Sunday, February 15, 2009

Charlie, Monkey World, 1989 - 2009

On a Very Sad note. Lovely Lovely Charlie at Monkey World passed away last weekend. On Sunday, just after we had visited.

We returned to Charlies' pavillion time and time again, trying to see him, but were told that he had been in the Tunnel to the Bedrooms, or in the bedrooms all week, only coming down once or twice for feeding.

He was a poor wee soul, who had spent the last 20 years at Monkey World after being seriously mistreated in Spain as a Beach Photographer's Prop. All but 4 of his teeth had been knocked out, he had a fractured jaw, weighed about 1/3 of the normal weight for a monkey of his age, and had been severely beaten.

At Monkey World he had found sanctuary and love and an especially close bond with Jim Cronin the founder, and Jeremy the Sanctury Manager. Monkey World had reported that over the last year or so, Charlies weight had dropped and he had slowed down - Charlie was prone to Displaying at passing Tanks from the nearby Tank MUseum (HE HATED THEM). He adored Jim, and perhaps when Jim died, he out of all the monkeys noticed his absence.

He was an odd boy, but adored by everyone who visited, or heard of him from Monkey Life Tv show. It was our one sadness of our visit last week that we never caught sight of him, but we are happy that we know that his last days would have been spent in the arms of his friend Jeremy, and now, he'll be in a big Monkey World park in the Sky with his mate Jim.

15 comments:

  1. Marjon5:38 pm

    I loved Charlie! He was the best! I'll miss him!

    R.I.P. Charlie!

    Marjon
    Holland

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  2. He really was. What a Character, sorely missed!

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  3. Anonymous6:08 pm

    I watched the episode of 1997 (Monkey World)

    He was the famous monkey of whole UK
    And a cool monkey though.

    I loved him also

    R.I.P Charlie


    Sander from Holland

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  4. Anonymous9:20 am

    I still miss Charlie he was one of the most lovable monkeys in Monkey world

    sender from Slovenia

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  5. love you charlie ripxx

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  6. Anonymous2:46 pm

    very sad to hear of charlie,my wife and i were at monkey world in sept 2010 and had no idea he was gone.very sadhope he is with jim. from andy and pauline

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  7. Anonymous5:09 pm

    My late Mum adored Charlie and would spend hours in her wheelchair sitting so she could see him. It took lots of persuasion to get her to go to any other area of Monkey World. It is very sad to find out he has passed away. He will be sorely missed.

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  8. Cynthia4:15 pm

    I was very sorry to hear that Charlie was no longer with us. He was such a character and we will miss going to visit him when we go to Monkey World.

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  9. RIP CHARLIE you were one of a kind and we will never see your likes again sad sad sad xxx

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  10. Anonymous8:05 pm

    made me cry

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  11. gracey641:13 am

    I loved charlie so much. His relatiinship with both Jim and jeremy was brilliant to see. Every chimp he came in contact with loved him too. Thankfully he was well looked after at monkey world and died with his own kind the way it should have been. I get so angry at the pet trade. Its cruel. R.i.p old man xxx

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  12. WHAT A BEAUTIFUL CHIMP CHARLIE WAS!! SO VERY SAD HES GONE, BUT THEN HE ISNT REALLY BECAUSE HE WILL BE FOREVER IN OUR HEARTS AND MEMORIES JUST AS JIM IS!!! BIG KISS CHARLIE FROM ME REST WELL YOU WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN!! AND THANKS FOR ALL THE LOVELY MEMORIES YOU HAVE GIVEN TO US ALLXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

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  13. No, Anonymous I don't know the difference, all I know is he was a character, who if he was human would probably say to you, "If you can't say anything nice don't say anything at all, Up Yours"!

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  14. Anonymous5:27 pm

    So sad, I first met Charlie many years ago at Monkey world where he blew kisses at me until i got nose to nose at the glass with him where then blew a giant raspberry and everyone behind who had been watching cracked up. He was always my favourite and gutted that he passed away but at least he was taken in and adored and loved and cherished by the brill staff at MW. RIP Charlie

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  15. Anonymous11:52 am

    Why do good people and animals die and leave pompus prats like the one who puts there self as anonymous and grumbles about monkeys or Apes,what does it matter he was a much loved chimp I am so sad that
    me and my wife never got to see him,stop hiding behind the anonymous sheet to spout you nasty bile and grow up you interfering pompus
    windbag and get a life.

    Rest in peace Charlie xxxxx

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