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

18-10-2008

I'm concerned that Cefn-yr-erw is not financially prepared to take care of the chimps from Mole Hall. The chimps are in their 40's, so the veterinary bill is going to be high in the years to come. Cefn-yr-erw seems to take in lots of animals without thinking about the financial cost of maintaining their facility. They are even asking for funds to build permanent quarters for their chimps currently in quarantine. In the end, I'm afraid the welfare of their animals will suffer. This is absolutely dangerous. We should have better regulation in the UK.

It's nice that Cefn-yr-erw 'rescues' animals that don't have anywhere else to go. But in this situation, Mole Hall had agreed for MONA sanctuary to take their chimps, and MONA-UK has already raised funds including a flight for the chimps. Why did Mole Hall make things more difficult for themselves? And Cefn-yr-erw should not have interfered with (or jumped on) a good campaign by MONA-UK.

Mona Foundation sanctuary does excellent work with their chimps (just watch "Chimp Diaries" on National Geo Wild). Joey and Tubman could have had a great retirement in Spain after spending so many years in a small enclosure.

18-10-2008

as i said a bit earlier monkey world arent takening any chimps what so ever at the moment until they have more space!

18-10-2008

In keeping these animals Cefn-yr-erw are subject to inspections just like zoos, not much else you can do if the inspection say they are ok at the moment.

I don't understand why Mole hall have made things more differcuilt for themselves, they have just done what many other zoos do! So why is this any different?

20-10-2008

I was thinking of going to Cefn-yr-erw myself in the next few weeks, so reading with interest about people's opinions on the place. Was going to stay in the bed and breakfast place there. Can anyone who has recently been there seen Vicki chimp the chimp. She is around 21 now and was originally from Dublin Zoo then unto Penscynor. Would love to know what sort of size group she is in and how she is?

Cheers!

21-10-2008

Hi Gorilla Follower

I should imagine it would be an interesting experience staying at Cefn-yr-Erw with the sounds of gibbons , ruffed lemurs etc. to be heard .

With regards to Vicki - I am not certain if she is still there . The web-site still lists 12 chimps but I saw 9 and their new notice-board which I took a photo of lists 9 , numbers matching animals I saw in the 3 enclosures .

Vicki was one of 7 chimps that came from Penscynor and were housed in the large cage moved with them . The original animals were - Jeremy , Suzi , Twmi , Fergus , Neusi , Vicki and Winnie . Neusi died some years back and now the old female Winnie who lived in many collections over the years and Vicki no longer appear to be there .

The Southport brothers Jacky and Jason live in a much smaller cage attached to the same building as the Penscynor group .

In a cage on the back of the barn female Nakima was with either Ronnie , from Germany I think , or Freddie , one of the Causeway chimps - one male was on his own inside . No sign of Peter , the other Causeway chimp .

I was told the only animals in the barn are the black mangabeys , this being the case the 3 chimps Vicki , Winnie and Peter are no longer there .

Wonder if anybody can help with this .

21-10-2008

Hi Bele,

Thanks so much for letting me know and for the general info about the chimps. Yes I do wonder if Vicki is there, I haven't met Freddie but I do remember when he escaped about 13 years ago. If anyone does know of the whereabouts of Vicki I would be very grateful.

Had you seen Neusi before she died ? I remember her so very well from London Zoo when in with Kumi and Joema, who I am also trying to find. I think they are at Rostov but cannot find any info. I have a thread here on ZooBeat to try to find them.

I remember Neusi's lower lip often hanging down and she always had an air of superiorty about her! I went to see her at Welsh Mountain after she left London but that was about 15 years ago so would love to have known what she was like as an adult.

Thanks for your helpful return.

21-10-2008

I would certainly have seen Neusi at Penscynor as I went there regularly before it's sad demise - it was not far from me and I got to know Rob Colley , the curator . I cannot now remember Neusi particularly .

21-10-2008

Thanks, anyway and for the previous info. Not sure as to why Penscynor closed? Was there about 10 years ago for a flying visit and met one of the keepers who was very helpful.

21-10-2008

I've never been, but I'm hearing that it has an eclectic mix of animals, including a dog/wolf in a cage. I would be curious to hear what you think if you do visit Cefn-yr-erw. Many seem to complain about the primate enclosures (read previous posts here). I've heard the primates there look like they have lost the will to live because they are living in small and very basic enclosures. According to a post from Cefn-yr-erw on Myspace, they admitted that the animals should be in bigger and better enclosures, but they don't have funds for the upkeep. Guess zoo regulations are fairly relaxed in Wales. Apparently you can get very close to the animals, which some visitors probably will like (not really a good thing in my opinion).
MySpace

21-10-2008

I cut my zoological teeth at penscynor as a trainee keeper from 92-94, I didn't have much to do with the chimps but remember them all fondly.

Neusi was a character, quite nervous, sometimes hugging piles of straw, and she used to stick her tongue out and wiggling it from side to side and sometimes blowing raspberries to get attention.

I think given the dynamics of the group being with so many hand reared chimps and in penscynors erm dated.... facilities she did remarkably well.

Nick

21-10-2008

Was there a group of Sooty Mangabey Monkeys during your time there, and do you know what happened to them after it closed?

21-10-2008

There was actually 3 groups there when I left, one in the smallish enclosure by the reptile house, the main group the enclosure with the tunnel linking the house and a trio in a small round enclosure next door to the main enclosure.

They were all there when I left so not entirely sure, I'm still in touch with one of the keepers who was there near the end so will see if he can remember who went were

21-10-2008

I think they went to Newquay,which later sent them to a primate rescue centre in Southern Ireland.

21-10-2008

I'd be very interested to know. They seem to have disappeared after Penscynor apart from possibly one pair. Was there an old pair called 'Ramrod' & 'Ginger' among them do you know?

Mystery of the Mangabeys
21-10-2008

Newquay's old pair were called 'Ramrod' & 'Ginger.' and yes they moved to Ireland.

This pair went there from Tenby but they could have been at Penscynor before that (trying to find out) There was quite a large group of them at Penscynor though- they went there from ZSL who had built up a group in the Sobell Pavilions from various odd animals that came from places such as Chester.