Into the Valley of the Monkeys
In La Valle des Singes there’s over 350 monkeys and apes wandering wild over 15 hectares of French forest. Tomas Mowlam takes a walk into the wild.
In the sunny weather it’s a great way to get out and explore the countryside, while guaranteed to keep the kids fascinated with regular primate sightings, especially at the regular feeding times.
Different species of primates are kept in separate ‘islands’ but are allowed to roam completely freely within them.
There are a huge range of primates here, from tiny monkeys like the silvery marmoset, measuring between 18 and 28cm and weighing a tiny 300 to 400 grams all the way up to gorillas which can weigh up to 270kg in captivity.
From South America there are species such as Ateles, Capuchins and Woolly Monkeys. The Yellow Breasted Capuchin is rated as critically endangered, only a breath away from being extinct in the wild. The wild population is confined to the Atlantic forest of south eastern Brazil, and there are thought to be only 300 left. La Valle des Singes has one of the only groups of the Capuchin in Europe.
There are African primates like the Roloways Monkey, also rated as critically endangered, Chimps, Colobus monkeys and White Nosed Mandrills. One of the highlights is the Madagascar Island, where Ring Tailed Lemurs and Crowned Lemurs frolic amongst the branches.
The Asian monkeys include the preposterously beardy White Whiskered Gibbons native to China and Vietnam.
The sad fact is that La Valle des Singes represents the closest most of us will ever get to these amazing animals. They may only be a few strands of DNA away from us, but poaching and destruction of their habitats is driving many species to the brink of extinction; some of the monkeys here have been rescued from the pet trade after being orphaned by poachers.
On a positive note La Valle des Singes has great success with breeding primates in captivity, including one baby gorilla.
La Valle des Singes is open daily from 27 March to 7 November 2010, 10am – 6pm March to June, 10am – 7pm July to August and 10am – 5pm September to November.
Let P&O get you there; a crossing from Dover to Calais in a car with up to nine people starts from just £30.
Image Credit: inottowa
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