The Monkey Sanctuary was founded in 1964 by Len Williams, father of John Williams (guitarist), as a cooperative to care for rescued woolly monkeys. Based in Looe, Cornwall, the sanctuary is home to woolly monkeys that are descended from the original rescued pets, a growing number of capuchin monkeys rescued from the current UK pet trade, and small groups of rescued Barbary macaques and Patas monkeys. The monkeys live in large enclosures that the general public can view during the Sanctuary's open season in the summer months. Also, there is a colony of rare lesser horseshoe bats living in the cellar of Murrayton House, a 19th century building that is the visitors' centre and accommodation for staff and volunteers. The bats can be observed from the "bat cave", a room that shows CCTV footage from an infrared camera installed in the cellar.
The Monkey Sanctuary Trust (UK registered Charity number 1102532), based at the Sanctuary, is dedicated to promoting the welfare, conservation and survival of primates. The Trust campaigns to end the primate trade in the UK and abroad, and to end the abuse of primates in captivity. Through talking to visitors, schools and other groups, the Trust aims to educate the public and raise awareness about the issues primates face in captivity and in the wild, and to promote and support conservation efforts worldwide.
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