The Trust's Work

The Monkey Sanctuary Trust is a unique environmental charity dedicated to promoting the welfare, conservation and survival of primates, working to end the primate trade and abuse of primates in captivity, promoting the rehabilitation of captive primates and the preservation of those in the wild and operating a sanctuary for the conservation, preservation and welfare of wildlife and the environment. The Monkey Sanctuary Trust is a registered charity in the UK.

The Monkey Sanctuary is situated in beautiful woodlands overlooking Looe Bay in south east Cornwall. For many years the Sanctuary was dedicated to one species, the Amazonian woolly monkey, and was the first place in the world where these monkeys bred successfully outside of their native habitat. The Sanctuary now practices a non-breeding policy implemented by administering a contraceptive pill to the females.

The emphasis for the Sanctuary now is on the continued care and management of the woolly monkey colony and the rescue and rehabilitation of ex-pet capuchin monkeys. The monkeys live in large interconnected enclosures, comprising both indoor and outdoor spaces.

The Sanctuary draws upon over 40 years of experience in caring for South American primates and prides itself on the quality of this care and the consideration of the monkeys as individuals. The original members of the woolly monkey colony were all rescued from zoos and the pet trade in the 1960s and 1970s. Thankfully, the trade in woolly monkeys no longer exists in the UK, however the trade does still exist illegally in South America and the woolly monkey is now listed in CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) as “vulnerable”. Habitat destruction and hunting for both the pet and “bushmeat” trades ensure that numbers in the wild are declining rapidly. Unfortunately for capuchins and various other primate species that remain unprotected by CITES law, the legal trade in primates in the UK is still thriving and our capuchin monkeys have all be re-homed from private owners in this country.

We are working to end the trade in primates in both South America and the UK by supporting organisations that are working to protect primates in their natural habitat, and those caring for victims of this trade. We hope our efforts in these areas, along with our contribution to upcoming changes in UK legislation, will protect these highly intelligent individuals from possible extinction or lonely and unfulfilling lives in captivity. We also work to promote conservation and educate the wider public about ways in which we can change our living habits and the products that we use to protect primate habitats in South America.

Conservation of habitats is not only a concern in South America. Closer to home we promote the protection of native species by devoting a large portion of our land to a wildlife garden. Here we create habitats for local species such as the rare lesser horseshoe bat and pearl-bordered fritillary butterfly.

Sustainable living is an important part of conserving natural resources both locally and globally. We try to minimise our impact on the environment by sourcing products which reduce harmful emissions and pollutants, reusing, recycling and living communally.

By opening our doors to over 30,000 visitors each year, we are able to share our experience of caring for primates, conserving the environment and living sustainably. We also regularly give talks to schools and local interest groups, support research projects, work closely with other sanctuaries and offer advice and assistance to other organisations in the UK and South America. The Trust’s work is funded by opening to the public, our adoption scheme, street collections, grants, events and the generosity of our supporters.

Meanwhile we hope you enjoy our website which will tell you all about woolly and capuchin monkeys, primate welfare, and conservation of both UK and overseas wildlife. If you are trying to find something that is not on our site then we are always available to answer any questions you might have – please see our Contact Us page to find the correct details to direct your query to.

Click here to view the Monkey Sanctuary Trust's 2006-07 Annual Report
Click here to view the Monkey Sanctuary Trust's 2005-06 Annual Report