Santa Catalina Monkey Sanctuary

The Santa Catalina Monkey Sanctuary is an open-air wildlife sanctuary located in Santa Catalina, Negros Oriental, Philippines, less than two hours from Dumaguete City. The sanctuary is home to over 200 Philippine long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis philippensis), a native subspecies of crab-eating macaque, that roam freely in the surrounding forest and come to a designated feeding area where they interact with visitors. Unlike a traditional zoo, the grounds feel more like a natural open space on the edge of the jungle, where the monkeys freely come and go while remaining comfortable in the presence of people. Visitors can purchase bananas to feed the monkeys, making for an engaging and personal wildlife encounter. The sanctuary stands as a testament to community conservation efforts and the harmonious coexistence of humans and native wildlife in Negros Oriental.