Monkey Forest: My mates the Primates (Monkey Forest (Trentham))

Member Name: Teteenlair

Product:	Monkey Forest (Trentham)
Date:	18/01/09 (168 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Entertaining AND educational

Disadvantages: None at all

I always love going to stay with my friends in Derby as there's just so much to do in the surrounding area that we never end up at a loose end or tramping round the shops. My boyfriend and I turned up one evening in August and were told "we're going to Monkey Forest tomorrow". Not having a clue what 'Monkey Forest' was but being a sucker for all things animal, this was fine by me.

My friend passed me a leaflet the next morning in the car once we were on our merry way. I learned that Monkey Forest is 60 acres of woodland on the Trentham Estate in Staffordshire, where 140 Barbary Macaques roam freely. Although there were pictures showing children practically shaking hands with the monkeys, I was sceptical and expected them to stay a long way away from us scary humans.

The high, heavy double gate we encountered upon entering the Forest was a bit disconcerting - how come these animals are allowed to roam freely within, but there's this much precaution taken to stop them getting out?! Putting this to the back of our minds we strolled along the tree-lined path where we soon encountered our first friendly guide. We said hello and I asked how likely it was that would see a monkey. "If you look just behind you there's a female asleep in the tree" he replied. And she was! We stood quietly for a while listening to her gently snoring, then continued along the path.

We rounded a corner and I couldn't believe what I was seeing - dozens of monkeys going about their daily business and scampering back and forth across the path. The path winds through their forest with low barriers stopping us going into their territory (they can come into ours!) I couldn't believe how close up we were (of course, you're not allowed to touch or approach the monkeys). We came across more knowledgable guides who told us a bit about the dynamics of this particular group - who was the oldest, who was the boss, who was whose mother and so on. It's amazing how they can tell them all apart.

Feeding times are displayed a board on this first part of the walk, I think they were about once an hour. The guides go into the monkeys' areas and scatter food on the floor and in holes in the tree branches so that the monkeys do still have to forage for themselves. We were told that Barbaray Macaques are an endagered species, with only about 10,000 left in the wild, and Monkey Forest runs a conservation programme to get the monkeys to breed and establish strong 'community' groups in this and three other such parks, then reintroduce these groups to their native Morocco, so obviously foraging is a skill they will need in the wild.

The park is only small, with the pathway only being less than a mile long, but we spent a good part of the day there watching the monkeys' behaviour. It's fascinating, but without the guides we would not have had an idea about half of what was going on. For example, there was a tiny days old baby clinging to his mother (so cute!), and when a male came over and ran off with him we were informed that, much like humans, monkeys love babies and if the male had a baby in his arms then he would be more popular with the others! You will also observe the monkeys grooming each other (NOT picking fleas, apparently), calling to each other, and doing typical monkeying around type things like swinging from, and falling from, the trees. They are just enchanting for any age group, but I'd imagine it's a brilliant day out for kids especially, and it's so much more fulfilling than seeing them in a zoo (the monkeys, not the kids...).

It's also a very educational day out. Not only are there plenty of well-informed, approachable and helpful guides dotted around for you to talk to, but there are information boards all along the path and provision for school visits too.

Near the entrance there is a toilet block, a gift shop selling anything at all you could want on a monkey theme, and a cafe, which I can attest does a tasty and reasonably priced soup and a good cuppa!

The following prices are from the website for 2009:

* Adults: £ 6.00
* OAPs and student: £ 5.50
* Children (from 3 to 14 years old): £ 4.50
* Under 3 years old : Free of charge

Summary: A day out with a difference!