By Fernando Turmo | Communications Cooridnator
On the new sanctuary site of Tchindzoulou Island, the dormitory has been completed. This milestone will not bring great change to Yoko and his companions, who are already living on the island. So far this small group has had this giant island all to themselves, but from now on, they will have to share this space with a number of other chimpanzees who will begin arriving early in 2017. This moment will be crucial in the history of Tchimpounga. About one hundred chimpanzees will have the opportunity to enjoy the forested islands of Ngombe, Tchibebe, and Tchindzoulou.
This achievement has been the fruit of the support of the partners and donors of the Jane Goodall Institute around the world. Without them, these chimpanzees would remain in the rescue center's original facilities, which were too small to give every chimpanzee the room to play and explore that he or she needed.
Yoko, who is now one of the leaders of his group, will be challenged by other large males in who will arrive in the next transfers of chimpanzees. At the moment, JGI caregivers continue to take care of Yoko and his companions every day. Feeding them is important of course, but definitely presents a challenge. The caregivers have to approach the shore of the island carefully and dock the boat between two poles that are anchored to the bottom of the river. From there they are close enough to the edge of the water where they can unload the food for the chimpanzees, but far enough away that the daring chimpanzees, like Yoko, can’t jump in and steal all of the food for themselves. While he’s currently the alpha of the group, Yoko demands that he be first in line to receive food when it arrives. After January though, who knows if he will be able to continue making such demands!
In many of the chimpanzees who have moved to the islands, there is clear evidence that they are improving physically. Yoko is a perfect example of this. His body has now become quite muscular, especially in his arms and legs. His hair has become dense and shiny. His face is full of life and joy.
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