Africa Programs
Chimpanzee Sanctuaries
Providing safe haven for victims of the illegal bushmeat trade
While the Jane Goodall Institute is committed to addressing the issues that threaten the survival of Great Apes in the wild, we also recognise the immediate need to protect the victims of the illegal bushmeat trade – chimpanzees that have been injured or orphaned, often in horrific circumstances.
In most countries it is illegal to take endangered species like chimpanzees from the wild. In cooperation with African governments we are ensuring that illegally held chimpanzees are confiscated from poachers or market vendors and placed in sanctuaries.
JGI supports chimpanzee sanctuaries which currently house more than 200 orphaned chimpanzees. These sanctuaries provide a safe refuge where chimpanzees can be cared for and given the chance to live reasonably full lives in spacious conditions.
The sanctuaries also create local jobs and serve as important hubs of community-centred conservation and environmental education activities.
Unfortunately, the bushmeat trade means that there is a steady influx of new arrivals at our sanctuaries. The Tchimpounga Sanctuary in the Republic of Congo was originally designed to hold about 40 chimpanzees. It now houses around 140. Your financial support is desperately needed to help improve the infrastructure at the sanctuary and the quality of life for the survivors who live there.
You can support the sanctuary program by sponsoring an orphaned chimpanzee through our Chimp Guardian program.
Preparing for Reintroduction
Sanctuaries are only a temporary solution. Chimps belong in the wild.
Given the very real threat of chimpanzee extinction, the release of captive animals into their natural habitat is increasingly being seen as valuable conservation tool. Reintroduction is both a complex and controversial endeavour – and the risk is high. Ultimately, release programs must contribute to the survival of chimps in the wild.
There has been a massive influx of young orphan chimpanzees who have been captured illegally from the wild. Although sanctuaries are a good ‘band aid' solution in the short term, they cannot provide the needed conditions for the orphans to express their whole range of natural behaviours. While in sanctuary, the orphans often become highly dependant on humans for food and protection, making future reintroduction programs impossible.
Reintroduction programs can benefit not only chimps but also the release area (by protecting it from poaching and deforestation) and the local community that relies on the area for its livelihood.
JGI is conducting preliminary studies on the feasibility of a reintroduction project in the area of our Tchimpounga Sanctuary in the Republic of Congo.
The first step is the creation of a pre-release environment where new arrivals to our sanctuaries will be able to learn how to forage for natural vegetation, build nests, and develop the social bonds necessary for their survival in the wild.
You can support the development of JGI's chimpanzee reintroduction programs by becoming a Chimp Guardian.
