Sanctuary Care for Rescued Animals
How Infant Kabi Arrived at Tchimpounga Sanctuary
In early 2018, a team of forest guards on a routine patrol surprised a group of illegal hunters in Likouala, a border area in northern Republic of Congo. Stumbling upon a makeshift camp in the middle of the forest, the guards stopped short before a gruesome sight. Strewn across the forest floor were the carcasses of numerous freshly caught animals, body parts, and skins. The hunters fled before they could be caught, and the guards confiscated the remains, including, to their surprise, one small, but alive, infant chimpanzee.
At approximately two years of age, the chimp was much too young to be left to fend for himself in the forest. He would be vulnerable to attack. Moreover, his contact with humans meant he might be carrying a disease that could be transmitted to other chimps.
In all likelihood, the small ape had been captured to be sold – illegally – as a pet or some form of entertainment. This is a terrible fate for chimpanzees who, in the wild, remain dependent on their mothers physically and for learning invaluable skills for life for the first 7 to 10 years of life. Chimps nurse until around age five, and continue to stay close to their mothers for several years more. It is also most likely that the mother had been killed in order to steal the baby and he was surely suffering all alone.
Knowing the little chimp would receive the best possible care at the Tchimpounga Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Center, the authorities arranged his transfer to the sanctuary. He was named Kabi, after the town of Mokabi near to the spot where he was found.
JGI’s Tchimpounga Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Center in the Republic of Congo (established in 1992 and a member of the Pan African Sanctuary Alliance) takes in rescued chimpanzees like Kabi, as well as other trafficked animals including mandrills, guenon monkeys and pangolins. When chimpanzees arrive at Tchimpounga, their circumstances and condition are assessed and
The Jane Goodall Institute | Global www.thejanegoodallinsitute.com [email protected] Address: BWB Secretarial Limited 10 Queen Street Place London, EC4R 1BE United Kingdom Registered in the UK: Company No. 08122637 Charity No. 1153284 they are given appropriate care to treat any health problems and rehabilitate them into a life which meets their unique needs.
Upon arrival, Kabi was found to be in good condition compared to many other rescued chimps brought to the sanctuary. He had no wounds and was emotionally stable. He was however suffering from intestinal parasites for which he received immediate treatment.
While humans can never fully replace the care of a mother chimpanzee, Kabi receives the best possible alternative – expert care from his adoptive mother, JGI caregiver Christel, who stays with him 24 hours a day. Because he is quite young, Christel teaches Kabi physical and social skills to help him take part in normal chimpanzee behaviour. When he is ready, Kabi will join other young rescued chimpanzees to play, bond and learn the social dynamics of living with others. When he’s old enough, staff will assess if he can be transferred to one of the sanctuary islands - a setting which allows for freedom of movement and immersion in a large forested area with other chimpanzees.
Thanks to generous donors, JGI sanctuaries can continue to rescue orphaned chimps like Kabi and maintain the best possible care. Becoming a Chimp Guardian or donating to our sanctuaries is an important way to help end wildlife trafficking.
• Tchimpounga Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Center is the largest chimpanzee sanctuary in Africa. Since it opened in 1992, over 200 chimpanzees have been cared for at the sanctuary. The facility currently houses 138 chimpanzees. • JGI also runs Chimp Eden in S. Africa and works with other chimpanzee sanctuaries. • Wildlife trafficking is one of the main reasons that great apes are disappearing from the world’s ecosystems. All great apes are now endangered, with most species categorized as “critically endangered” and protected by law from being hunted and killed.