Trust celebrates Yaki Day

The charity that runs Paignton Zoo is marking the special day of a special species.

The Whitley Wildlife Conservation Trust, the charity that runs Paignton Zoo, Living Coasts and Newquay Zoo, is celebrating International Macaque Day on Friday 16th March.

Sulawesi crested black macaques (Macaca nigra) can be seen at both Paignton Zoo and Newquay Zoo. The charity supports a successful project in Indonesia called Selamatkan Yaki, which works with the species in the wild.

Paignton Zoo staff will give talks with special environmental enrichment at 11.00am and 3.00pm from the boardwalk overlooking the macaque enclosure on Friday. Guests will have the opportunity to feed pulses to the macaques in return for a donation. Money collected will be donated to the Selamatkan Yaki project. There will also be extra macaque-themed activity on social media.

Selamatkan Yaki (Indonesian for ‘Save the Sulawesi crested black macaques’) is a conservation, research and education programme focused on securing a better future for this Critically Endangered monkey. In their habitat in Northern Sulawesi, yaki are considered a delicacy and are hunted at a highly unsustainable rate.

Staff in Indonesia are just launching the biggest survey of the species that they have ever undertaken. Paignton Zoo Environmental Park is a registered charity. For more information go to https://selamatkanyaki.com/about/