Why it's not brass monkeys at Trentham forest in winter

The Barbary macaque grows a thick coat for the winter to keep warm

The Monkey Forest in Trentham may be shut to visitors during the cold winter but the Barbary Macaques who live there are outside whatever the weather.

Most macaques come from a warm tropical climate and those that live in Britain have to be kept warm at night.

However, the Barbary Macaque grows a big thick coat for the winter, which means they can live outside all year.

They come from the mountains in Morocco and Algeria, where temperatures can drop as low as minus 18 degrees.

"On the mountains the macaques live up to 2,200 metres above sea level, even in really deep snow," said Guillame de Turkheim, who runs the Monkey Forest.

"They are well adapted to this kind of climate here, because their thick winter coats keep them very warm."

Plenty of vitamins

When the temperatures drop, the monkeys do tend to sleep higher in the trees, and find places that are more sheltered from the icy winds.

Guillame said: "We give them more food in a shorter space of time, because the days are shorter in the winter."

"We also try to keep a diverse diet, which is rich with bananas and oranges so the macaques get plenty of vitamins."

"When there is a bit of sun, they do bask in it, and use it to get warmer. It's really lovely to see them out in the mornings when they catch the first glimpse of sunlight."

60 acres of woodland

The Monkey Forest is closed to visitors between November and February, when routine maintenance is carried out.

Trentham's Monkey Forest is a dedicated conservation project, in 60 acres of woodland where 140 monkeys live in total freedom.

It's the first monkey park of its kind in the country and one of a very few in the world.