Monkey World
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| Monkey World | |
 Monkey World Logo
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| Date opened | 1987 |
| Location |  Dorset, England |
| Land area | 65-acre (0.26 km²) |
| Number of Animals | over 160 |
| Number of Species | 13 |
| [http://www.monkeyworld.org Website] | |
Coordinates: Monkey World is a 65-acre (0.26 km²) ape and monkey sanctuary and zoo near Wool, Dorset, England. Set up in 1987 by the late Jim Cronin, and later operated by both him and his wife Alison, it was originally intended to provide a home for abused chimpanzees used by Spanish beach photographers, but is now home to many different species of primates.
The facility made the news in January 2008 with what The Guardian called "the world's biggest rescue mission of its kind," when it saved 88 capuchin monkeys from a laboratory in Santiago, Chile, where some of the animals had been kept in solitary cages for up to 20 years. The operation was carried out at the request of the laboratory, and with help from the Chilean air force, who flew the animals to Bournemouth airport with special permission from the British government.[1]
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[edit] History
The sanctuary was founded by Jim Cronin after Spain introduced legislation that prevented the use of chimps as props on the Spanish beaches. These chimps would be smuggled into the country from their natural habitats. The mother chimps would be killed in order to take the babies who would then be dressed in human clothing to be used as photographer's props in tourist resorts. They were often killed at ages 4 or 5 because they would become too large to handle. During their time as props they would be mistreated, abused, drugged and disfigured.
The abuse of the animals would cause great mental and physical damage to them. Jim Cronin set out to provide them with a place that they could settle into a happy existence.
[edit] Growth
Today Monkey World houses over 160 different primates of 13 different species and the rescue centre houses the largest collection of chimpanzees outside of Africa. The other species of primates include orangutans, marmosets, lemurs, many different gibbons, macaques and woolly monkeys.
The centre works closely with foreign governments and conservation bodies to stop the illegal smuggling of apes out of Africa and Asia, and has rescued many abused primates living in laboratories, in circuses, as pets, as well as photographers' props. The park is world renowned for the work that it does.
[edit] Primates Groups
[edit] Hananya's Group
This group of chimpanzees contains 18 primates. Hananya took over the group after former leader Rodney, passed away after a heart attack. 4 babies have been born in this group, but all had to be hand-reared. One of the youngsters lives in the nursery group, one in Butch's group and the other two are being introduced back into this group.The introductions are going very well.
[edit] Paddy's Group
Paddy is another of the original chimps rescued from Spain. This group contains 20 apes and makes up the largest chimp group in the park. This group is home to Eddi, who is one of the first successful births in the park. Most of the mothers in the park reject their young at birth but Susie, mother of Eddi and Bart who was born last year, has raised both of her infants without any problems. Another 3 babies have been born into this group, one of which live in the nursery, one which lives in Hananya's group and the other was reintegrated into the group.
[edit] Butch's Group (Bachelor Boys)
Butch is one of the original chimps rescued from Spain after being treated as a beach photographer's prop. The group contains 15 primates and are affectionately known as 'The Bachelor Boys' as they are all male chimps that don't fit into any other group. Recently the group has grown with the addition of Jimmy from Paddys group and Seamus from the nursery group.
[edit] Nursery Group
This group is for the younger chimps. The carer of this group is Sally, who is another of the original chimps from Spain. The group is currently home to 5 chimps including the latest addition Bryan who was rescued from Mexico in December 2006
[edit] Orangutans
There are currently three groups of orangutans:
- Group One contains the oldest male Tuan, and females Ro-Ro and Lucky
- Group Two contains Amy, the first orangutan in the park, and her son Gordon as well as another 2 rescued primates, Hsiao Lan and Hsiao-Quai and her 3 yr old son Kai.
Amy is expecting a baby due in september
[edit] Orangutan Nursery
The Nursery Group currently lives in a specially designed enclosure for young orangutans.
The current residents are: A-mei - The adult of the group, and youngsters: Hsiao-Ning and Dinda (daughters of RoRo) and Lingga and Joly from France and Russia.
Sadly on the 5th of December, Aris (The only Sumatran subspecies at the park) had to be put to sleep after his health deteriorated after a minor operation on his knee.
[edit] Gibbons
[edit] Siamang Gibbons
Currently there are three Siamang Gibbons in the park. These are Sage and Sam and their offspring, Onion who was born in 2000.
[edit] Golden-Cheeked Gibbons
This group of primates is part of the endangered species breeding program. So far there are 9 of these gibbons in the park. They are named: Zoey, Jake, Peanut, Pung-Yo, Tien, Alex, Rafael, Vietta and Tito
Peanut and Pungo-Yo, the first pair to produce a child are expected to be exported to Monkey Worlds new island sanctuary along with their child Tien, the current date of the move is unknown.
The 31st of March 2008 saw the arrival of Zoey and Jake's baby, Kim "Meaning golden in Vietnamese"
[edit] Muellers Gibbons
This Species of Gibbon is quite rare in zoos but there are currently 2 couples in the park: Dalumie and Adidas and Fox and Nini.
