Monkey Life

As Monkey World celebrates its 30th year, this remarkable documentary tells the story of how it all began with one man's dream to save abused chimpanzees in Spain. In 1987 Jim Cronin's passion for protecting primates saw him transform a derelict farm in Dorset into a rescue centre that has since grown into the largest sanctuary of its kind in the world today. Along the way, Jim, his wife Alison and head keeper Jeremy saved hundreds of monkeys and apes from abuse and neglect. When Jim died suddenly in 2007, his death came as devastating blow but Alison and Jeremy had to carry on to fulfil his dream. This is a film about how a very special sanctuary came to be. It’s a story about the park’s remarkable inhabitants and the people who have made saving these primates possible.

The story of the wonderful world of Monkey World's European Crèche for Orphan Orangutans.

The story of one of the most endearing primates on the planet.

The Nursery chimps get the better of Animal Manager Jeremy, but he has his revenge! We also meet chimpanzee Paddy, who’s been the perfect leader of his group for more than 15 years. And we find out why new alpha male Hananya is struggling with life at the top. There’s tension when a baby Woolly Monkey is born, but instead of being tucked up with mum, it’s been rejected. Will the endangered primate survive without human intervention?

There is a challenge for the staff as four chimps ‘move house’ on one day in the park’s biggest move around yet. Baby chimps Ash and Rodders have breakfast at home with keepers Emma and Paul. And, as Monkey World is the European crèche for baby orang-utans who need a home, there is news from Russia of an orang-utan orphan who needs a family.

Keeper Mike is on a mission in Moscow for a baby orang-utan called Joly, while back at the park her future home has been built. And in Paddy’s chimp group, Eddi has a ‘toddler tantrum’. She’s growing up which means having to fend for herself, and she is not happy about it!

Nerves are running high in the chimp nursery. New boy, Bryan, is about to face a big challenge, meeting one of the park’s naughtiest resident, Seamus! Baby orang-utan Dinda, is growing up fast, and it’s time for her to move into the orang nursery full time…and the adult orang-utans have fun with giant ice-lollies!

Animal manager Jeremy is in Paris, collecting a baby orang-utan called Lingga who will be joining Monkey World’s ever-expanding orang crèche. In Paddy’s chimp group, all hell breaks loose over a giant fruity freeze. And Alison says her goodbyes to Julio, the woolly monkey she hand-reared from birth.

Confident young orang-utan Lingga has arrived from Paris. An operation on chimp Bryan’s teeth reveals the damage caused by his traumatic past life. Stump-tailed macaque Koko needs a helping hand from animal manager Jeremy.

Eighty-eight capuchin monkeys rescued from a research laboratory in Chile wake up to their first morning at Monkey World. Over in the Chimp nursery, Rodders has a run-in with a sticky melon. And the park’s naughtiest resident, Seamus the chimp, comes face to face with alpha male Butch in the bachelor pad.

Chimps Ben and Pip are due to be moved out of the nursery and into Hananya’s group – but they give wildlife vet John Lewis the run around when he tries to sedate them. Alison is worried about how the recently rescued male capuchins will react when they are moved in together. And orang-utan Kai proves she has far too much energy for the rest of her group.

The team is forced to step in when the chimp introduction goes wrong and Ben is injured by the alpha male. Orang-utan Hsiao-Quai struggles with her ever-growing son Kai. And the park’s staff prepare to welcome another baby orang-utan into the fold.

Alison and Jeremy are on a mission to rescue feisty capuchin monkeys from Spain. Their ex-pat owners are returning to the UK and can’t look after Babe and Amy any longer, so they’ve appealed to Monkey World for help. Back at the sanctuary, keeper Mike is on babysitting duty for the park’s newest arrival, a baby woolly monkey. And nursery chimp Bryan falls in love…with his own reflection.

Alison and Jeremy arrive home with two new capuchin monkeys from Spain, but one of them makes a bid for freedom. Something’s wrong with one of Britain’s best known chimps, Trudy, but it’s all a bit of a mystery. And Debbie’s capuchin group take on a lunch snack…that bites back.

The UK pet trade strikes again. Alison and Jeremy head to a derelict farm to prevent Samantha, the squirrel monkey, from being put down. Young chimp Ben needs to settle into a new group, but will he hold his nerve when he comes face to face with alpha male Hananya? And when it comes to football, the Bachelor chimps are in a league of their own

Alison goes to the rescue of a very old squirrel monkey pet, desperate for a new home. Paddy’s chimp group go mad for mangoes, and there’s news of a weighty new arrival from South Africa!

