🥗 What's in the basket?
If you have ever visited us, you will have seen that at the entrance you can buy small baskets with food to interact with some of our inhabitants. But, Have you ever wondered why these baskets are so specific and why we are so insistent that you don't bring food from home?
Today we invite you to take a look inside the Monkey Park snack.
🍎 It's not just about food, it's about health
Our vets design each ration with surgical precision. What looks like a harmless «peck» to us can be a serious problem for a marmoset or lemur.
What do we usually include in our baskets?
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Fresh vegetables: Such as courgette, green beans or carrots. They are high in fibre and low in sugar.
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Selected fruits: Only in the right quantities, as too much fructose can cause digestive problems or make them overweight.
🚫 The danger of «a little piece of my sandwich» 🚫 The danger of "a little piece of my sandwich".»
We know that the intention is good and that you want the animal to enjoy himself, but giving external food (bread, biscuits, industrial snacks or even unsupervised fruit) can be very dangerous for three reasons:
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Diabetes and Obesity: Primates are very prone to develop diabetes if they consume processed sugars.
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Human diseases: Our hands and our food can carry bacteria or viruses that are mild for us, but can be fatal for an animal weighing just a few kilos.
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Behavioural disturbance: If animals become accustomed to being fed «junk food», they stop eating their balanced diet, becoming more selective and less healthy.
Fun fact: A single piece of bread for a small marmoset is proportionally equivalent to a human eating three whole loaves of bread in one sitting. Imagine the impact on its stomach!
🌿 A responsible experience
At Monkey Park we want you to feel that magical connection when you see a lemur approach your basket. By using only the food we provide you with, you are helping us to keep them hopping with energy and health for many years to come.
Thank you for being a responsible visitor and taking care of our family as much as we do!
