Caring For Chimpanzees
- They need expert, loving, round the clock care
Cameroon, on the west coast of Africa, is home to a diverse range of animal and plant species including elephants, gorillas and chimpanzees, and is one of the chimp’s last strongholds. The Mount Cameroon ecosystem boasts the second highest levels of biodiversity in Africa. However, it suffers from illegal logging and high levels of poaching for the bushmeat and exotic pet trades.
At the foot of Mount Cameroon, Limbe Wildlife Centre (LWC) is a highly-respected sanctuary for chimpanzees, gorillas and other primates, with an extensive local outreach and education programme. Limbe cares for over 140 animals confiscated from the pet trade, many of which are ‘bushmeat orphans’ – chimp babies whose families have been killed for food. Most are severely traumatised, having witnessed their entire families being slaughtered and butchered. They are bundled into sacks and taken to market to be sold as ‘pets’.
- Felix Lancaster with a newly rescued chimp
The illegal pet trade in ape infants is a profitable sideline for bushmeat poachers. Disturbed, malnourished and vulnerable to disease, most of the baby chimps die en route. Some of the lucky ones are confiscated and rescued, but Limbe has minimal resources to provide the food and medicines these babies need, let alone the special care and security they crave.
“All animals at Limbe are victims of the illegal bushmeat and pet trades. They were captured by hunters, offered for sale as pets and illegally kept in people’s homes, until they were confiscated or given to our Wildlife Centre. They are often in bad condition and need very special care. Limbe also plays a crucial part in the conservation of the country’s wildlife, educating people about how they can help save Cameroon’s precious wild animals.”
Felix Lancaster, Limbe Wildlife Centre vet
Please give what you can to support Limbe’s rescue work:
£18 would provide a week’s milk for a rescued baby chimp
£40 would pay a month’s medical care for a baby chimp
£800 would pay for one month’s support for all the orphans at Limbe
- Offir Drori with Kita, one of the chimps he rescued
When Ofir Drori, the Last Great Ape Organisation (LAGA) Founder, found an orphan chimp tied up by a rope in Cameroon, he couldn’t walk away. “Chimpanzee meat was openly for sale. Then I saw an infant survivor. He was treated like a rat. But his eyes were like those of a human baby. I persuaded the poachers to hand him over. I untied him and he clung to my chest.”
After several months the chimp recovered and now lives in a sanctuary, but the experience launched Ofir on a personal crusade to save Cameroon’s chimps from extinction. Today LAGA helps the Cameroon government target poachers by infiltrating trading gangs and tipping off officers to arrest them. LAGA’s legal team then helps bring the culprits to justice. LAGA is determined to fight against corruption and give wild chimps a future in Cameroon. Ofir won’t take no for an answer. He is an extraordinary man, working tirelessly.
- LAGA found the body of this chimp smuggled in a bag of rice
LAGA is the only wildlife law enforcement NGO¹ in Africa, working in close cooperation with Governments to enforce the law and protect chimpanzees and other threatened species. Despite working in such a challenging environment, they manage to secure the arrest of a major illegal wildlife dealer every week and 87% of these criminals are behind bars from the moment they are apprehended with no bail granted. After trial, many of those prosecuted now receive the maximum jail term of three years.
But it is gruelling, often horrific work. For example LAGA has just intercepted a dealer trying to sell the body of an adult male 10-year old chimpanzee in Douala, SW Cameroon. The chimp had been gutted, his internal organs removed. The arrested dealer is now behind bars and awaiting trial. Investigations are currently underway to apprehend his female accomplice.
Please give what you can to support LAGA’s vital work:
£25 would support a wildlife crime enforcement officer for one week
£150 would support one of LAGA’s legal advisors for one month
£12,000 would support LAGA’s efforts to bring offenders to justice for one year
¹Non Governmental Organisation
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