Monkeyland sits just outside Plettenberg Bay in South Africa in the Tsitsikama Forest. This is the place where monkeys come to be rescued from the care or use of humans. If it wasn’t for Monkeyland, these animals would likely be dead, or worse, living caged or abandoned. But here, they thrive, they live as they were meant to until they die. Some were former pets, some came from labs, zoos and circuses. All the monkeys are vegetarians and by supplementing the food they get from the forest, the multiple species inside the protected complex co-exist without fighting each other.
Monkeyland has several walking monkey safaris daily. It allows people to get up close and personal with the monkeys…without any contact between the humans and monkeys. And, there’s a volunteer program that’s free to those that qualify.
Monkeyland Primate Sanctuary, Plettenberg Bay
Ring-Tailed Lemurs
Native to Madagascar, these guys’ numbers are dwindling rapidly. But, you’ll see plenty of them around Monkeyland.
Black Lemurs
There aren’t as many in Monkeyland, but if you’re lucky, you might just catch one in the trees hanging out.
Capuchin Monkeys
Native to South America, capuchins are popular as pets. But, when they grow up, they are harder to keep domesticated. So, Monkeyland is a great home for them.
Squirrel Monkeys
Tiny but tough. These guys are also native to South America. You might see them alone some. But, once they get excited, they let out a high-pitched scream that brings many more to the rescue.
In addition, other monkeys you might see are spectacled langurs, black and white lemurs, a white handed gibbon (named Atlas who interrupted my filming), howler monkeys and if you’re lucky, a bush baby!
Check out the podcast I filmed at Monkeyland while shooting our episode. So, while you’re planning to travel to South Africa, don’t forget to check out the Birds of Eden and Monkeyland in Plettenberg Bay.
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