Monkey World Ape Rescue Centre Dorset

Monkey World – Ape Rescue Centre is a very unique place. Opening in 1987 it was one of the world’s first primate rescue centres, whose mission, at that time, was to provide a home for confiscated chimpanzees that had been stolen from the wild and were being worked as beach photographer’s props in the tourist industry of southern Europe. A lot has changed over 30 years and Monkey World now finds itself working around the world to assist governments to stop the smuggling of many different species of primate from the wild. At our centre we rehabilitate monkeys and apes that have been used, abused, or neglected for any number of reasons.

Our goal is to provide these primate refugees with as natural a life as possible but it is not an easy job. Monkeys and apes often arrive with physical and psychological problems. The physical maladies come in many forms including amputated limbs, broken bones, malnutrition, ophthalmic conditions, severe dental problems, drug additions, parasites, and bacterial infections to name just a few. The psychological damage many of our primates suffer is often long lasting and can take many different forms depending upon the monkey or apes’ backgrounds; including anti-social problems, excessive aggression, self-mutilation, agoraphobia, food hoarding, and stereotypic behaviour. It is the job of our Primate Care Staff and veterinarians to assess and treat the physical conditions with the end goal to provide our rescued primates with the most healthy, interesting, natural, and fun life possible for their remaining years.

Monkey World is not a zoo it is a rescue centre. The monkeys and apes that live at the park are mainly there as a result of suffering abuse or neglect in their previous circumstances and we only rescue and care for individuals and species whose needs we can meet. We do not concern ourselves with “exhibiting” a wide range of species; we focus on the rescue work even if that means rescuing 88 capuchin monkeys or bringing the 60th chimpanzee back to the park.

For zoos this type of work would spell financial ruin as visitors only need/want to see a few individuals of many different species. We take pride in creating large, natural and innovative environments for our rescued primates as well as dedicating the time and effort to rehabilitate new arrivals on a regular basis. At Monkey World the individual monkeys and apes are important to us and we invite our guests to join our family and get to know each individual, what they have been through, and how their rehabilitation is progressing. Each visitor to the park helps fund our rescue& rehabilitation operation, and supports primates in need.

Animal Experiences, Biology, Wildlife Parks, Zoos, Safari Parks, Animal Welfare

Your visit starts with a member of the park’s education team meeting you at the entrance gate to talk about the centre’s work and the importance of good behaviour in the park. Keeper talks and guided tours give your students informal time to hear from the people who take care of the apes and monkeys and ask all their questions.

The park includes three adventure playgrounds full of climbing frames, cargo nets and swings. Your students can burn off some energy but also see if they can balance, climb, or swing as well as the park’s residents.

Throughout the park, you’ll find internal and external viewing points to watch the primates no matter the weather. Unique among any animal trips you might consider for your class, the park offers Europe’s only orang-utan nursery.

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For students of all ages, a trip to Monkey World opens opportunities to cover several topics mandated by the national curriculum. The educational team at the centre can work with you to plan a session that covers endangered primates, rainforests and more to tie into your current lesson plans. These can be delivered in the onsite classrooms or during a walk around the park.

In addition to general science and geography lessons, students can use their trip to cover citizenship topics through environment discussion or even English and art through projects done after their trip. Some examples might include writing stories about the lives of the animals they met at the primate sanctuary or an art project based on what they saw at the park.

The lesson plans and posters provided by the centre cover topics such as the environmental impacts of using palm oil and the negative aspects of the primate pet trade. These can be incorporated into persuasive essays or science lessons on ecology.

Subjects Covered

• Art and design
• Citizenship
• English/literacy
• EYFS – Communication & language
• EYFS – Physical development
• EYFS – Understanding the world
• Geography
• Science

School groups must have 10 or more paying attendees to receive the discounted price. Workshops and talks have a maximum booking of 35 people.

Monkey World has developed teacher and student packs that supplement your lesson plans for key stages 1-3. The teacher book includes reference summary sheets and answers to the activity booklets along with notes covering primate bodies, food, growth, conservation and other topics. The teacher book and KS 1-3 activity books can be purchased in the centre’s gift shop.

A free teacher’s guide can be downloaded as well with information important for planning your visit. The guide walks you through the park, stopping at different animal habitats to talk about the various primates. Each section also provides questions you can use with your students.

The centre also can provides a primate course available online, with ten weeks of lesson plans that include slides, suggested reading and worksheets. This is a good place to pull additional resources to use on lessons about endangered species and general animal education.

Monkey World also offers STAMP lesson materials with activities based on the centre’s campaign against the UK pet trade. The activities include persuasive writing and debate topics and cover some of what the education team presents to classes at the park and in outreach sessions.

For older groups, or individual learning around the park, we can offer the self-guided tour through an audio guide which can be accessed via your own device. Usually £2 per person, this is offered at discounted rate for groups & schools.

