"Let’s start big picture. What’s the vibe here? This facility – essentially a conservation and observation park – has been here since 1933 and so boasts an impressive history. It is home to around 500 primates, covering 18 different species of monkeys and apes. Guests navigate the 30-acre park through a series of tunnels, and indeed the park’s tagline is "Where the humans are caged and the monkeys run wild". The animal inhabitants live in semi-natural habitats where they can live as they would in the wild. Any standout features or must-sees? There are four main attractions within the general park. The first is the Wild Monkey Swimming Pool, where the cheeky, nimble, Java Macaques wade and dive into the pond on the outskirts of their habitat. The Cameroon Gorilla Forest is home to a huge, silverback gorilla and if you show up at one of the set times, you'll see his keepers interact with him. Wings of Love is a sanctuary for captive parrots that have been displaced from their natural homes or have been abandoned as pets by their owners. Finally, guided tours are available of the Amazonian Rainforest, the only semi-natural monkey habitat in North America. The primates here are free range, and include Squirrel Monkeys, Capuchins and Howler Monkeys. Feeding and photo opportunities with the monkeys are possible and encouraged. Was it easy to get around? The park is very easy to navigate and you can’t go too far wrong given the construction – the humans are corralled rather than the apes and so you can’t wander too far. All said and done, what—and who—is this best for? Even including the special shows, it’s easy to see almost everything in the park in a couple of hours. It’s perfect for families with young children who may not have seen wildlife up this close before, and the information and habitats will also be of huge interest to fans of natural science in general." - Paul Oswell
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