The Primates Run 2022
On Sunday June 12, 2022, a team of four representing the Moulin de la Cueille dug out its very best sportswear to participate in a whopping (it was for them anyway) 9km run with obstacles, a mega test for the team who booked their place the night before … it was called the Primates Run!
Every 400 meters or so, we had little time to consider technique, but certainly needed agility, strength and, at times, sheer bravery to get to the other side of the next 'road block'. I’m sure the volunteers who created the course had some fun and they certainly didn’t lack imagination, putting the 130 participants over piles of pallets, tiptoeing through tyres, leaping over piles of hay bales … just as a warmup. The more challenging obstacles were to come … a bamboo labyrinth, monkey bars, balancing over narrow beams (luckily these weren’t high up!), crawling through a mud bath, scaling along a climbing wall ... and my personal worst ... clinging on for dear life as we scrambled up the rope net, 4m up, 4m down!.
Yes, we suffered and sweated, but above all, we had a lot of fun. It certainly was a morning to remember, which everyone seemed happy to shared, but it is important to remember the primary goal of this race.
Organised by the Conservation Trust for the Protection of Primates, this event was about raising funds for the conservation of monkeys and their habitat. Money collected will be used for projects within their natural environment and include helping local populations to coexist with these species, which is essential for conservation and for any possible reintroduction.
This awareness of conservation is the role of the animal parks in France and in particular that of the Vallée de Singes here in Romagne.
Created in 1998, this park is dedicated to primates, and is a place of entertainment for sure, but above all a place of knowledge, ecology and of the wild world. Its goal has always been to contribute to the protection of nature, the environment, and primates.
One thing is certain, on this sunny Sunday, we have accomplished a personal challenge and reconnected with our primate instincts.
Quote from the President of the Conservation Trust for the Protection of Primates:
“The protection of nature is today one of the greatest challenges of humanity. At the current rate of deforestation, it is estimated that the Amazon, the largest forest in the world, will have disappeared in 20 years... along with its incredible biodiversity! Primates are ambassadors for these great forests that provide irreplaceable services essential to our survival. They represent key indicators for assessing the state of forests and contribute to the balance of ecosystems. Unfortunately, most primate species are in danger of extinction. This is why the Conservation Trust for the Protection of Primates is dedicated to saving apes and their habitats around the world. In collaboration with other associations and local populations, we develop and support many projects in nature conservation, not only to give a future to primates, but also to ensure the future of humanity ..."
