Monkeys missed us most!

Fota Wildlife Park’s primate population has been most affected by the park’s recent lack of visitors, the Cork Independent can confirm. With the park set to reopen its doors on 20 December following a breakout of avian flu, staff and animals alike are excited to welcome visitors for the first time since mid-October.

“The absence of the public has been keenly felt by many of the animal species in our care, especially many primates,” a park spokesperson said.

They added: “They will certainly benefit from the stimulation and energy that returning guests will bring.”

Primate species under Fota’s care include gibbons, spider monkeys, howler monkeys, macaques, and the feisty and always curious, free roaming lemurs. The spokesperson said: “All of the team at Fota Wildlife Park is looking forward to welcoming visitors back to the park. We have missed our visitors, and the park feels quiet without the sounds of families, school groups, and individuals enjoying our authentic, immersive wildlife experience.”

In October, in consultation with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), park ownership made the decision to close Fota to the public as efforts were made to stop the spread of bird flu. These included the humane euthanasia of a number of birds and the construction of temporary aviaries to limit the risk of further infection from wild birds.

This week the park confirmed it would reopen after all birds under its care were tested twice for the disease with results all coming back negative.

Aileen Tennant, Director, Fota Wildlife Park, said: “I’m delighted to confirm that we will reopen on 20 December.

“I would like to thank the expert team at DAFM for their support during the avian influenza outbreak, and to pay tribute to our incredible team whose top priority throughout the closure period has been the ongoing care and welfare of our animal population.

“We are also incredibly grateful for the vital intervention of operational state funding recently announced by the National Parks and Wildlife Service,” added Ms Tennant.

With the countdown to Christmas underway, Fota Wildlife Park, which is a registered conservation charity, is asking the public to continue its long-standing support by donating, purchasing gift vouchers, sponsoring an animal, or pre-booking online tickets.

Ms Tennant said: “This support will ensure we have the resources to help us maintain world-class care standards and to continue our critical conservation work for years to come. The support from our annual pass holders, stakeholders, and the public has been overwhelming, and we’re deeply grateful for that support.”

For more information or to get in touch with the park, visit fotawildlife.ie.