Trentham Monkey Forest Celebrates Births of TWO Endangered Barbary Macaques

Trentham Monkey Forest is excited to announce the first baby arrivals of the year as two newborn Barbary macaques have been born within the past few weeks within the Staffordshire woodland.

The two adorable babies were born to their proud mothers high up in the trees, overnight, as the monkeys live like wild Barbary macaque life as possible – living in the forest all-year-round with next to no human interference.

Monkey Forest is home to 140 free-roaming Barbary macaques, who live freely in the beautiful 60-acre forest situated on the historic Trentham Estate. It is the largest primate enclosure in the UK, allowing visitors to observe the monkey’s full repertoire of fascinating natural behaviours, from as close as 2 metres away.

The birth of these babies is a testament to the incredible living conditions and the park’s commitment to the conservation of this endangered species of primate.

The Barbary macaque is the closest wild-living primate to the UK, their numbers in the wild have been declining rapidly, with their population now isolated to fragmented habitat in the mountainous regions of Morocco and Algeria. It is thought that fewer than 8,000 remain in the wild.

Conservationists at the park are said to be “over the moon” with this small but important win for the endangered species, with more babies expected to arrive in the coming months.

Visitors to Trentham Monkey Forest can now see these playful babies and their families as they explore the forest.

Monkey Forest Park Director, Matt Lovatt, says "We are thrilled to welcome these new additions to our Monkey Forest family. They are already proving to be incredibly popular with our visitors, who are enjoying watching them play and interact with their monkey families. Barbary macaques are a highly endangered species, with less than 8,000 in the wild, so every birth that takes place at the park is very special and gives all of us so much joy."

Monkey Forest is dedicated to educating visitors about Barbary macaques and their importance in the ecosystem. As seed dispersers, the monkeys play a key role in widening the biodiversity of their habitat.

 With its successful breeding program and conservation efforts, the park is helping to ensure the survival of the Barbary macaque species for generations to come.

Trentham Monkey Forest works closely with organisations that help protect the wild Barbary macaques in Morocco and Algeria as well as other primates that are facing threats in the wild.