New enclosure for the baby monkeys

People that have been following this blog might have noticed that we've had a lot of new monkey baby arrivals in the last few months. We did not have appropriate cages for them and the little cages was getting very crowded. We tried to introduce some of them to the existing bigger groups, but with now luck, as the cages are allready full of monkeys. We desided we had to build a new cage. Luckily we had some materials from former projects so we only had to pay for some, plus the work and it turned out quite cheap.

We want to thank Raúl Cabrera a member of AICAS (Asociación Ibérica de Cuidadores de Animales Salvajes) for his kind donation which helped us build this much needed cage for the monkeys.
Putting trees inside before putting the mesh on.

Starting to put on the mesh.

Cage almost finished, only the door missing.

Yesterday the cage was finally finished and we moved 6 young monkeys, Bamboo, Nunuse, Hombo, Bunyakiri, Coco and Malimingi in. Malimingi was the first one to explore the enclosure and Bamboo, Nunuse and Coco quikly followed. Nunuse and Coco was running around playing after only minutes, and Bamboo was finding insects and grass that she liked to eat. Hombo and Bunyakiri were more scared and went into the little cage we have put into the enclosure to provide shelter for the rain. They stayed there for a while, but watching the others having the time of their life they soon came out and started exploring and playing. Soon they were ready to enjoy their first meal in their new home. They look very happy with the new cage!

-Hilde-

Putting four of the new residents inside with their old cage.

All this space is a bit scary at first

Malimingi contemplating the new space.

Hombo and Bunyakiri feels safer in a smaller space at first.

Nunuse

First meal in new home, Bamboo, Coco, Hombo and Bunyakiri.

Bamboo

Roots and shoots in Lwiro

Roots and shoots Lwiro club

We have started the first Roots&Shoots club in Lwiro! This group is formed for 9 girls and boys between 8 and 14 years old. All of them are sons and daugthers of CRPL staff. They are really interested in nature and they know well the work their parents do at the sanctuary. They also know a bit about the Kahuzi-Biega National Park and the wildlife found in this area.

Frank reading a tale for the rest of the group

Their activities take place in a new educational room that Coopera has close to the sanctuary. And some stationary material was bought with part of the donation from Jane Goodall Institute Spain to start educational activities in South Kivu throught the Roots&Shoots Program.

The first day we started the R&S activities talking and learning about chimpanzees and some facts about them. We used some educational books and tales from JGI. After that all the kids draw chimpanzees and we could decorate our new educational room.

The group in action

We also received an unexpected visit from Mr. Dieudonné Boji, the conservator of the national park, who brought a baby red tail monkey to the sanctuary. He explained to the kids the huge problem of bushmeat and the importance of the CRPL in the conservation of the primates in this zone.
The conservator of Kahuzi-Biega brought the confiscated monkey, Malimingi

The group R&S will meet up every week to learn more about wildlife, the problems it face and they will try to find solutions!

We would like to thank Jane Goodall Institute Spain for their collaboration and support to start this Roots and Shoots Program in Lwiro.

-Laia-

New arrival, Malimingi

Malimingi on arrival with monkey keeper Jacques.

Yet another monkey arrived today. She had also been confiscated from the militaries in Goma. She's a little red-tailed monkey and we called her Malimingi, wich means big riches in swahili. She was scared and hungry, but seems ok. She'll move in with the other baby monkeys tomorrow. The four babies Nunuse, Hombo, Coco and Bunyakiri had moved into a cage together and she will move in with them. They are all about the same size. But she'll get tonight to eat and settle in a bit. And then there was 104 primates in Lwiro...

Malimingi eating a mango