Rules of photography are as follows:

We are happy for you to photograph or video our primates as a reminder of your visit to the park, however this must be for personal use only.  You may not use photographs or videos taken of our primates, staff or park, for any commercial purposes. Exploitation is exactly what we rescued many of our primates from, and so Monkey World retains the copyright of their images.

Do not photograph or video any member of staff or other visitors without their knowledge and permission.

Monkey World provides a full risk assessment for educational visits, including hazards, risks and controls. Teachers are encouraged to do a pre-visit to make their own assessment and one free entry is provided upon request when you book your group.

Potential hazards at the park do not exceed low to medium levels and include common risks like child welfare and fire evacuation as well as park-specific scenarios such as electric fences and primate escape.

School’s Liaison officer: Alison Jollife, education@monkeyworld.org 01929 401022

Education Team Leader: Annie Underhill, education1@monkeyworld.org 01929 401022

Pricing is as follows: (Special pricing is available for school groups to age 16)

• Children – £9.25
• 1 Teacher per 6 children – Free
• Additional teacher tickets – £10.25

For preschool groups, pricing is as follows:

• Combo ticket (1 adult & 1 child) – £16.50
• Child – £8.75
• Adult – £12.25

Additional fees are collected for workshops and talks. The curriculum-linked workshops take place in the on-site classrooms and in the park, running for one hour at a cost of £40 for up to 35 students. Talks provide an inside look at Monkey World’s work in primate rescue and rehab, running 45 minutes at a cost of £35 for up to 35 people.

There is also the option to purchase a school adoption pack, which supports the park’s rescue and rehabilitation work for a full year.  As part of this package, the school will receive a photo of their chosen primate, a certificate, three newsletters a year, and one entry for 30 children (15 and under). The cost of the year’s adoption is £195.

Self-guided Audio Tours can be provided at a discounted cost of £10 per 20 people.

Monkey World is primarily an outside venue, and so visitors must dress for the weather. Wet weather gear, sun cream and sunhats may be necessary, as well as sensible shoes as there are uneven paths and ground in places.

Emergency First Aiders are on site to provide assistance in emergency situations. We recommend bringing a first aid cut to treat minor cuts, grazes & other injuries as Monkey World is not permitted to dispense medications, plasters, or creams.

Monkey World features several food and drink options around the centre, some of which are open seasonally or during school holidays. The three cafes include the Treetops Café, the site’s main catering facility opened all year round. Also available seasonally are the Watering Hole, a jungle-themed cafe serving hot and cold food and the outdoor Malagasy near the orangutan nursery. Kiosks serving ice cream and drinks can be found near the woolly monkeys and by the great ape play area.

The park features several picnic areas where you can enjoy your packed or purchased lunch. Note that there are no lockers or storage areas in the park, so you can leave your lunches in the coach and exit after getting your hand stamped to retrieve them.

The gift shop is situated by the exit and is filled with park specific souvenirs, including postcards of the primates they will have seen that day. The exit can be accessed bypassing the gift shop also. The park is primarily operating on a cash-less basis, but cash floats can be arranged for children to spend pocket money. Gift shop purchases and ice-creams can also be purchased in advance.

There are three unsupervised play areas at the park, including the Great Ape Play area, a large adventure climbing frame. The play area is recommended for those aged 8 and over.

The park is accessible by wheelchair apart from the woodland walk- which can be easily bypassed and contains just one small marmoset enclosure.

There are also a number of sensory statues around the park for those who have limited vision, and additional sensory sensitivities.

There are two wheelchair swings in the play areas, as well as bird’s nest swings.

There are two blocks of disabled toilets, including baby changing facilities. The first aid hut also has access to a full size bench, but no winch / hoist.

Keeper talks are available by QR code with subtitles, and also in written format. An audio tour can be provided for free for visually challenged visitors.

The park regularly holds Autism Friendly Mornings, and early entry can be accommodated to avoid crowds if necessary. Our full accessibility guide is on the website, and we encourage visitors to contact us for any concerns at all.

Monkey World is open every day except Christmas from 10am to 5pm. The last entry to the park is one hour before closing time

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Outreach Visits

If you teach or run a youth group within a 100 mile radius of Monkey World, then book a session with our Education Team today! From Early Years to Higher Education, we can cater for all of your educational needs. Our 1 hour sessions link with the national curriculum and are a great way to enrich topics such as Teeth, Food Chains and the Rainforest. Please see website for available sessions. If you’d like to cover a different topic, please get in touch with our Education Team to discuss your requirements. The Education Team are always happy to discuss what you want from your session and can be flexible on timings. To book your talk or discuss your needs then get in touch today on 01929 401022 or email education@monkeyworld.org Please note: we do not bring any primates to our talks.