Monkey World Ape Rescue Centre, in Dorset, England, was opened by the late Jim Cronin in 1987. A New Yorker, Cronin worked at Bronx Zoo in his early years, before moving to the UK to work. As a keeper, he developed invaluable skills in primate care and fell in love with these wonderful animals.
Visiting Spain, he witnessed the abuse of chimpanzees working as photographers’ props. Most had their teeth removed and were drugged to stop them from biting tourists. Seeing these horrors, he eventually set up Monkey World, aiming to rescue and give sanctuary to these amazing cousins of ours.
The goal of all care staff at Monkey World – including Jim’s wife, Alison, who runs the park to this day – is to rehabilitate the various apes and monkeys who reside there, with the hope of eventually returning them to a natural life — to a future, I would like to think, without the devastating deforestation that happens every day.
Monkey World has successfully undertaken two of the biggest rescues in history: the team saved 19 stump-tailed macaques from a medical research laboratory in the UK, and a whopping 88 capuchin monkeys from similar captivity in Chile.
There are various ways we can assist Monkey World and the Jim Cronin Memorial Fund with their important work to save these threatened animals. One way is to adopt. Kerry and I adopt 3 between us: Gordon, leader and caretaker of his orangutan group; Trudy, a member of Hananya’s group of chimpanzees; and Bulu Mata, one of the cheeky members of the nursery orangutans.
Of course, one of the best ways to support them is to visit the sanctuary, and Kerry and I like to go at least once a year (more if we can!) So, why not pay them a visit if you’re in the UK?
In the meantime, here are some photos from our recent trip there. I hope you enjoy. And please leave a comment below if you’ve been to the sanctuary or adopt any of their amazing animals.
(For more information and to offer support, visit www.monkeyworld.org and www.jimcroninmemorialfund.org)
