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New £500,000 monkey habitat opens at zoo

Drusillas Park The monkeys sitting on top of a roof in their new enclosureDrusillas Park
Drusillas Park Drusillas workers in the enclosureDrusillas Park
Work began on the project in September 2023
Keepers are happy with how well the group have settled into the enclosure

A zoo in East Sussex has opened a £500,000 monkey habitat - its largest ever investment in an animal enclosure.

The new habitat at Drusillas Park in Alfriston houses its colobus monkeys.

The custom designed and built area provides a "naturalistic, enriching home" for the animals.

A spokesperson for the zoo said: "The innovative habitat offers the animals a wide variety of choice and activities, and an experience as close to their natural environment as possible."

After a year of planning, work began on the project in September 2023 on the site of the former wallaby and agouti habitats.

Keepers are happy with how well the group have settled into the enclosure, which includes custom built enrichment features to encourage natural foraging behaviour.

The habitat has a waterfall feature, a hand-carved rockwork terrace, a custom-built heated tree, a hand painted mural, themes huts, and tree top viewing platforms for visitors.

Drusillas has also installed CCTV in all areas of the habitat to facilitate its research and conservation work.

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