You can give 140 orphaned chimpanzees a safe haven

It’s been 20 years since the Tchimpounga Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Centre (TCRC) opened in the Republic of Congo. Dr Jane Goodall founded the sanctuary to provide care and hope to the chimpanzee victims of the illegal commercial bushmeat and pet trades. Today, many of the chimpanzee residents are adults who need to explore and expand their horizons beyond the boundaries of the existing facility.  Recognizing this need, the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI) put a great deal of effort into creating a more natural environment for the Tchimpounga chimpanzees.

This September, after years of hard work and preparation, six female chimpanzees, Kudia, Vitika, Ouband, Silaho, Tambikissa and Louise were transferred from TCRC to JGI’s newly expanded sanctuary site on Tchindzoulou Island in the nearby Kouilou River. This magical wild place, composed of hundreds of hectares of pristine and mysterious tropical forest surrounded by river water, will be their new home.

In the days that followed, the six females tended to stay together near the camp site. A team of caregivers followed the chimpanzees, making continuous records of their behaviour. The caregivers also provided the females with fruit and soy milk to supplement their changing diet. At night, the chimpanzees climbed to the top of large trees and made nests close to one another. They are still somewhat afraid of the Tchindzoulou forest as they are unaware that they are safe from hunters and other wild chimpanzees in their wonderful new home.

For many years, the idea of transferring Tchimpounga’s chimps to a more natural environment has lived in the hearts and imaginations of everyone at JGI.  Now, it has finally become a reality.