It’s a (bubble) wrap! Pioneered at Longleat, a cunning way to keep cheeky monkeys at bay
IT is a problem familiar to anyone whose family day out at a safari park has ended in disaster.
Just as you’re enjoying the view, a cheeky monkey yanks off your windscreen wipers or decides to have a swing on your aerial.
Now, a British safari park has become the first to offer visitors protection for their cars – by covering them in bubble wrap.
The incredibly simple yet effective scheme is being pioneered from today at Longleat Safari Park in Wiltshire, where the unwanted attention of some of its more mischievous exhibits has been a headache for decades. For £10, drivers can have their cars completely covered in layers of bubble wrap before driving into the enclosures, leaving even the most inquisitive monkey unable to cause any damage.
The wrapping also helps to prevent dents and scratches to the bodywork, although it is not yet guaranteed to be totally rhinoproof. Nevertheless, it is estimated that it will save visitors thousands in repairs each year.
Trained staff will apply the plastic wrap to cars, vans and minibuses before they enter the mon- key drive-through, then remove and recycle it when they leave.
Longleat customer service assistant Paolo Flirs said: ‘Some drivers are put off by the prospect of having their car covered in highly curious and occasionally slightly destructive simians.
‘The bubble wrap will give them extra security and the confidence to brave the drive-through safe in the knowledge their prized vehicle will remain untouched.’
Safari parks across the world are said to be keeping a close eye on the project and could roll out similar schemes – as long as the bubble doesn’t burst.