The children of Yodfat were responsible for looking after the monkeys while being educated about respect and love for animals.
Twenty five years passed and the forest serves today as a refuge not only for monkeys but also for other animals and as an educational, tourism complex.
The route through the Monkey Forest is circular within the forest; the animals roam there freely from the monkeys and through to farm, fowl and wild animals.
There is no petting corner however it is permitted to feed the animals with the objective of building a positive relationship between them and human beings.
The feeding rules are strict and meticulous: it is prohibited to bring in snacks, however vegetables, fruit and bread are permitted and you can buy treats for the monkeys and the ducks at the friendly kiosk in the forest.
Along the first part of the route you will meet tiny squirrel monkeys who jump from rock to rock, climb on the trees or onto the visitor’s shoulder. The contact with them is personal and direct and there is always an instructor who will guide the visitors how to behave with them.
The hike in the forest is charming, wandering in the shade of the green trees, through the ecological water pool which serves the ducks and up to the waterfalls and fountains, an exciting encounter with the Macaque monkeys, Capuchins, lemurs, Guenons and racoons whereby the forest offers them life in a protected space. The majority of the forest animals coming to the Monkey Forest are unwanted animals rejected by the troupe in the zoos in which they were born. In the protected space they enjoy mazes, swings, vegetation and enrichment activities, when the idea is to avoid domesticating the animals and provide them with a feeling of life in the wild.
It is also possible to encounter in the forest, apart from the monkeys, deer and gazelles who roam in the undergrowth, a herd of goats and alpacas and also ponies and donkeys who arrive neglected and receive here devoted care and love.
The objective of the forest is first and foremost to serve as an animal refuge however also to educate the general public and children in particular to respect animals.
Nora, the Manager of the Forest always says: Everyone deserves to live well and so do the animals.