[edit] Agile and Lar Gibbons
There are 3 Lar Gibbons and One Agile Gibbon living at the park. The Agile Gibbon Paul, lives with Kitty a Lar gibbon and the other Lar Gibbons Ella and Nike live in another enclosure.
[edit] Other Primates
- Ring-Tailed Lemurs - There are a total of 14 ring-tailed lemurs in the park. They reside in a walkthrough woodland enclosure, and are currently divided into two groups, due to dominance issues.
- Stump-Tailed Macaques - There are 11 of these primates at Monkey World and are affectionately called the "Ugly Monkeys". They currently live in two groups, one in the macaque house and the other by capuchin lodge. These came from various research centers around the UK.
- Squirrel Monkeys - There are only 3 of these small primates in the park, who came from a German laboratory.
- Woolly Monkeys - There are 12 of these rare monkeys at Monkey World, including two babies both of which are being hand-reared. Another was born in February 2008 and is being cared for by her mother.
- Capuchin monkeys - 94 capuchins reside in Monkey World. The 4 originals are named Terri, Tom, TJ and Gismo. In January 2008, 88 new capuchins arrived from Chile and have all been given names; these new arrivals are currently living in the new capuchin lodge and at the bottom woolly monkey house. A further 2 were rescued from the British pet trade at the same time.
- Common Marmosets - There are currently 15 monkeys in the park.
They are separated into three groups: family, males and females.
- Goeldi's Monkey - There is just one in the park called Oberon. The female brought in to partake in a breeding program sadly died due to medical problems. Oberon now lives with the female marmosets.
[edit] Present Times
At Monkey World, chimps are rehabilitated into large social groups, much as they would exist in the wild. The females are generally kept on birth control because the center is still actively rescuing chimps, so space and funding is limited. Monkey World also works in Asia with the "Pingtung Rescue Center for Endangered Wild Animals" to try to stop the smuggling of gibbons and orangutans from the wild for use as pets. They also conduct undercover surveys of the illegal pet trade in South East Asia.
Within the center there is a hospital and operating theater where most of the medical examination and operations on the chimps and monkeys are performed. There is a local vet and a specialist primate vet and the staff at Monkey World are recognized as experts in primate rehabilitation and health.
Aside from the primate enclosures the park offers other attractions. There is a petting corner where visitors can meet animals such as donkeys, marmosets, ducks and rabbits. For the more active there is the woodland walk and the children's adventure play area. The café provides a wide range of hot and cold food, whilst the kiosks sell treats such an ice creams and cola. The well stocked gift shop is very popular, as is the viewing tower, from which you can see all over the park. Monkey World opens at 10am and closes at 5pm (6pm July and August). As of 2008, adult entrance tickets were £10.50 and children (3-15 years old) were £7.25 Family tickets (two adults and two children) cost £31.
All of the enclosures are viewable from level disability friendly paths. There is a section for disabled children in the play area and motorized scooters are available for use in the park free of charge. Guide dogs are permitted into the park. Monkey World attracts over half a million visitors a year.
[edit] Television Appearances
Awareness of the park has grown due to the ongoing TV documentary Monkey Business which has now completed its 9th series as well as general TV coverage across the world:
- five Monkey Life Weekdays, 6:30PM, Currently Showing
- ITV and Animal Planet Monkey Business; a continuing series produced by Meridian Television focusing on Monkey World. Nine series have been broadcast to date, with two specials on "Jim Cronin's Legacy" to be broadcast in June 2008.
- ITV Nature Watch
- BBC Operation Chimpanzee
- BBC State of the Ark
- BBC Animal Hospital
- CNN & Sky TV Highlighting a rescue operation in Turkey of smuggled chimpanzees
- ITV GMTV Covering the illegal pet trade in Turkey.
- BBC QED Saving Trudy
- Russell Brand often talks about Monkey World in his BBC Radio 2 programme & podcast, and mentions it on Big Brother Celebrity Highjack when a house mate makes monkey noises.
- Karl Pilkington made a visit to Monkey World and was mentioned in his & Ricky Gervais' radio show on XFM.
[edit] Awards
Monkey World has won an array of awards including Attraction of the Year 2000, and sixth best family attraction in Britain 2004.
[edit] Death of Jim Cronin
On Saturday 17th March 2007 Jim Cronin died in a New York hospital aged 55 years, from liver cancer.
His widow, Alison, and the staff at Monkey World have promised to continue the legacy of Monkey World: "Monkey World will carry on with Alison at the forefront. We will make sure it is Jim’s lasting legacy." [2]
[edit] Footnotes
- ^ Balakrishnan, Angela. "Dorset sanctuary completes world's biggest monkey rescue", The Guardian, January 30, 2008.
- ^ Monkey World Ape Rescue Centre - MONKEY BUSINESS STAR DIES
[edit] External links
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