Rescue Orphaned Primates

As we enter the festive season, we at PASA want to extend a heartfelt thank you to all of our amazing supporters. Apes and monkeys across Africa face more threats than ever, but your kindness and generosity has helped to save many precious lives this year. Here are the stories of just a few of the orphaned animals that you have helped to rescue and protect in 2023. While the horrors they have endured are great, the community of supporters, caregivers, veterinarians, and volunteers who have come together to protect them is heartwarming to behold.

Tsotsi, a young chimpanzee orphan was brought to PASA member Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary in Sierra Leone after enduring a harrowing ordeal at the hands of poachers. When she arrived, Tsotsi had a fractured arm and leg, severe trauma, malnutrition, and more than 10 shotgun pellets embedded in her tiny body from the guns that killed her family. The X-rays of her tiny body covered in these pellets provides a dreadful picture of the horrors of the illegal wildlife trade.

Thankfully, the support of primate lovers around the world meant that she was able to receive expert and dedicated care from the team at Tacugama. Despite her terrible condition, Tsotsi's spirit remained unbroken. She displayed an unyielding will to live, marked by her voracious appetite and zest for life. After weeks of emergency care, Tsotsi was thriving, gaining weight, and exuding vibrant energy. Every day, Tsotsi grows a little bit stronger, thanks to her tenacity and the dedicated care she has received. Though she still has a long journey ahead, her incredible resilience leaves no doubt that she will grow into a beautiful chimpanzee. While her family can never be replaced, when she’s old enough Tsotsi will be introduced to a new chimpanzee family at the sanctuary, where together they can stay safe and cared for and begin to build new lives together.

Just as Tsotsi was being rescued in Sierra Leone, PASA member Chimpanzee Conservation Center in Guinea rescued another orphaned chimpanzee whom they named Doura. Like Tsotsi, Doura had been through a terrible ordeal when he was taken from his family and kept in appalling captive conditions. Thanks to the Guinean authorities, and your support, he is already living with other chimpanzees at the sanctuary. After his quarantine period ended, he was introduced to the other young orphans, Pepe, Marco, and Cesar. These young victims of the wildlife trade bonded immediately and have formed their own family of survivors. Cesar, in particular, is a protective and caring big brother for Doura, who reassures Doura if ever he gets frightened. Every day, this little family explores the forest with their caregivers, learning the skills that their mothers would have taught them in the wild and most importantly, getting to swing through the trees and play just like young chimps should.

These remarkable tales of hope against adversity are only made possible by kind-hearted supporters like you. By protecting the lives of these orphans and many others like them, you are giving hope for the future of Africa’s primates and helping to fight the threats that they face every day. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts and, from everyone at PASA, we wish you very happy holidays!

Photos by Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary and Chimpanzee Conservation Center.

This month we celebrate World Gorilla Day, and it’s a perfect time to talk about the work that PASA and our members are doing to protect gorillas across Africa. Thanks to your generous support, PASA is protecting wild gorilla habitat and caring for gorillas rescued from the wildlife trade.

We're thrilled to announce that, thanks to donors like you, a vital habitat for gorillas, chimpanzees, and many other endangered species is now under protection. Working with PASA member, Sanaga-Yong Chimpanzee Reserve, community patrols are now protecting the Wall-Mbargue Wildlife Reserve in Cameroon – an area of important biodiversity. These patrols have already achieved remarkable results: they’ve removed 80 snares, confiscated an illegal firearm, and intercepted poachers in this area. Notably, former poachers and even a village Chief have rallied behind these patrols, effectively curbing illegal activities, and safeguarding the forest and its precious wildlife. Your generosity has played a pivotal role in bringing this to fruition and protecting the imperiled apes of Cameroon.

Sadly, many wild gorillas across Africa remain unprotected and fall victim to the illegal wildlife trade. When this happens, PASA members fight to rescue these gorillas from traffickers and bring them to the safety of a sanctuary. Gorillas are social and intelligent animals and therefore need specialized care at sanctuaries. To ensure all gorillas at our member sanctuaries receive this expert care, PASA has developed our PASA's Primate Care Training Program. This program, dedicated to primate welfare, helps great apes and monkeys across Africa by offering specialized training for caregivers who care for primates traumatized by illegal trade. 

Your contributions enabled an expert instructor to train Fernan-Vaz Gorilla Project staff, enhancing their ability to care for rescued gorillas and boost their well-being. During the July-August 2023 training session, the focus shifted to Maya, a four-year-old gorilla who had suffered significant trauma. The session created a psychological intervention plan for Maya, improving her daily routine and emotional well-being. 

Additionally, the training helped with the integration of three adult gorillas, building staff expertise in this complex process and improved the sanctuary's environmental enrichment program, advancing the welfare of these rescued gorillas. 

Your generous contributions continue to elevate the welfare of endangered gorillas like Maya and protect her fellow gorillas in the wild. As we celebrate World Gorilla Day, we want to thank you for protecting these beautiful animals and providing them with a safe future. To continue protecting gorillas, join GlobalGiving’s Little by Little campaign this week to have your donation matched!