Monkey Business Series 6 Disc 1

Set amongst the woodland of Dorset lays 65 acres of sanctuary for over 150 primates.

Monkey World was set up in 1987 by Jim and Alison 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 illegalsmuggling of apes out of Africa and Asia.

At the park visitors can see more than 150 primates of 15 different species.



There are currently 56 chimpanzees at Monkey World, which makes it the largest group

outside Africa.

Monkey World has rescued chimps from Spain, Greece, France, England,Austria,

The Netherlands, Israel, Cyprus, Dubai and Taiwan where they were being used

and/or abused in laboratories, as exotic pets, as photographer?s props, or as circus

animals.

Their exact histories vary, but the majority of them share part of the same story.

Born in Africa chimps are taken from their family groups as youngsters.

Poaching expeditions for bush meat and the capture of young animals results in the

slaughter of adults as they try and defend their babies and extended family.

It is estimated that the removal of one infant will result in the death of up to

ten other chimpanzees.

The young animals are smuggled out of Africa and then sold illegally abroad.



In the case of Spanish beach chimps, they are dressed up in human clothes and worked

in tourist resorts, often for 16 hours per day as a photographer?s prop. When the

chimpanzees reach 4 or 5 years of age they become uncontrollable and are usually

killed in order to be replaced with a new baby chimp. Some photographers will try

and control their chimps by beating them and pulling their teeth out and/or putting

them on drugs. Monkey World in co-operation with Spanish authorities confiscates all

known beach chimpanzees. New arrivals are given a full medical check and such

examinations often reveal serious injuries such as machete wounds and broken bones.

Many of the chimps come to us addicted to drugs. Recovery and rehabilitation is a

lengthy process with many of the animals suffering from malnutrition and anaemia.



At Monkey World we rehabilitate the chimps into large social groups but we keep the

females on birth control. There are still many chimps that need rescuing and for this

reason we do not allow our animals to breed in order that we have the space and

funding to rescue others. At present there are 4 groups of chimps at the park,

the largest numbering 22. Each group is given at least 1 hectare of land.

Monkey World is also working in Asia with the Pingtung Rescue Centre for Endangered

Wild Animals to try to stop the smuggling of gibbons and orangutans from the wild.

We are also conducting undercover surveys of the illegal pet trade in South East Asia.



On site there is a hospital and operating theatre where most of the medical examination

and operations on the chimps and monkeys happen. While we have a local vet and a

specialist primate vet, the staff at Monkey World are recognised as experts in primate

rehabilitation and health. We also bring in specialists as needed such as paediatricians,

dentists, ear, nose and throat surgeons, ophthalmic specialists, and gynaecologists.



Our costs of providing quality and continuing care are high. We operate an adoption

scheme to assist in our fund raising, which includes free admission to the park for

one year. Our work can only continue with the assistance of our supporters and visitors.



http://www.monkeyworld.co.uk/main.php


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Jim Cronin passed away on March 17, 2007 at Cabrini Medical Center in Manhattan.

Born and raised in Yonkers, NY, he has been a resident of Great Britain for more

than two decades where he and his wife Alison have operated the internationally

renowned ape rescue centre, Monkey World, which works with governments around the

world to halt the illegal smuggling of apes out of Africa and Asia. Jim was educated

at St. Denis School and Lincoln High School in Yonkers.



During the past 20 years, Jim established himself as an international expert in the

rescue and rehabilitation of abused primates, and the enforcement of international

treaties aimed at protecting primates from illegal trade and experimentation.

Jim founded Monkey World which he and Alison built from a small refuge to a 65 acre

wildlife park that is home to more than 160 rescued primates of 16 different species

and is rated as one of the most popular family destinations in England. Last year Jim

was awarded the honour of Member of the British Empire (MBE) by Queen Elizabeth II for

Services to Animal Welfare. The well-loved series, Monkey Business, has documented

their frequent rescue missions and undercover investigations throughout Europe and

Asia for the past 10 years, and a new series is in production.



Jim had a passion for life and the conservation of wildlife that was an inspiration

to all who knew him. His enthusiasm was infectious and he will be missed by all whose

lives he touched. Jim?s legacy will continue under the guidance of his devoted wife,

Dr Alison Cronin. Monkey World and the numerous projects Jim and Alison set up globally,

will continue as a fitting memorial to a man whose life touched so many around the world.



Monkey World have set up a fund in memory of Jim to continue his legacy.