One Fine Day

Wednesday October 16

Heavy overnight rain seems to have affected the moth catch to-day. A Red-line Quaker was new for the site.

The sun came out and we went out. To Monkey World.

Set amongst the woodland of Dorset lies 65 acres of sanctuary for over 250 primates. Monkey World was set up in 1987 by Jim Cronin to provide abused Spanish beach chimps with a permanent, stable home. Today Monkey World works in conjunction with foreign governments from all over the world to stop the illegal smuggling of apes out of Africa and Asia. At the park visitors can see over 250 primates of more than 20 different species. 

Our first visit was prompted by watching their very successful TV programmes - their 11th series is due to start on Pick, November 11 2019. I love apes and became very fond of the animals and their rescuers. Jim has since died. His wife, Alison, carries on the work, which she is very well qualified to do.

I hadn't booked a buggy and despite being in a queue with only two on show, I managed to get one. They're brand new and look very smart. One leaves a proof of identity and £10 deposit which are returned when the buggy is.

After passing my driving test (!!) we only went a few metres as  there was a misfit group enclosure just inside the entrance. One Patas monkey, Mica,  one elderly Lemur, George. two Red-bellied Guenons, Benny and Mia and their baby, Biff, born in March this year.

Biff was being very active, leaping over his mother for a silly five minutes.

The enclosures are very large, well treed and vegetated, as natural as is possible in the UK. Augmenting this is the use of hose, ropes and logs to build sophisticated and complicated structures on which the animals can climb, play, hide, chill out.

There are four different groups of Chimpanzees and three groups of Orangutans, in addition to the many smaller monkeys there.

Hananya's group was the most active we have ever seen them - apart from on TV. Virtually all of them outside, scattered around and on the frames.

Thelma, the baby of the group, born to mum Cherri when her contraceptive implant failed. Her twin Louise,  died soon after birth. She had a hole in her heart. Twins are very rare amongst primates.

Hananya is the leader and we were lucky to see one of his thundering displays of power accompanied by noise - both his and that of the subserviant and respectful group.

Hananya puffed up and on his way, hooting loudly, accompanied by his second in commnand.

Joining in

We dragged ourselves away, eating a sandwich and hot drink lunch so that Pam could have a deserved sit down. 
Pam is especially fond of Woolly monkeys. Alison is famous for the world first of successfully hand rearing an abandoned baby to adulthood. She, with help, has done this on three occasions. The monkeys now rear their own offspring. Another success.

A baby

Next major stop, the much anticipated Orang nursery. Monkey World is the European creche for orphaned or rejected babies and they are very successful at rearing the babies to adulthood. Several of the adults are now at European zoos where they are breeding successfully, forming family groups of their own and enriching the gene pool.

In charge is 'mother' Oshine. She arrived as a vastly overweight and indulged house pet of a South African couple. She was out of control, emptying the fridge, free to roam in the house, driven around in the passenger seat of the car. She still walks upright.

She rushed over to discipline Jin who was playing too roughly with the babies, Bulu Mata and Rieke. Most of the Orangs are Bornean but Jin is Sumatran.

Taking photographs was unsatisfactory. The large glass viewing window was filthy inside and out from children's hands on one side and baby Orangs on the other.

Their Bornean keeper turned up to give his public talk, keeping the apes entertained and active by throwing dozens of blueberries, blackberries and shelled peanuts into the enclosure. They had trouble finding the food in the long grass and were often too close.

Jin

Especially the little ones.

Hairy rug Bulu Mata

Rieke

Ever hungry Oshine looking for leftovers.

 A thoroughly enjoyable day in warm sunshine throughout.
Cerne Abbas was not too far away and neither of us had seen the famous chalk man which was renovated recently - it was on Countryfile. 

There was even a good parking place from which to view, although the angle was odd, making his appendage the focal point of the picture. Honest......
The Giant is 60 metres tall and thought to date from the 17C. His phallus is 36 feet in length. Ouch.
The owners of the cottage were just leaving Cedar Lodge as we drove in. Needs an entry of its own I think as this is very long already.