# Alison Cronin > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Alison_Cronin > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Alison_Cronin.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alison_Cronin > Source revision: 1339013581 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) American primatologist Alison Cronin MBE Born Alison Lorraine Ames September 1966 (age 59) United States Occupations Zookeeper, primate behavioural expert Known for Monkey World Spouse Jim Cronin ​ ​ (m. 1996; died 2007)​ **Alison Lorraine Cronin** (nee **Ames**), [MBE](/source/Order_of_the_British_Empire) (born September 1966) is the American director of [Monkey World](/source/Monkey_World) in [Dorset](/source/Dorset), England, a sanctuary for abused and neglected primates. She is an expert in the rescue and rehabilitation of abused primates, and in the enforcement of international treaties aimed at protecting them from illegal trade and experimentation.[1] Cronin was appointed a [Member of the Order of the British Empire](/source/Member_of_the_Order_of_the_British_Empire) (MBE) in 2006 for Services to Animal Welfare along with her husband as well as for founding the Endangered Asian Species Trust.[1] ## Early life and career Cronin was born in September 1966 as Alison Lorraine Ames in [San Diego](/source/San_Diego), California.[2] She studied physical anthropology at [Cambridge University](/source/Cambridge_University). It was while she was living in the UK that she met [Jim Cronin](/source/Jim_Cronin_(zoo_keeper)) at Monkey World in 1993. They married in 1996. They were joint directors of Monkey World. After her husband died, Cronin continued running the site and working against animal smuggling and the pet trade.[3][4] Cronin became known through the television series *[Monkey Business](/source/Monkey_Business_(TV_series))* (made by [Meridian Broadcasting](/source/Meridian_Broadcasting) and shown on [ITV](/source/ITV_Network) Meridian in the UK and on [Animal Planet](/source/Animal_Planet) worldwide) which has documented the frequent rescue missions and undercover investigations throughout Europe and Asia. The show began in 1998 with *Monkey Business* which was then replaced with *[Monkey Life](/source/Monkey_Life_(TV_series))* in 2007. It covers the low and high-profile rescues, one of the most dramatic being in January 2008 when Cronin led a huge rescue of 88 Capuchin monkeys from [Chile](/source/Chile).[5] In 2008, Cronin led the creation of the Dao Tien Endangered Primate Rescue Centre located in [Cát Tiên National Park](/source/C%C3%A1t_Ti%C3%AAn_National_Park), [Southern Vietnam](/source/Southern_Vietnam) which is a rescue, rehabilitation, and release centre focusing on [golden-cheeked gibbons](/source/Nomascus_gabriellae), [black-shanked douc langurs](/source/Pygathrix_nigripes), [silvered langurs](/source/Trachypithecus_cristatus), and [pygmy loris](/source/Nycticebus_pygmaeus).[6] Cronin has written on primates as well as fought to get legislation changed to protect the primates.[7][8] In 2018, Cronin was awarded an honorary degree from [Oxford Brookes University](/source/Oxford_Brookes_University) for her work.[9] ## References 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-WFM_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-WFM_1-1) ["Huge recognition for owner of Monkey World"](https://www.wessexfm.com/news/dorset-news/2667433/huge-recognition-for-owner-of-monkey-world/). August 25, 2018. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ltd, company check. ["DR ALISON LORRAINE CRONIN director information. Free director information. Director id 911101463"](https://companycheck.co.uk/director/911101463/DR-ALISON-LORRAINE-CRONIN/summary). *Company Check*. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["London Calling"](https://grahammack.wordpress.com/2016/10/06/london-calling-2/). *Mack's Craic*. October 6, 2016. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Hevesi, Dennis (March 21, 2007). ["Jim Cronin, Foe of Illegal Trade in Primates, Dies at 55"](https://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/21/world/europe/21cronin.html). *The New York Times*. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Monkey World's Capuchins"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/dorset/content/articles/2009/03/24/monkey_world_capucin_one_year_on_feature.shtml). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Monkey World - Ape Rescue Center"](http://pin.primate.wisc.edu/idp/idp/entry/522). *pin.primate.wisc.edu*. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-Cronin2002_7-0)** Alison Cronin (2002). [*The Old Man of the Forest*](https://books.google.com/books?id=U12IAAAACAAJ). Creative Characters Partnership. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-902857-06-0](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-902857-06-0). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-Committee2014_8-0)** Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee (June 10, 2014). [*HC 984 - Primates as Pets*](https://books.google.com/books?id=LdPzAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA32). The Stationery Office. pp. 32–. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-215-07288-7](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-215-07288-7). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Conservationists of the built and natural world to receive honorary degrees - Oxford Brookes University"](https://web.archive.org/web/20191211072409/https://www.brookes.ac.uk/about-brookes/news/conservationists-of-the-built-and-natural-world-to-receive-honorary-degrees/). *www.brookes.ac.uk*. Archived from [the original](https://www.brookes.ac.uk/about-brookes/news/conservationists-of-the-built-and-natural-world-to-receive-honorary-degrees/) on December 11, 2019. Retrieved September 11, 2018. ## External links - [Monkey World](http://www.monkeyworld.org) --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Alison Cronin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alison_Cronin) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alison_Cronin?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.