A peculiar zoo located on a fortified island off the coast of Tenby, Pembrokeshire, has closed after its resident monkeys repeatedly escaped and wreaked havoc on the local beach. The zoo, housed within a Napoleonic fortress on St Catherine's Island, was accessible only at low tide.
Christopher and Marion Batt established the animal sanctuary in 1968, bringing with them a collection of exotic creatures including otters, badgers, an alligator, and a troop of mischievous monkeys. The monkeys frequently broke free, scaling down the cliff face to invade the beach, where they would steal hats, scarves, and handbags from sunbathers. One particularly bold monkey even snatched a man's false teeth from his mouth.
Andi Jones, who now manages the island as a wildlife sanctuary, recalled that the monkeys were highly territorial and would return to their cages if people clapped and shouted. However, by 1979, the Batts were forced to abandon the zoo due to relentless salt spray damaging the animals and the high cost of transporting supplies to the island.
The Batt's daughter Ginny, who grew up on the island, remains convinced it is haunted. She described hearing the sound of soldiers marching and singing, as well as unexplained incidents such as animals mysteriously getting loose and fires starting without cause. The fort was built during the Napoleonic Wars and later served as a defensive installation in World War II.
Today, the island operates as a seasonal heritage site and historic military stronghold, where visitors can explore the maintained defences and observe traces of the former zoo. The site is reachable on foot from Castle Beach when the tide is out.