The team are in South Africa preparing to transport a very overweight orang-utan back to the UK, but things don’t go according to plan. And back at Monkey World, the Bachelor Boys are having a bedding bonanza.

There’s a problem at the airport with the transportation of overweight orang-utan Oshine from South Africa – will she make it onto the plane? Back at Monkey World chimp Paddy’s cheeky son Bart is finding his own transportation, and Amy’s capuchins get to grips with some frozen fruit.

There are problems for the team as chimp Cathy goes under the knife. Woolly monkey Lena is pregnant, but who’s the daddy? Jeremy goes to the rescue of a baby orang-utan in Spain who’s been neglected by his mum and there’s high hopes Oshine will be a great surrogate mum.

Jeremy’s in Spain to pick up baby orang-utan Silvestre who gives him the run around! Meanwhile back at Monkey World, will chimp Kiki brave it outside after years locked up in a cage? And an overnight snowfall brings a frosty visitor to Hananya’s chimps.

Animal director Jeremy and the team have their hands full with flu vaccines and baby chimp Bart does not want to be left out. There’s concern for woolly monkey Kuna as she goes under anaesthetic, and orangs Dinda and Lingga join forces against the Spanish newcomer.

Alison and Jeremy welcome their first saki monkey to the park. Ring-tailed lemur Houdini has the the team baffled with a strange medical condition.

Orangutan Hsiao-Quai takes her adopted daughter outside for the first time. Woolly monkey Yarima could be pregnant.

Alison responds to an urgent call from the RSPCA. Mueller's gibbon Fox gets special attention and it all kicks off at the Bachelor Boys.

Join the staff at the world's biggest primate sanctuary for joy and drama as they rehabilitate a host of cheeky monkeys.

There's chaos at the capuchin house when Winslow's group have a weigh-in. Meanwhile, there's dissent in the ranks when chimp Tikko appears to challenge Hananya for leadership.

Five-year-old Jin leaves home and joins the Orang-utan nursery. Meanwhile, troublemaker chimp Bart is up to his usual mischief when Paddy's group are given sacks full of treats.

Alison rescues Ruby, a marmoset with attitude and a bit of a weight issue. She has been well cared for but this free ranging marmoset needs company of her own kind. Back at the park there’s a group of primates who’ve had a weight problem in the past, but life is now blossoming for the residents at the stumpie house. Orphan orangutan babies Rieke and Bulu Mata discover the ups and downs of life in the nursery and after some renovations at Hananya’s chimpanzee enclosure, its young Thelma who leads the way.

The primate care staff suspect golden-cheeked gibbon Kim is about to give birth but after several hours and no change in her condition the vet is called in. It’s a tense time when Kim has to undergo an emergency cesarean. Aging saki monkey Jethro gets a surprise when new companion Chloe arrives from France but it seems Jethro isn’t the romantic type. At Levar’s woolly monkey enclosure there are treats on offer, pine cones packed with raisins, nuts and seeds and its all gone nuts in Franco’s capuchin group.

Ruby the parks newest and largest marmoset gets introduced to males Jock and Colin, but it doesn’t go to plan. The primate care team have noticed that Lola a chimpanzee in Paddy’s group is having problems with her sight and start training her to allow a close up examination. She is diagnosed as having cataracts and the team need to decide if she should have an operation. At orangutan Tuan’s enclosure they get a special breakfast of fruit and jelly and RoRo’s left with the washing up.

A baby marmoset is looking for a new mum and dad. Bachelor chimp Paco is in the wars with an injured toe and a heart scare. Plus the nursery orangs box clever at play time.

Woolly monkey Piquita may be expecting a new arrival, while Marmosets Hazel and Solomon meet a new arrival themselves. The park receives five unusual nocturnal guests.

There's a special delivery as Alison goes to collect a group of five loris, all the way from Hong Kong, and orang Gordon shows off his skills on the high wire.

Jeremy comes to the rescue of three squirrel monkeys while Sonny's capuchin group test out their revamped enclosure.

Health checks on the new three rescued squirrel monkeys cause concern. Baby orangutan Mimi takes her next step to becoming a full member of the nursery group.

The vets are called over concerns for the health of young chimp, Bart. The woolly monkey move continues with eleven of the primates swapping homes in one day.

In the first episode of the new series, Alison’s called in to rescue two abandoned marmosets and she’s shocked at their living conditions. It’s not an easy job catching them as they have free run of a bedroom but Alison perseveres so that Caesar and Bud can receive proper care. While back at the park newly arrived chimp Toprish is introduced to potential new pals, but things don’t go to plan. And they heard it on the grape vine, a fruity feast goes down a treat with the Barn woolly monkeys.

