Monkey World Videos

Monkey World

Monkey world is an all year round attraction in Wareham, Dorset. Although a major tourist attraction, Monkey World does serious work and helps governments around the world to stop the smuggling of primates from the wild. Refugees from this illegal trade are rehabilitated into natural living groups at the centre.

There are over 230 primates at Monkey World of 15 different species. Included in that are 58 chimpanzees, living in 4 different social groups, and is the largest group of chimpanzees outside of Africa itself. There are 5 different species of gibbon, 3 groups of orang-utans including the home of Eurpoe's only Orang-utan creche. There are 7 species of monkeys and prosimians, capuchin, common marmosets, cotton-top tamarins, ring-tailed lemurs, squirrel monkey, stump-tailed macaques and wooly monkeys. All of the primates live in conditions that allow them to be inside or out to both play in and explore. The enclosures are constantly being updated and expanded to enrich the primates lives and the more complex environments encourages their rehabilitation.

The enclosures have all been designed to mimic the wild as far as possible so that they can move as they would if wild, have appropriate sleeping sites and nesting material. There are over 30 primate care staff. Feeding 230 primates of 14 different species means there is a complex nutritional need as well as to keep the diets varied and interesting.

Monkey world has picnic areas, cafes, a gift shop, a baby room, play areas, amusements and a viewing tower. There are regular talks from 12:00 onwards from the keepers so that you can hear first hand exactly what the centre is doing as well as learning about the behaviour of the primates.

Many events are held at Monkey World throughout the year so do please check their website to see if anything special is going on when you visit.

Gates open at 10:00 am and close at 5:00, although during the summer there are extended opening times until 6:00.