Natureland’s capuchin monkeys are stepping out from behind bars and into the open for the first time, moving into their new purpose-built habitat this week.
The new exhibit marks a major shift from their previous fully-caged enclosure, giving the monkeys a more natural and spacious environment to climb, explore and interact.
Natureland manager Leah Foster says the project began as an idea to improve the existing habitat, but evolved into a completely new exhibit.
“The Capuchin Monkey Exhibit project began about 18 months ago. It has been a long-term build involving planning, fundraising, design, and construction work in stages. What started as an idea to improve the existing habitat has developed into a completely new, purpose-built environment for the capuchins,” Leah says.
She says the project has been driven by strong community support.
“This project has been a true community effort from start to finish. A total of 22 local businesses have contributed to the build through a combination of donated time, labour, materials, professional expertise, and services.”
Fundraising efforts also played a key role.
“Alongside this, we ran fundraising activities including a GoFundMe campaign, which helped us raise additional funds from the public and local supporters. These donations were critical in allowing us to purchase and complete the capuchins’ purpose-built den, which is a key part of the final enclosure,” Leah says.
“We’ve been incredibly grateful for the level of support received, without this combined effort from businesses, donors, and volunteers the project simply wouldn’t have been possible.”
The new exhibit has been designed with a focus on animal welfare and behavioural enrichment, giving the monkeys more opportunities to climb, explore and interact.
“It provides a more open, naturalistic environment that allows the capuchins to express a wider range of natural behaviours.
“This includes increased opportunities for climbing, exploration, foraging, problem-solving, and social interaction within their group. The space has been designed to be dynamic and stimulating, with multiple levels, structures, and enrichment opportunities that encourage both physical activity and mental engagement.
“Overall, it significantly improves their living environment compared to the previous setup and better reflects the type of complexity they would experience in the wild, while still ensuring their safety and care in a managed setting. It’s where we want to go for all habitats at Natureland in the future.”
Natureland Wildlife Trust will officially open the new exhibit on Saturday, 4 July, with festivities beginning from 11am.
An official opening ceremony at 12.30pm will be led by Nelson Mayor Nick Smith.
The opening coincides with the start of the school holidays, with organisers hoping it will provide a family-friendly day out.
Visitors can enjoy children’s activities including face painting and crafts, an interactive scavenger hunt, and keeper talks at the exhibit. Food and drinks will be available from The Shot Coffee Cart and Porras Churros, with special membership offers also on hand.
The event will celebrate both the new exhibit and the community effort that made it possible.
