This past August, when I realized that the historic site of Yodfat (written about here) as well as The Monkey Forest of Yodfat were just a 20 minute mountain-ridge drive away, well we just had to check it out! My husband and I and three very grown up teens visited the Monkey Forest, and while it is certainly geared towards younger children we actually had a nice time and it felt good to support their work as a refuge sight for monkeys that no longer fit into the zoo scenario for whatever reason.
The Yodfat Monkey Forest is a 10-acre wildlife refuge situated in the natural oak forest of Moshav Yodfat. The Yodfat Monkey Forest has harbored a troop of squirrel monkeys since 1976, as well as rescuing and providing a life-long home for animals that have been subjected to deprivation or neglect. Their goal is to provide the animals a life of dignity and respect and instill a love of wildlife and nature in our visitors. So friends, plan a day in Yodfat, and be sure to visit the monkeys! The most memorable part of the visit may not be the alpaca with the crooked tooth, but rather the squirrel monkeys whose giant cage you walk into, and whom you can feed worms purchased on site. The monkeys come quite close to take the food from your hand, which is certainly exciting! Okay, lets take a look.......
Oh my, look how close that monkey is! At least the little girl held onto the container as many monkeys just grab the whole thing.
Another polite monkey reaching into the container.
And wow, a baby on the back of its mother!
There are peacocks......
and peacocks that take sunbaths by splaying out their legs in the sun, funny enough........
and then there is the alpaca........
and a very sleepy kid..........and a cute white goat, among many other birds and larger monkeys.
There is a cute cafe in the middle of it all, perfect for grabbing a coffee or a popsicle on a hot summer day!
