Geriatric stumpie Gerald is rushed to the operating theatre. It’s graduation day as baby golden-cheeked gibbon Mikado moves in with his new foster mum Alex, full time. And as Alison prepares for Vietnam, she enlists an unusual helper to test a tracking device.

Episode 11

Jim Cronin

Ralf Little

Alison Cronin

Jeremy Keeling

Episode 12

Episode 10

Alison goes to the rescue of a very old squirrel monkey pet, desperate for a new home. Paddy’s chimp group go mad for mangoes, and there’s news of a weighty new arrival from South Africa!

Episode 1

The team are in South Africa preparing to transport a very overweight orang-utan back to the UK, but things don’t go according to plan. And back at Monkey World, the Bachelor Boys are having a bedding bonanza.

Episode 2

There’s a problem at the airport with the transportation of overweight orang-utan Oshine from South Africa – will she make it onto the plane? Back at Monkey World chimp Paddy’s cheeky son Bart is finding his own transportation, and Amy’s capuchins get to grips with some frozen fruit.

Episode 3

There’s some exciting news at the woolly monkey house. New arrival Oshine has and eventful first night in the orang-utan nursery, and Hananya’s gang go nuts when the chimps are released into their revamped outside enclosure.

Episode 4

Mike has his hands full when he collects baby golden-cheeked gibbon Mikado from France. Back at Monkey World, rescued squirrel monkey Fidget settles into his new home with the ladies, and Sally’s chimp group have fun with a feast of fabric.

Episode 5

It’s handbags at dawn in the orang-utan nursery as new arrival Oshine meets foster mum A-mei. Proud woolly monkey Piquita becomes a new mum, and baby gibbon Mikado settles in well after his first week at the park.

Episode 6

Tensions are high as Sammy, one of the park’s most popular chimps, goes under the knife. The stump-tailed macaque house gets a makeover to accommodate its elderly ugly monkeys, and capuchin Babe goes cherry-picking.

Episode 7

Alison heads to a lab facility in Scotland to meet a collection of ugly monkeys. It’s a big day for baby golden-cheeked gibbon Mikado as he’s introduced to his new foster mum Alex, and Gordon’s orang-utan group have a bit of fun with some colourful balls.

Episode 8

Alison is in Edinburgh to collect ten stump-tailed macaques from a medical research facility. Back at the park, the staff are anxious as chimp Athena undergoes an eye operation and woolly monkey Piquita’s baby is finally given a name.

Episode 9

It’s an exciting day as the staff prepare for two new woolly monkeys from Basel Zoo in Switzerland. Over at the stumpies, the females are vying for position when they’re introduced for the first time. And the male capuchins are put to the test with a clever puzzle feeder.

It’s a Monkey Life Special as Alison travels to Vietnam for a ground-breaking project. Two golden-cheeked gibbons rescued and rehabilitated at Dao Tien, Monkey World’s sister sanctuary, are to be released into their natural habitat. But will Merry and Lee Lee have the courage to leave their old lives behind.

Jeremy’s got high hopes as overweight orang-utan Oshine’s introduced to youngsters Lingga and Dinda. It’s an emotional day when the ugly monkeys recently retired from a research facility in Scotland, go outside for the first time in their lives. And there’s a free-for-all as Hananya’s chimps tuck into some delicious fruit.

Episode 13

The male capuchins explore their new arboreal home for the first time. Alpha male Hananya’s busy showing everyone who’s boss whilst baby woolly Diego joins his family in the big enclosure. There’s great excitement as golden-cheeked gibbon Zoey is pregnant, and the ring-tailed lemurs lap up a sticky treat.

Episode 14

There’s serious dental work on a group of stump-tailed macaques from Scotland, and top London surgeon is called in. Meanwhile young ring-tailed lemur Kaiyah from Ireland has her first taste of life in the trees; Harry’s marmosets get a sticky treat and the newest Bachelor Boy Ben, sets his sights high.

Episode 15

Jeremy is on a mission to coax overweight orang-utan Oshine into the great outdoors, but she’s hesitant. There’s trouble at the stumpie house when the boys are introduced to the new girls from Scotland. Baby golden-cheeked gibbon Mikado ventures outside for the first time, and chimp Lulu is refusing her medicine.

Episode 16

The team are in Lebanon on a rescue mission to pick up a very lonely chimp, Kiki. But they hit problems, and the team have to resort to drastic measures to get her out of her cage. Meanwhile at the park, overweight orang-utan Oshine is a surprise star pupil.

Episode 17

Chimp Kiki finally arrives at the park after a mammoth journey from the Middle East. There’s great excitement at the gibbon house with news of Zoey’s new arrival. And leader Paddy has his hands full at bedtime after squabbles break out in his group of chimps.

Episode 18

New arrival Kiki meets her first chimpanzee Patricia after living on her own in a cage in Lebanon for the last eight years. Overweight orang-utan Oshine has a special visitor whilst woolly monkey Bueno is having emergency dental treatment. And there’s sad news about the world’s oldest woolly monkey Xuzy.

Episode 19

Animal Director, Jeremy, decides to find out exactly how much weight orang-utan Oshine has lost since she came to the park from South Africa. Chimp Hananya is taken by surprise when he meets new arrival Kiki. Baby golden-cheeked gibbon Mikado shows off the latest stages of his colour change. And the work of Monkey World continues with news of two new arrivals.

Episode 20

Monkey Life was created in 2006 and has continuously documented the work of Dr. Alison Cronin, MBE and her team at Monkey World; Ape Rescue Centre.

Filmed at Monkey World in Dorset, Monkey Life follows the rescue and rehabilitation of abused and neglected primates. Many have mental as well as physical problems so the Primate Care Staff treat their individual needs until they can be reintegrated with primates of their own kind. The primates at the park range from apes, who were taken from the wild as babies and used as photographers props on Spanish beaches to monkeys, many of which were rescued from the UK pet trade.

With unparalleled access Monkey World's dedicated team are filmed dealing with medical emergencies, primate moves, births and sometimes heart-breaking decisions. We follow Dr. Alison Cronin, MBE around the globe as she continues the park's mission to rescue abused primates. Monkey Life documents the daily life and drama of the world’s largest primate rescue centre.

Episode 11

Seasons18

Season 5 Episodes20

Cast4

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