Monkeyland ‘Buy a Square’ project
The BUY A SQUARE project is a LAND deal between Primates and Humans! Yes, that is right – animals are taking their land back and this is the first of its kind in the WORLD.
In a move that could be the first of its kind, Monkeyland has asked its supporters to help the animals in its care to buy the land on which they live in order to secure their own future.
“The crisis in tourism caused by the current pandemic has opened our eyes to the possibility that future generations of shareholders might not have the same passion for the animals that we do,” said Tony Blignaut, the sanctuary’s founder and CEO.
CEO Tony Blignaut explained that, while Monkeyland operates on land belonging to a proprietary limited company, the welfare of its animals remains the responsibility of the South African Animal Sanctuaries Alliance (SAASA) — a PBO and non-profit organisation that also oversees the wellbeing of the residents of Birds of Eden and Jukani Wildlife Sanctuary in Plettenberg Bay, and MonkeylandKZN in South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal Province.
“If future generations of shareholders don’t feel as passionately as we do, there’s nothing stopping them from selling off the land for development, and leaving the animals with nowhere to go,” he said.
What a very sobering moment for all involved and that was the birth of the Buy a Square for Monkeys project. Pop in tomorrow to learn more.
When Monkeyland opened its gates to the public in April 1998, the founders saw their role as providing a safe environment where previously captive primates — monkeys, lemurs, gibbons — could live out their lives in comfort and relative freedom, and in conditions under which they’re able to find their own companions and mates and form their own family groups (if that’s in their nature).
Given that the primates held here originated mostly from the pet trade, and since they aren’t indigenous to South Africa, it wasn’t practical to release them locally into the wild. But the alarming rate of habitat destruction around the world has added a second focus to Monkeyland’s purpose: to protect the future of the species in its care in the event they’re needed for repopulating natural wildlands. (“We will not under any circumstances trade any creature with private individuals, zoos or institutions unless it’s for reintroduction into the wild,” said Mr. Blignaut.)
Achieving these lofty ideals — and, indeed, simply meeting the day-to-day needs of the animals — is, of course, a costly business, which is why tourism has always been a vital part of the Monkeyland formula: the income it generates keeps the animals fed and in good health. Or it did before the pandemic hit.
So, as you can plainly see – something big needs to be done – and thus The Buy a Square for Monkeys project.
When we say something big has to happen, we really mean big….216000 big!!
“Having set the bar as high as we have, we felt we had to find a way to ensure we don’t falter — and one way to do this is literally to give the animals rights over their own land,” said Mr. Blignaut. “And we’ll do this by putting those rights in trust with SAASA.”
To achieve this aim, the owners of the farm have agreed to sell the land to SAASA, and SAASA, in turn, has set up its ‘Buy a square metre of land for primates’ campaign so that members of the public can help fund the purchase by donating as little as a single square metre to the cause – at a cost of only (or R 90.00) per square metre. (See map at https://www.monkeyland.tv/map/) “With a total of 216,000 square metres available, the campaign will raise more than the required amount, and the balance will go into an emergency fund to protect the animals’ food bill until such time as tourism returns to normal,” said Mr. Blignaut.
Since SAASA has both PBO and NPO registration numbers, donations are tax-deductible in terms of section 18A of the Income Tax Act 58 of 1962 — and SAASA plans to sweeten the deal by offering anyone who pays for fifty square metres or more a free safari after the sale has been concluded.
“We see giving the animals at Monkeyland rights to their own land in this way as a pilot project that will hopefully be rolled out to the other sanctuaries in the SAASA stable,” said Mr. Blignaut.
“So far, though, it seems our public loves the idea, and we’re more confident knowing that the animals can look forward to a secured future.”
This campaign is with the mutual agreement of the existing landowner and the NPO, the contractual agreement has been drawn up by Fluxmans Attorneys South Africa’s leading Attorney firm and the entire process is under the constant scrutiny of Mazars a top 5 untainted South African Auditing company.
You are welcome to forward any queries on this project to lara@saasa.org.za or info@monkeyland.co.za you can also call our offices on 0445348906 and ask to speak to Lara or Tony.
Read all the information on our website.