It’s a first for the park with the birth of a baby for red bellied guenons, Nia and Benny. They are believed to be the only ones of their species in captivity anywhere in the world and were rescued from the Lebanon last year. A world of adventure awaits woolly monkey Cosmo in the outside enclosure, if he can just muster up enough courage to venture out. While at the loris complex its weigh-in day for Nora and a puzzling breakfast for Tuan’s group of orang-utans.

Primate Care staff member, James travels to Germany to meet a baby orang-utan in need of a new home, Hujan was rejected by his mum and has had to be hand reared. He is coming to live at Monkey World as it’s the European crèche for orphan orangs. While back at the park new chimpanzee Toprish shows she’s learning how to interact with her own kind and newly rescued marmosets, Caesar and Bud are enjoying their outside space. And the spider monkeys have a wheelie good time searching for breakfast.

Return to Monkey World in Dorset for more emotional stories, following the lives of the rescued primates at the centre and their carers.

Alison, animal director Jeremy and wildlife vet John Lewis continue to organise the rescue of female chimpanzee Kalu in South Africa.

After a dramatic rescue in South Africa, chimpanzee Kalu begins her journey to a new home in Dorset. The clever capuchins show off their climbing skills.

In the first episode of the new series of Monkey Life, concern grows for chimp Kalu, who was recently rescued from South Africa. Alison calls in two consultant surgeons to operate on Kalu to remove her gallbladder, it’s the first time the surgeons have operated on a chimpanzee but wildlife vet John Lewis is on hand to assist. At Hananya’s, the addition of a felled oak tree gets the whole troop interested and active. While saki monkeys, Desmond and Chloe get to grips with sunflower heads and the autumn leaves are falling for the parks squirrel monkey group.

The park is closed due to the latest lockdown but while visits from the public have had to stop, the need to rescue primates hasn’t. Alison travels to Liverpool, to rescue a family of three marmosets living in a birdcage and in desperate need of a new home. Their previous owner has suddenly passed away and neighbours have agreed to care for them until Alison can get there. Bart’s chimp group get to sample medlar fruit for the first time, but the primate care staff are keeping a watchful eye on how they affect Bart who has Type-1 diabetes. While at Chippy’s woolly enclosure there’s a new addition as Eva has given birth and it’s weigh in day for siamangs, Sasak and Sam and golden-cheeked gibbons Peanut and Pung Yo.

Chimp Kalu, struggles to recover from her recent surgery, and despite the best efforts of the team takes a turn for the worse leading to a difficult decision for Alison. There’s new names and experiences for the trio of marmosets, recently rescued from Liverpool, and the small monkey team are pleased with their progress so far. There’s a wriggly feast for the parks group of squirrel monkeys. While woolly monkey, Paulo is an enthusiastic pupil when it comes to clicker training.

Dr Alison Cronin steps up again to offer a tiny rescued marmoset a home and family, TikTok is less than six months old so needs a foster family when he arrives at the park. While the care team get a work out, challenging Hananya’s chimps to do the same at breakfast time. And newcomer capuchins, Matty and Louis, meet dominant female Phoenix in there next stage of joining Erico’s group at the lodge.

Life and death decisions for the team when pregnant woolly monkey Oriana is on the operating table. While newly arrived baby marmoset TikTok meets his potential foster dad. And a bumper crop of grapes on the vine for the golden-cheeked gibbons.

New capuchin Louis plays hide and sneak with Donna when let out into the outside enclosure for the first time. There’s a very unique treatment for an unusual primate, slow loris Bruce gets Botox. And it’s a sad goodbye to a much loved stumpie.

Dr Alison Cronin and animal manager Jeremy return from Argentina with Sasha and Kangoo. Two chimpanzees being given a new home at the park, as part of Bryan’s group. And Tuan’s orangutans get a giant treat.

There’s comings and goings at the park as marmoset family The Simpsons, head off to a new home in Somerset. While marmoset Tya returns in their place, looking for love. And the Barn woollies welcome a new member to the group, Baby Xenia.

It’s vet day for some of the primates and Nelly the loris causes concern. Newly arrived female chimp Sasha gets to know some of Bryan’s group but isn’t so keen on her son Kangoo doing the same. While gibbon Teo tackles some hanging feeders.

Following daily life at Monkey World Ape Rescue Centre in Dorset, where staff look after monkeys, chimps, orangutans and other primates.

Following daily life at Monkey World Ape Rescue Centre in Dorset, where staff look after monkeys, chimps, orangutans and other primates.

Following daily life at Monkey World Ape Rescue Centre in Dorset, where staff look after monkeys, chimps, orangutans and other primates.