The Barbados Wildlife Reserve is located in the parish

Parishes of Barbados

The country of Barbados is currently subdivided into sub-regions known as parishes. According to the Act of the Barbados Parliament they are officially styled as the "Parish of as opposed to the U.S. styled naming convention with the name "Parish" coming after the name...

 of Saint Peter, Barbados

Barbados

Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles. It is in length and as much as in width, amounting to . It is situated in the western area of the North Atlantic and 100 kilometres east of the Windward Islands and the Caribbean Sea; therein, it is about east of the islands of Saint...

. It occupies four acres of mahogany forest near the top of Farley Hill, next to Grenade Hall Signal Station and Forest.

It was established by Canadian primatologist Jean Baulu and his wife, Suzanne. They first founded the Barbados Primate Research Centre on the site in 1982, for the conservation and study of Green Monkey

Green Monkey

The green monkey , also known as the Callithrix monkey, is an Old World monkey with golden-green fur and pale hands and feet. The tip of the tail is golden yellow as are the backs of the thighs and cheek whiskers. It does not have a distinguishing band of fur on the brow, like other Chlorocebus...

s, which were brought to Barbados in the 17th century and are now widespread on the island. It was expanded into a wildlife reserve in 1985, with funding from the Canadian International Development Agency

Canadian International Development Agency

The Canadian International Development Agency was formed in 1968 by the Canadian government. CIDA administers foreign aid programs in developing countries, and operates in partnership with other Canadian organizations in the public and private sectors as well as other international organizations...

.

In addition to the Green Monkeys, which roam freely in and out of the fenced enclosure, the Wildlife Reserve also keeps a variety of other animals, many of which roam the Reserve freely without separation from visitors. These include Red Brocket

Red Brocket

The Red Brocket , is a species of brocket deer from forests in South America, ranging from northern Argentina to Colombia and the Guianas...

s, Red-footed Tortoise

Red-footed tortoise

The red-footed tortoise is a tortoise native to South America. It has also been introduced to many islands in the Caribbean. It draws its name from the red or orange scales visible on its limbs, as well as its head and tail...

s, Patagonian Mara

Patagonian Mara

The Patagonian Mara, Dolichotis patagonum, is a relatively large rodent in the mara genus . It is also known as the Patagonian cavy or Patagonian hare. This herbivorous, somewhat rabbit-like animal is found in open and semi-open habitats in Argentina, including large parts of Patagonia...

s, Cuban Rock Iguanas, and numerous caged tropical birds.

The buildings in the Wildlife Reserve are all constructed from coral rock, excavated from nearby sugarcane

Sugarcane

Sugarcane refers to any of six to 37 species of tall perennial grasses of the genus Saccharum . Native to the warm temperate to tropical regions of South Asia, they have stout, jointed, fibrous stalks that are rich in sugar, and measure two to six metres tall...

fields. All of the bricks that form its paths were recycled from sugar factories.