Who are we?
The Hidden Forest Wildlife Sanctuary (previously called Monkeyland-KZN) is the newest and largest sanctuary in the award-winning South African Animal Sanctuary Alliance (SAASA) group of sanctuaries. SAASA has been providing safe forever homes to previously captive primates, birds and big cats since 1998.
What do we do?
The Hidden Forest Wildlife Sanctuary, the largest free-roaming primate sanctuary in Africa, is a true sanctuary, providing a safe forever home for unwanted ex-zoo animals and pets. At The Hidden Forest Wildlife Sanctuary, these primates can enjoy a life as close as possible to the one nature intended. They live un-caged, roaming freely through the 23-hectare indigenous forest, alongside other primate species and indigenous wildlife.
They form troops, forage for wild food, scent mark and patrol their territories and a myriad of other natural behaviours once given the environment in which to be more free.
As a true sanctuary, there is strictly no human-animal interaction. Staff, volunteers and visitors are welcome to photograph and video the primates or just enjoy watching them monkeying around but cannot touch, hand-feed or get too close, which may make them feel threatened.
Where we work?
Our sanctuary is located in the stunning Dolphin Coast area of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). We enjoy year-round warm air and sea temperatures and are ideally located for exploring all the cultural, historical, wildlife and adventure attractions that KZN has to offer. All this, and it's a malaria-free area of South Africa.
Our mission and goals
The Hidden Forest Wildlife Sanctuary's first priority is to provide a safe forever home to rescued exotic primates. The sanctuary offers guided tours of the forest which helps to achieve our second aim which is to educate people about the threats and challenges these primates face both in captivity and in the wild.
Who are we looking for?
We welcome anybody with a passion for nature and wildlife and a willingness to work hard and be flexible. Sanctuary work is rarely glamorous but very rewarding.
Why choose us?
So many reasons, but here's the my Top 3. Firstly, if you love animals, you will want to invest your time with a place that you know truly cares for them. The Hidden Forest Wildlife Sanctuary is a truly ethical sanctuary as evidenced by the recent Wild Choices assessment. The needs of the animals always come first. There is no interaction, the animals in our care are treated with respect and allowed to live freely in the forest.
Secondly, we have a fantastic small team who will become not only your work mates but also your friends. As well as helping you at the sanctuary, they're sure to teach you lots about the local culture and they'll have you speaking Zulu in no time at all.
All of that, plus we are located in the most stunning province of South Africa. KwaZulu-Natal is somewhat of a hidden gem. It's not full of visitors and is still a little undiscovered by the masses. Big 5 game reserves, mountains, adventure activities, sites of historical and cultural importance and world heritage sites are all on our doorstep.
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