A CORNISH monkey sanctuary which has cared for rescued primates for more than 60 years is to close, after charity leaders said a planned future for the site could no longer be secured.

Wild Futures, based at Murrayton House, near Looe, has confirmed it has begun the process of rehoming the monkeys at carefully selected sanctuaries and organisations where they will continue to receive expert care.

The charity’s director Sarah Hanson said the decision to close The Monkey Sanctuary was “the announcement we all fought hard not to make” and described the move as “devastating”.

She said the welfare of the monkeys remained the organisation’s “top priority” and that the decision had been reached only after “significant care and thought”.

The closure follows months of uncertainty after Wild Futures placed its long-standing home on the market in June 2025, following a period of severe financial hardship.

At the time, the charity said selling Murrayton House was a strategic move designed to secure its future and protect the rescued primates in its care.

Wild Futures had hoped to find a buyer who understood its work and would allow the sanctuary to continue operating from the site.

Ms Hanson said: “When we listed our home and sanctuary site for sale in June 2025, we were extremely hopeful that we would find a sympathetic buyer who would allow us to stay here and help us improve our sanctuary; allowing it to move forward.”

Towards the end of last year, the charity believed it had found that buyer, with plans to work alongside the new owners to maintain the site and continue the sanctuary’s work.

However, after six months of negotiations, the potential buyers withdrew, leaving Wild Futures’ long-term plans uncertain.

Ms Hanson said: “To our dismay, following six months of intense negotiations, those buyers dropped out without notice, leaving our long-term plan for the sanctuary up in the air.”

A detailed land assessment carried out during the negotiations also raised concerns about the condition of the site.

Wild Futures said structural issues had developed across the sanctuary, making it increasingly unsuitable as a long-term home for the monkeys.

The charity said it would not be responsible to spend hundreds of thousands of pounds maintaining a site that no longer provided a sustainable future.

Ms Hanson added: “We do not believe it would be responsible to invest hundreds of thousands of pounds into a site that is no longer suitable for the sanctuary’s long-term future.”

Instead, funds will now be focused on ensuring the monkeys are safely relocated and continue to receive the highest standards of care.

Wild Futures said it is working with organisations that share its values and ethics, with an emergency appeal set to launch to help meet the costs of the transition.

The closure brings an emotional end to a sanctuary that began rescuing woolly monkeys from the pet trade in the 1960s.

Over six decades, it developed into a world-renowned centre for primate welfare, becoming the first GFAS accredited wildlife sanctuary in Europe and educating hundreds of thousands of visitors about conservation and animal welfare.

Ms Hanson paid tribute to the charity’s supporters, volunteers and staff, saying: “Together we have achieved incredible things. None of this would have been possible without your belief in our mission and your commitment to improving the lives of primates.”

While the sanctuary doors will close, Wild Futures said its wider work will continue through campaigning, education and conservation projects aimed at ending the primate trade.

Ms Hanson said: “Whilst we feel deep sadness at the closure of the sanctuary, we are filled with hope for the future and the next chapter of Wild Futures, as there is still important work to be done. Although this chapter is coming to an end, our mission is not.”