There’s nothing like getting in touch with your distant cousins. No, we don’t mean those guys in your family who moved away a few years ago and you haven’t seen since. We mean monkeys. And there are more than 40 of them at the Monkey Sanctuary in Cornwall.
The Monkey Sanctuary, on the Murrayton House estate in Looe, is dedicated to cute, intelligent, fun and friendly primates from across the globe. Each one of the wonderful creatures that you can meet at the attraction – which is run by UK primate welfare, rescue and conservation charity Wild Futures – has a distinct personality and is used to visitors saying hi and learning all about them. It’s actually an active rescue centre that cares for monkeys who may have had a pretty tragic start to their lives and need physical, social and emotional care and help. A lot of good is done at this sanctuary.
If you plan to meet the monkeys, pre-booking is essential. Expert members of the team give talks throughout the day to explain as much as they can about these incredible animals that aren’t too distant from ourselves. They also fill visitors in on how and why they care for the creatures at this beautifully laid-out rescue centre. Capuchin monkeys, woolly monkeys, marmosets and barbary macaques populate the sanctuary and fill the air with noise and the atmosphere with a sense of fun and wonder.
Other highlights at the Monkey Sanctuary include a Wild Play Area for the kids who can act like monkeys and jump around all the obstacles, slides and other fun activities in the area before using a magnifier and digging for treasure or joining one of the children’s workshops that include craft-making and face-painting. Then there’s the extensive gardens that overlook Looe Bay, with plenty of exotic plants, tons of frogs, birds and insects and some wonderful wooded areas.
There’s also a wildlife room that looks at other animals, local bugs and plants, and sports a bat cam area and a bumble bee corner. Finish your day off with coffee and cake in the Tea Room and Gift Shop that’s in Murrayton House’s dining room. Nothing beats a day monkeying around with the brilliant beasts at Cornwall’s top primate attraction.