and Sumatran orangutans. Monkey World also has Europe's only orangutan "crèche." This is a special nursery for orphaned or abandoned orangutans.
While they don't have gorillas yet, they are ready to help any gorillas that need rescuing.
You can also see five different kinds of gibbons:
- Agile gibbons
- Lar gibbons
- Müller's gibbons
- Siamangs
- Golden-cheeked gibbons
Other Amazing Monkeys
Monkey World also cares for 14 other species of monkeys and prosimians. These include:
- Capuchins
- Common marmosets
- Geoffrey's marmosets
- Cotton-top tamarins
- Patas monkeys
- Red-bellied guenons
- Ring-tailed lemurs
- White-faced sakis
- Slow lorises
- Spider monkeys
- Squirrel monkeys
- Stump-tailed macaques
- Woolly monkeys
Dao Tien Rescue Centre in Vietnam
In 2008, Monkey World helped create the Dao Tien Rescue Centre in South Vietnam. This centre works to save gibbons and other primates from the illegal pet trade, smuggling, and restaurants.
Since it opened, Dao Tien has rescued over 50 endangered primates. These include golden-cheeked gibbons and pygmy slow lorises. 27 of these animals have been helped and then released back into their natural homes. After they are released, they are tracked using special radio collars. The work at Dao Tien is shown in the TV series Monkey Life.
Monkey World on TV
Monkey World has been featured in many TV shows, letting people around the world see their important work.
- Monkey Life: This popular show follows the daily lives and rescue missions at Monkey World. It has many seasons and is shown on channels like National Geographic Channel and Animal Planet.
- Monkey Business: This was an earlier TV series that focused on Monkey World.
- Other shows: Monkey World has also appeared on Challenge Anneka, Nature Watch, Operation Chimpanzee, State of the Ark, and Animal Hospital. They have also been featured on news channels like CNN and Sky TV for their rescue operations.
Awards and Recognition
Monkey World has won several awards for its excellent work:
- Tripadvisor Certificate of Excellence in 2014, 2012, and 2011.
- Highly Commended at the Bournemouth Tourism Awards in 2012.
- Named one of The Independent's 50 Best Spring Days out in Britain in 2004.
- Received the Family Attraction of the Year for Dorset in The Good Britain Guide in 2000.
Both Jim Cronin and Alison Cronin received the Jane Goodall Award for their amazing efforts with Monkey World.
See also
- List of animal sanctuaries
