By Dr. Jill Pruetz | Director, Neighbor Ape organization
Neighbor Ape continues to support a number of schoolchildren at various levels of their education in Senegal. Anna is finishing up her final year of nursing school! Katherine and Natalie are continuing their studies in Tambacounda, and Katherine is already thinking about attending university in Dakar upon graduation. Allamoutah is completing high school in Kedougou, while Alex and Nadej are supported in grade school in Kedougou.
We are also helping support Fongoli orphan chimpanzee Toto, in conjunction with Janis Carter (of Baboon Islands Chimpanzee Sanctuary in The Gambia) and the West African Chimpanzee Foundation. Toto needs constant care, so we help fund 2 full-time caretakers, in addition to helping supply diapers, food and other supplies.
Toto began visiting the savanna-woodland over one month ago, and he has made great progress in climbing especially! He is large for his age, which is not surprising since captive apes mature more rapidly than wild ones. Toto will need to be cared for until he is almost 2 years of age, at which time we will decide which option is best for him. Potential options include introducing Toto back to his natal group (the Fongoli chimpanzee community), introducing Toto to a sanctuary in West Africa, or establishing a sanctuary or similar facility for Toto and a number of other captive chimpanzees in Senegal.
In conjunction with the West African Chimpanzee Foundation, we plan on assisting Janis Carter in making Toto's story available to people in Senegal as part of an educational program that informs Senegalese people of the value of the chimpanzees living in their country, and that portrays Senegal's chimpanzees as a national treasure for this country.
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