Cefn-yr-Erw Primate Sanctuary » Cefn-yr-Erw

Cefn-yr-Erw Primate Sanctuary
22-03-2008

Thinking of going there, has anyone been there? What's it like? I think there were some photos in the gallery but they seem to have vanished...
Also, pointless thing, but their website says they have wolves, but they just look like regular dogs lol

22-03-2008

I've got 13 pictures of the place in the gallery. I took them early last year.

There is another thread somewhere about it. Its certainly a fascinating place but not neccessarily for the right reasons.

Their 'wolves' are hybrids fur sure. One of them in particular looks more like a dog than a wolf.

22-03-2008

While I think they are doing a great job in many respects, it seems a shame that the penscynor chimps are still housed in the same cages they were in when they were at the wildlife park (with the exception of those who were housed on that awful moated piece of concrete there).

I'd be really interested to know if there really IS a mandrill there living with the spider monkeys, there seems to be rumour of such a photograph at the sanctuary on another thread here.

I find it interesting that MonkeyWorld allegedly asked for a large sum of money to take the Southport Chimps, which is supposedly why they ended up at Cefn yr erw..

22-03-2008

I visited and stayed at their Bed and Breakfast accommadation at the farm house,they do indeed have a Mandrill living with a Spider Monkey,as Paradoxurus says the Wolves are Hybrids wouldnt like to say how far removed the wolf genes are from them.Its a very different place to any other place that i`ve ever been to its got its good and bad points but i thinkl its one of those places that its best to make up your own mind about when you go,getting woken up by a Baboon is certainly different and even strange when you look out of your bedroom window and see the Baboon responsible for waking you up.

22-03-2008

1. I believe the Mandrill is one of the Southport bred ones- perhaps handraised so given company of spider monkeys instead. They moved together when Southport closed.

2. I've heard several stories of why Monkeyworld didn't have the two Southport chimps- either they didn't want them, wouldn't take them, or were refused them. I have no idea which is true.

3. I think shortage of funds and possibly time meant the Penscynor chimps had to move along with their cage rather than new ones being built to accomodate them.. Have any new chimp cages been built for them since?.

4. Any sign of any Sooty Mangabeys from Penscynor now at Cefn yr erw?

23-03-2008

The Cefn yr erw website says somewhere that money was involved, that Monkeyworld would take them but only for a payment towards their housing/upkeep. Can anyone confirm this? Monkeyworld?

23-03-2008

Money was part of the reason the Chimps didn`t go to Monkeyworld,but its not the sole reason at least not as far as the owners of Southport were concerned.

21-07-2008

I really liked this place when i visited 3 or 4 years ago. We were planning on visiting again last year when we went to nearby Dan Yr ogof show caves, but we didn't seem to have enough time. I am planning on visiting again because they seem to have quite a few more animals now, to when i went.

Zoo Grapevine - Summer 2008
30-08-2008

Quote from Tim Brown , Chairman , The Independent Zoo Enthusiasts Society , in an article on UK collections in general , and who does not name the collection he is talking about here -

' Possibly the worst zoo in all the land exists as a sanctuary for Chimpanzees and a motley collection of other unlucky animals . Despite a plethora of moralistic signs stating the owner's concerns over perfectly reputable zoos it is a wretched place that serves no purpose other than to salve some animal lover's conscience . Granted , there is no profit motive ( it might be better if there was ) but equally there is no point to it either -it's just a hotchpotch of badly housed animals stuck high upon the Welsh moors . '

30-08-2008

I've just read that too. The photos posted on here would rather bear out his description.

30-08-2008

Its probaly the worst one that keeps mostly primates.Can think of a collection near Welshpool thats alot worse than this place when i visited the collection near Welshpool there was rotting food in the animal enclosures.

31-08-2008

He also says in that newsletter that if you don't like something at a zoo, you should email them direct to complain, rather than just air your opinions on a website forum... then admits the last time he did so, he got no reply.

I've emailed zoos many times on various topics- my experience is that if you make complaints or even constructive criticism your name gets 'blacklisted' and they simply stop responding to your enquiries, while I very much doubt anything gets done as a result, though it might do.

01-09-2008

I agree with the principle of what Tim is saying but is is difficult . I think that anyone complaining about a zoo is considered to be anti-zoo . I would be great , but unlikely , to think that Zoo management have a look at and think about some of the constructive discussions here on Zoobeat . I know we have zoo staff contributing , but we don't know who else is browsing without getting involved .

01-09-2008

[quote=Bele;70021. I would be great , but unlikely , to think that Zoo management have a look at and think about some of the constructive discussions here on Zoobeat . I know we have zoo staff contributing , but we don't know who else is browsing without getting involved .[/QUOTE]

Yes, it really would. However I'm afraid I don't think it would change any major plans or attitudes, but its food for thought.... There was a time, some years back, when many zoos were quite reluctant to divulge information if you made enquiries to them, particularly on sensitive issues such as poor/antiquated housing, or unexpected deaths. Those times have rather passed nowadays as its far more difficult to keep these matters out of the public domain (viz. this forum!!)

01-09-2008

You would be very surprised as too who watches this forum in the U.K zoo world without any form of contribution to it,i know of at least 6 very senior people in some of our biggest and best zoological collections that maintain a watching brief.