Visit to Monkey World Ape Rescue Centre

A level Biology Visit

Year 13 Biology A level students recently visited the Ape Rescue Centre near Wareham to gain practical experience of primate behaviours.

This is a key part of the A level course in both Biology and Psychology. The purpose was to look at aspects of behaviour like classical and operant conditioning, as well as the types of social behaviour the chimpanzees exhibit.

Whilst on the tour we also saw a variety of gibbon species, a wide range of monkeys including the woolly and capuchin monkeys and other primate species including tamarins, marmosets and lemurs. Our favourite and most special moment was a visit to the Orang-utans where we spent time watching Silvestre amongst the other animals.  He is a young male who we, as Sixth Form students, have adopted under the Monkey World Scheme.

During the afternoon we were able to dedicate some time to monitoring in detail the behaviours exhibited by one animal. A study of this nature is called an ethogram. We looked at both woolly monkeys and chimpanzees.

Our huge thanks go to Monkey World for enabling the visit and in particular to our guide, Rebecca. We were very impressed by the amazing amount of work that goes into the rescue and welfare of these animals and how Monkey World reaches across the world in its rescue missions. If you get the chance please put Monkey World on your list of ‘must visit’ places.

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