Monkeyland & Birds of Eden

From Jukani we headed to Monkeyland and Birds of Eden. If you’re looking for a fun few hours – these two tours are not to miss!

Monkeyland is the world’s first free-roaming primate sanctuary, and if you love monkeys you’re bound to squeal a bit while wandering the forest. Monkeyland aims to rehabilitate and free previously caged monkeys, by introducing a gorgeous, natural forest as their new home. Just as Jukani was established for the animals, Monkeyland ensures that the various monkey species are never used as a commodity, but that they’re safe and comfortable. Monkeys are one of those unpredictably amusing animals – when you observe them during your tour, you’re bound to see something interesting.

Birds of Eden took the longest of the three sanctuaries because you could move along at your own pace; a guide is not required. There are innumerable bird species, and it’s great for people of all ages. Birds of Eden is an incredibly clean tent full of various free-roaming birds. It’s a beautiful enclosure that you could spend hours walking through, as it’s easily navigable. Expect to see birds that you didn’t know even know existed – we sure did!

Thanks for the tours Vijver!

The South African Animal Sanctuary Alliance (SAASA) consisting of Monkeyland, Birds of Eden and The Jukani Wildlife Sanctuary are the current winners of the Lilizela Service Excellence Awards – Best Visitor Experience ‘Wildlife Encounters’; Skål International Sustainable Tourism Award – Best Major Attraction; winner of the ‘Best Animal Welfare Initiative’ and overall winner of the World Responsible Tourism Awards.

 

Jukani Wildlife Sanctuary

Jukani Wildlife Sanctuary focuses on the conservation education of big cats. A sanctuary is typically known as a place where animals are protected from hunting. According to the staff at Jukani, however, a true sanctuary should also “be a place of refuge to protect them from much more than hunting and/or the petting trade.” The Sanctuary tries its best to provide animals with the most natural habitats possible, with more than adequate space. We found it noteworthy that the staff cleans the animal enclosures everyday. These animals come from a surplus, from all over the world.

The reality is that people visit Africa to see the Big 5 – lion, elephant, cape buffalo, leopard and rhino; theses are said to be the hardest animals in Africa to hunt on foot. If Africa were to lose the Big 5, tourism would go down, economically hurting the continent as well. There’s a chance of species survival due to wildlife sanctuaries. Having said that, Jukani neither supports breeding nor the touching of animals (both very traumatic), and has all of the female predators on birth control. What I found most impressive and laudable was the fact that Jukani does nothing to profit off their animals – Mitch the White Tiger got buried whole, when his bones alone could have made thousands of dollars.

We took a tour of Jukani with our guide, Robert. He was extremely friendly, helpful, and answered my endless questions with precision and passion. Nick and I came to really admire the fact that Jukani is not a zoo; since it is a wildlife sanctuary, the priorities of the animals are put over that of people. Having said that, it’s fascinating to be able to see a wider species of big cats, not always seen in game parks, up close and personal; they will walk up right in front of you.

Some facts we learned during our tour:

• The government supports cat hunting, or trophy hunting, because it brings in money
• Hyenas can break a giraffes leg with one bite
• Lions have no stamina. While they’re quicker than hyenas, hyenas have twice the heart size and can run for 5 kilometers
• White Lions are on the verge of becoming extinct, and only found in Africa
• Jaguars are the most versatile hunters and can swim with their eyes open to catch fish
• Wild dogs are family oriented and will stay with an injured dog until it either gets better or dies.
• Bengel Tigers kill more people than any other cat combined, making it the most dangerous. They are known to stalk their prey for 6 hours before making the kill.
• A cheetah’s top speed is 120 km per hour, but can reach 100 km per hour in the first ten seconds

The South African Animal Sanctuary Alliance (SAASA) consisting of Monkeyland, Birds of Eden and The Jukani Wildlife Sanctuary are the current winners of the Lilizela Service Excellence Awards – Best Visitor Experience ‘Wildlife Encounters’; Skål International Sustainable Tourism Award – Best Major Attraction; winner of the ‘Best Animal Welfare Initiative’ and overall winner of the World Responsible Tourism Awards.