Returning Rescued Primates Back to the Wild
Zambian Primate Project*
- Primates and other wildlife killed for the bush meat trade
The Zambian Primate Project offers rescued and confiscated vervet monkeys and yellow baboons an opportunity to live life back in the wild. Primates that have been orphaned or injured in the wild as a result of the growing bush meat trade in Zambia, held illegally captive as pets in people’s homes, injured in road traffic and snare accidents or stoned by people.
The primates are rescued or confiscated by our team of local project staff and overseas volunteers, the Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA) and concerned members of the general public. Many of the primates have suffered immense cruelty at the hands of humans and are received by us in appalling condition. We ensure, however, that care is provided for each and every rescued animal, housing them initially for a period of intensive rehabilitation at the Munda Wanga Wildlife Sanctuary in Lusaka.
Munda Wanga provides life long care for those primates that are injured so badly that they can never be released back to the wild. The others are nursed slowly back to health, integrated into tight knit social groups, and provided with predator avoidance training in order to maximise their chance of survival once back in the wild. All incoming primates spend time in quarantine and undergo thorough health checks prior to their rehabilitation and release back into the wild to ensure they do not place any wild primates at risk.
- A LLWP volunteer confiscating a vervet monkey illegally kept as a pet
Thereafter, for those where a life in the wild is possible, the primates are released back to the wild as part of our annual ‘soft’ release programme in Zambia’s Lunga Luswishi Game Management Area (Northern Kafue).
To date 90 yellow baboons and 249 vervet monkeys have been released back to the wild. From a research camp deep in the bush, our project field staff, lead by Lusaka-born Cosmas Mumba and 2 British volunteers Vicky Ogilvie and Ryan Keers, release and then monitor the primates daily for a 6 month period post-release to assess the success of their re-introduction back into the wild.
Additionally, with the support of ZAWA scouts from Lunga Commands, we conduct regular anti-poaching patrols to keep the area safe for both the released primates and other wildlife resident in the area. To date our anti-poaching patrols have led to the arrests of hundreds of poachers and the confiscation of hundreds of guns, pangas and bikes and thousands of snares, bush meat and a pair of elephant tusks proving that small projects like ours can make a significant contribution to wildlife conservation. As a result wildlife has returned to the area in great numbers over the years, with elephants, sable, roan, sitatunga and even lions (with cubs) sighted, news that only encourages and strengthens the ZPP’s dedication to its work.
- Project Field Manager, Cosmas Mumba (r), monitoring released primates with George, one of the Project's Research Assistants.
The majority of released primates have adapted extremely well to life back in the wild and are now foraging and fending for themselves living a truly free life. We have also witnessed two wild births – babies Freedom and Liberty.
Dr Cheryl Mvula, the project’s Scientific Director, commented, “The project is achieving significant success in returning these animals back to the wild. All members of our current release troop have survived 6 months post release which is awesome. This is due to the lessons we have learnt over the years and the dedication of our team here. Predator avoidance training has also played a crucial role. In the case of snakes this has involved building mock termite mounds, which in the wild are often used by primates as feeding stations and lookout points, and inserting ‘mildly electrified’ wooden snakes into holes within the mound. They soon learn that snakes are not to be played with!’
The Lunga Luswishi area has now almost reached maximum capacity for primate releases and the project is therefore currently looking at other potential release sites in Zambia to continue its operations into the future. The project is simultaneously lobbying ZAWA to set up its own anti-poaching operations in the Lunga Luswishi area, along with other stakeholders such as the hunting concessions, so that its achievements in returning wildlife to the area are not lost when it relocates.
The release project and the anti-poaching patrol work are funded primarily by the Born Free Foundation. Born Free also contributes towards the costs of health screening and health provision of the primates whilst being rehabilitated back to health at Munda Wanga. Other key sponsors include the HUMANE SOCIETY INTERNATIONAL (HSI) AUSTRALIA who helped fund the translocation of 64 vervet monkeys from Statehouse Gardens in Zambia back to the wild in 2009, ANIMAL DEFENCE TRUST (ADT) and ANNANDALE CHARITABLE TRUST.
- Project Scientific Advisor Dr. Cheryl Mvula fitting a yellow baboon with a radio collar.
Local sponsors include BWANA MUKUBWA MINING COMPANY in Ndola whose invaluable support includes providing the project with its life-blood of fuel and covering vehicle servicing and maintenance costs without which the project could not undertake its primate rescue, research and anti-poaching work, SHOPRITE who supply the field team with food donations each month and ATTIE’S BODY CLINIC who maintain the project’s vehicle.
How You Can Help
If you would like to offer the project support in the form of a donation towards its anti-poaching patrols or field operations, to sponsor essential kit (new or second-hand) on the project team’s ‘wish list’ e.g. vehicle tyres, laptop, digital camera, video camera, 2-way radios, or to volunteer to work on the project (1 - 3 month placements are available in Zambia) please contact the project’s Scientific Director Dr. Cheryl Mvula: cdmvula@aol.com
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