Meet the Aketi5!

Mangay, male

Kathé, female

Django Mayanga, male

Bolungwa, female

Aketi Kigoma, male

All photos courtesy of Cleveland Hicks

Rescued from terrible conditions

Like all the chimpanzees in Lwiro, the Aketi 5 was also rescued from terrible conditions beeing held illegaly as pets. The chimps were not bought or traded in for any favors. They were either given up voluntarily or confiscated by the authorities. The owners were informed about chimpanzees, why it is a bad idea to keep them, and that they are a protected species. It is illegal to hunt or keep chimpanzees as pets in Congo.



It is very important never to buy a chimpanzee, because then the hunter will think it is a good idea, to go and kill another family of chimpanzee just so he can steel their babies.



Most chimanzee orphans that are captured die due to lack of proper care, the ones that don't usually end up beeing killed when they get too big and unmanageable.



Here are Bolungwa, Kathe and Aketi before they were rescued.



Bolungwa

Kathe

Aketi Kigoma

All photos courtesy of Cleveland Hicks

Life in Bonganzulu Sanctuary

After the chimps were rescued they had a good life and was well looked after in the Bonganzulu Sanctuary in Aketi. But the lack of money and support did that they had to find a new home for the chimpanzees and they ended up coming to Lwiro. As all the chimps coming here they are very welcome, but we would have prefered that they were still in the forrest with their mothers and family.

Relaxing in the trees

Bolungwa and Kathé

Cleve with his chimps in Bonganzulu

All photos courtesy of Cleveland Hicks

Read about the 5 chimps from Aketi

Cleve Hicks has written a very nice ebook about his work in Aketi in Northern Congo. Laura and Adam took over the responsibility of the five chimpanzees when he left. He has been researching chimpanzees and the increasing bushmeat trade in the area, and ended up with the 5 orphans, but sadly observed many more. Follow this link to find the books http://www.wasmoethwildlife.org Aketi field season 2007-2008, part 1,2 and 3.
In part 3 you find the story of the 5 chimpanzees from Aketi; Kathé, Django Mayanga, Bolungwa, Aketi Kigoma and Mangé.

The Aketi 5 is safe in Lwiro

On monday the five chimpanzees from Aketi north in Congo, arrived safely in Lwiro. It was a very dramatic move, and you can read all about it on Laura and Adams blog http://lifeincongo.blogspot.com
The important thing is that the 5 chimpanzees are safe an well in Lwiro. They've got the honor of beeing the first residents of the new dormitory! And keeper Claud is looking after them.
Here are some photos from the flight.
Well done Laura and Adam!

Hilde

Laura and Adam did great work getting the chimps to Lwiro!

Kathe

Chimps on a plane

Thoughts on our struggle

What all conservationists and animal aid workers want in the long run (or short if it were possible) for animals such as the chimpanzee to be safe and well in their real homes, the forests in which they belong. However, while the illegal mining, animal trade and deforestation continues this is not a possibility. We continue to receive babies who are affected, and can only make educated guesses that many more die, for that one baby we have arrive at the sanctuary. So while we strive with all we can muster to make the lives of the ones in the sanctuary comfortable and safe; what we really want is for them to have never arrived, and to still be safe within their groups, with their mothers in the forest which they belong. Loosing these babies highlights this plight once again. Although, the sanctuary staff give their all to keep these animals safe and well, sometimes it feels as though it is in vein. I hope we can all work together to help to keep these amazing animals safe and well in their real homes.

Andrea

This is very well said from Andrea, and I would just like to sign it as well! Hilde

In memory of Osso

When Osso first arrived in Lwiro she was very skinny and tired. She had traveled far to come to us and she was very affected by loosing her mother and her family. Osso arrived together with Maiko, who had become like a big sister for her. Osso had not yet gotten her canine teeth wich meant that she was very young, under 1 year of age. It was very hard emotionally the first time she crawled onto my lap, she was only skin and bones. And most of our first night together I spent crying with her on my lap.

After one week she was eating well and had given me a little smile. All the workes at the sanctuary loved Osso, she was the most beautiful chimpanzee they'd ever seen! She had lots of long hair, wich is something the congolese really like. I spent some amazing months with Osso, before I had to leave and go back home to Norway. It gave me such joy to see the development in her, from the day she arrived until she gave me that last hug before I left.

Osso will be sadly missed and remembered by everyone that knew her. Rest in peace little one.

Jeanette

In memory of Banro

Banro was so special and unique, as all great apes are. Every one is so different in looks, temperament and personality. When she arrived, she was understandably withdrawn and clingy with me, her assigned carer. It took two days before she responded to games and began to play. But it took her about a week before her real personality shone through. She was a little adventurer. She loved to climb the trees in the garden and run over the clean laundry Mama Guillemine had laid out to dry. Although confident, she would often run back for reassurance when she felt unsure of something. When her months quarantine came to an end, it was time for her to be integrated into the baby nursery. It took a few days, but once she felt comfortable she loved having the other babies to play with. After all, no human can play as well as a chimpanzee! She found particular comfort with Julius, who she slept with often during nights. Banro will be sadly missed by all. Rest in peace little angel.

Andrea

Sad times in Lwiro

It's been some very sad and trying times for everyone working with Lwiro. It started a bit over a month ago, when some of the chimps in the nursery group got sick. First we thought it was a normal flu. But soon they all got very sick, and wouldn't eat just sleep. We were very scared for all of them, Maiko, Osso, Julius, Fizi, Banro, Uvira, Ituri and Okapi (Monique Epulu). They were moved to the quarantine by the sanctuary house as soon as they got sick to prevent spreading to all the primates, they developed a rash and we think the disease was in fact measels. In the beginning of march we got the first sad news. Banro had died and just a few days later we got the message that also Osso had had to give up. Very sad to loose them both for everyone working in and is involved with the sanctuary. Luckily the rest of the babies recovered, but the disease spread to the sanctuary and several chimps and monkeys had sympthoms, only Pablo got very sick, but luckily recovered. We are very relived it is over and hope it will never happen again.

Hilde

Sick babies with their keeper

The new dormitory will soon be finished!

Here are some pictures of the new chimpanzee dormitory. They are working on the interior and it will be finished soon. This will help a lot with the space for the chimps in the sanctuary. And then we need money to start the fence...
Hilde