Monkey Business (TV series)
Monkey Business was a UK TV series that premiered in 1998, focusing on the various primates who lived at Monkey World, a rescue centre and sanctuary for primates in Dorset, United Kingdom. The series featured Jim Cronin and Alison Cronin, directors of Monkey World, as they traveled around the world rescuing primates, often from abusive situations, bringing them to the Monkey World sanctuary. The goal of Monkey World was the rehabilitation of the rescued primates, who were then released to live within the Sanctuary in as natural a habitat as possible. The series was narrated by Chris Serle.
Monkey World
Jim Cronin, MBE lost a battle with cancer on 17 March 2007 at Cabrini Medical Center in Manhattan. Born and raised in New York, Jim moved to England and worked at various animal parks/zoo. In 1987 he leased an old pig farm and converted it, with his long-time friend Jeremy Keeling, into what is now the 65 acres (26 ha) sanctuary, Monkey World.
Alison Cronin is the owner of Monkey World. Along with running a zoo-like sanctuary, she nurses and feeds the animals living there. The position of Animal Director is filled by Jeremy Keeling.
Production
The Monkey Business series was produced by Meridian Broadcasting and ran for nine seasons on both ITV Meridian and Animal Planet. Those episodes also appeared the National Geographic Channel. After ten years of Monkey Business production, first by Tigress then Meridian ITV and finally by Athena Films on behalf of Meridian and Animal Planet Productions, Monkey Business ended its run with a three-part series called 10 Years of Monkey Business.
The camera operators who filmed the series were required to wear uniform as other staff members which was a redish pole shirt.
Monkey Life
Monkey Life, a new series based on the work of Monkey World, was created in 2006 by Primate Planet Productions Ltd and initially produced and directed by Athena Films before being taken on wholly and produced in-house by Primate Planet Productions in 2008. Shown on Five in the UK, and on Animal Planet and other channels worldwide, Monkey Life is now in its seventh season. The first season was narrated by Andy Serkis, famous for his voice as Gollum in The Lord of the Rings. Seasons two through six were narrated by Ralf Little.
Animals
Chimpanzees
The chimpanzees are divided in four groups. The Nursery Group consists of matriarch Sally and several young chimpanzees including Bryan, a rescue from Cancun, Mexico.
Alpha male Butch leads the Bachelor Boys, an all-male group. One of its most famous residents was named Charlie, rescued by Cronin from a beach photographer in Spain who was using the chimp as a prop.
Paddy's Group and Hananya's Group are both family groups. Bart is the youngest in Paddy's group. The internal politics within these groups determine how long each male is leader.
Orangutans
There are 3 orangutan groups. Tuan's Group, Gordon's Group and the Nursery Group, looked after by a foster mother known as A-mei. All of the orangutans are part of the international breeding program.
Other primates
The other 14 species include woolly monkeys, capuchins, squirrel monkeys, marmosets, cotton-top tamarins, siamang gibbons, golden-cheeked gibbons and other gibbons.
Monkey World is part of the international species breeding program for golden-cheeked gibbons, orangutans and woolly monkeys.
External links
- Monkey World official site
- watch Monkey Business on Discovery Broadband
- Monkey Business page on Animal Planet UK