This documentary from Orange Planet Pictures explores the work of Wild Futures, a pioneering organisation dedicated to protecting monkeys rescued from the exotic pet trade.

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Wild Futures began life in 1964 as The Monkey Sanctuary, created to provide a safe haven for woolly monkeys rescued from the growing exotic pet trade of the 1950s and 1960s. What started as an act of compassion soon grew into one of the world’s most influential organisations advocating for primate welfare.

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Today the sanctuary is set within a 10-acre site in Cornwall, United Kingdom, where rescued monkeys receive specialist care and lifelong protection. Many of the animals living there were previously kept as pets or subjected to inappropriate captivity, experiences that often leave primates with lasting physical and psychological trauma.

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Over more than five decades, Wild Futures has developed internationally recognised expertise in primate care, education and advocacy. The organisation now works with governments, conservationists and animal welfare groups in the UK and abroad to improve the protection of primates and challenge the global primate pet trade.

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However, after the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing economic pressures, the future of the sanctuary has become uncertain. Without continued support, the world risks losing an organisation that has played a crucial role in rescuing and protecting primates for generations.

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The film highlights both the extraordinary legacy of Wild Futures and the urgent need to protect sanctuaries that provide lifelong care for animals rescued from exploitation.

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Organisation featured
Wild Futures Monkey Sanctuary

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Location
Cornwall, United Kingdom

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Species featured
Rescued primates and woolly monkeys

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Issue
Exotic primate pet trade and animal welfare

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Produced by
Orange Planet Pictures