Monkey Sanctuary
Encyclopedia
The Monkey Sanctuary was founded in 1964 by Len Williams, father of John Williams (guitarist)
, as a cooperative
to care for rescued woolly monkey
s. Based in Looe
, Cornwall
, the sanctuary is home to woolly monkeys that are descended from the original rescued pets, a growing number of capuchin monkeys rescued from the current UK pet trade, and small groups of rescued Barbary macaque
s and Patas monkey
s. The monkeys live in large enclosures that the general public can view during the Sanctuary's open season in the summer months. Also, there is a colony of rare lesser horseshoe bat
s living in the cellar of Murrayton House, a 19th century building that is the visitors' centre and accommodation for staff and volunteers. The bats can be observed from the "bat cave", a room that shows CCTV footage from an infrared camera installed in the cellar.
The Monkey Sanctuary Trust (UK registered Charity number 1102532), based at the Sanctuary, is dedicated to promoting the welfare, conservation and survival of primates. The Trust campaigns to end the primate trade in the UK and abroad, and to end the abuse of primates in captivity. Through talking to visitors, schools and other groups, the Trust aims to educate the public and raise awareness about the issues primates face in captivity and in the wild, and to promote and support conservation
efforts worldwide.
John Williams (guitarist)
John Christopher Williams is an Australian classical guitarist, and a long-term resident of the United Kingdom. In 1973, he shared a Grammy Award win in the 'Best Chamber Music Performance' category with Julian Bream for Julian and John .-Biography:John Williams was born on 24 April 1941 in...
, as a cooperative
Cooperative
A cooperative is a business organization owned and operated by a group of individuals for their mutual benefit...
to care for rescued woolly monkey
Woolly monkey
The woolly monkeys are the genus Lagothrix of New World monkeys, usually placed in the family Atelidae.There are four species of woolly monkey. All originate from the rainforests of South America...
s. Based in Looe
Looe
Looe is a small coastal town, fishing port and civil parish in the former Caradon district of south-east Cornwall, England, with a population of 5,280 . Looe is divided in two by the River Looe, East Looe and West Looe being connected by a bridge...
, Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
, the sanctuary is home to woolly monkeys that are descended from the original rescued pets, a growing number of capuchin monkeys rescued from the current UK pet trade, and small groups of rescued Barbary macaque
Barbary Macaque
The Barbary Macaque , or Common macaque, is a macaque with no tail. Found in the Atlas Mountains of Algeria and Morocco with a small population, of unknown origin, in Gibraltar, the Barbary Macaque is one of the best-known Old World monkey species. Besides humans, they are the only primates that...
s and Patas monkey
Patas Monkey
The patas monkey , also known as the Wadi monkey or Hussar monkey, is a ground-dwelling monkey distributed over semi-arid areas of West Africa, and into East Africa. It is the only species classified in the genus Erythrocebus...
s. The monkeys live in large enclosures that the general public can view during the Sanctuary's open season in the summer months. Also, there is a colony of rare lesser horseshoe bat
Lesser horseshoe bat
The Lesser Horseshoe Bat , is a type of European bat related to but smaller than its cousin, the Greater Horseshoe Bat...
s living in the cellar of Murrayton House, a 19th century building that is the visitors' centre and accommodation for staff and volunteers. The bats can be observed from the "bat cave", a room that shows CCTV footage from an infrared camera installed in the cellar.
The Monkey Sanctuary Trust (UK registered Charity number 1102532), based at the Sanctuary, is dedicated to promoting the welfare, conservation and survival of primates. The Trust campaigns to end the primate trade in the UK and abroad, and to end the abuse of primates in captivity. Through talking to visitors, schools and other groups, the Trust aims to educate the public and raise awareness about the issues primates face in captivity and in the wild, and to promote and support conservation
Wildlife management
Wildlife management attempts to balance the needs of wildlife with the needs of people using the best available science. Wildlife management can include game keeping, wildlife conservation and pest control...
efforts worldwide.