Baby chimpanzee arrive at Lwiro, CRPL

I have to tell you a beautiful story. One day we met a Canadian who works at the mines in Namoya. We have a discussion about the impact of mines in the east Congo...A week later he called us to tell us that there was a baby chimp with a poacher. ICCN told us that there was no way to go over there and do the confiscation but they did the permit to transfer the baby by plane.

The Canadian works for a Banro concession (a Canadian gold mine company, the biggest here in Sud Kivu)...he tried hard to involve Banro to take out the baby. He called us telling that there were other chimps and other animals....So we went to speak with Banro here in Bukavu. The discussions were too long and only one baby chimp was left (the other chimps were eaten). After several meetings they agree to take out the chimp as an urgency and yesterday finally, by plane, "Banro" arrived into the CRPL. She is a one year old baby in very very good health. Cos this rescue was successful maybe Banro will help us with confiscations. Also they want us to do sensibilization into their camps...this can be a very good opportunity!!!
Banro (the chimp) is now settling in to CRPL. She will have a one month quarantine periode, and volunteer Andrea from Australia will be looking after him. After she has finished his quarantine she will move in with the other little ones in the nursery group.

Lorena

Pictures are from Banro arriving at the airport. Balume which are the manager of the workers at CRPL met him at the airport to bring her to CRPL.