IDA-Africa E-news ~ Rescue and Care
May 6, 2008
|
Sponsor a Chimpanzee
Make a Donation
to the
chimpanzees
IDA-Africa's
Gift Shop
Shop at iGive and join eScrip ~a percentage of your purchase goes to IDA-Africa
Employer Gift Matching
♥ Mother's Day ~ see below for a beautiful story and gift ideas. |
IDA-Africa rescues illegally held chimpanzees
IDA-Africa enables the government of Cameroon to enforce its laws by providing a sanctuary for confiscated orphans at Sanaga-Yong Chimpanzee Rescue Center. IDA-Africa works in direct collaboration with the Cameroon government and other organizations, often providing the resources, staff, and experience necessary to safely rescue great apes.
In March, IDA-Africa provided logistical support for the government of Cameroon in the confiscation of two chimpanzees, two monkeys (including a highly endangered De Brazza’s monkey) and five parrots from the manager of a Greek logging company called Panagiotis Marelis. IDA-Africa had discovered the chimpanzees being held by the logger in January and had alerted our friends at the Last Great Ape Organization (LAGA). LAGA, in turn, worked with Cameroon’s Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife to facilitate the arrest of the logger and simultaneous confiscation of the animals. IDA-Africa employees Raymond Tchimosso and Akono Dieudonne met agents from LAGA and the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife, as well as several military police, at the premises of the logging company manager. The role of IDA-Africa in this action was to provide the expertise required to take all of the animals from the logger’s premises. The arrest and confiscation were carried out without incident.
The following day IDA-Africa personnel assisted LAGA and the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife in taking custody of a third chimpanzee, a 4 year old male named Ivo, from a high-ranking government official. IDA-Africa had been trying to rescue this chimpanzee for more than two years, but political realities had created many barriers.
Ivo was taken to live at a sanctuary operated by Cameroon Wildlife Aid Fund, collaborators of IDA-Africa, while the two chimpanzees confiscated from the logger were brought to our Sanaga-Yong Chimpanzee Rescue Center.
The youngest chimpanzee brought to the Sanaga-Yong Center, Arvid, is about 1.5 years but the size of a six month old. He had been kept in a wire crate. At the time of rescue, Arvid was severely undernourished, underdeveloped and suffering from serious deprivation of physical contact. He constantly rocked back and forth while hugging himself, and he resisted being touched as if it were painful. His toes were curled and he was unable to straighten them; this caused him to walk very awkwardly. He could not use his arms to climb due to reduced strength and motor skills.
The other chimpanzee brought to Sanaga-Yong Center, Launa, is approximately 4 years old. She was kept on a neck-chain without shelter, the ground around her nothing more than dried earth. She was severely undernourished and had pneumonia with high fever and a bad cough. She suffered greatly from fear and loneliness.
Launa eating an apple given to her
by Raymond. |
This is the only place Launa could
escape the hot gound. |
Launa is comforted by Raymond.
Note cages in background. |
The logging company manager, who, if convicted, risks up to three years in prison and/or a fine of up to 10 million CFA ($24,000).
Panagiotis Marelis is a member of the Interafrican Forest Industries Association's European Foundation for the Preservation of the African Forest Resource.
This confiscation demonstrates some of the complications and challenges faced by those working to protect endangered great apes. This particular logging company was supposedly, through it's membership to the European Foundation for the Preservation of the African Forest Resource, held to a conservation standard.
The illegal holding of great apes by individuals with corporate, international or political standing in a country with a profound lack of infrastructure coupled with civil unrest creates a plethora of logistical, social and political challenges.
At Sanaga-Yong Center
Arvid and Tilly playing (above and right). |
 |
Launa at Sanaga-Yong Center. |
After a month at Sanaga-Yong Center, Arvid has improved tremendously as a result of good nutrition and medical care, and the most powerful of medicines, love and friendship. He now loves hugs from his human caregivers and from Tilly, an adorable, gentle female chimpanzee who is about his age. These two laugh and play all day. It will take some time for Arvid to gain weight and build the muscles needed to climb and find balance in the trees.
Launa is physically well now, and she laughs a lot, enjoying more freedom of movement than she’s had in years. She is gentle and sweet, although it took a few days for her to realize that humans are a bit frail. She will soon live with chimpanzees Simossa (read her story here) and Kadei, a baby rescued in the Spring of 2007.
The wonder of all that happens at Sanaga-Yong Center is bound directly to the chimpanzees for it is they who embrace the new orphans and it is through their bonds that muscles grow, confidence builds, and hearts heal.
It is through a collaborative effort on the part of the organizations on the ground in Cameroon and our supporters around the world that IDA-Africa is able to make a difference.
The Cameroonian national television (CRTV) coverage of the arrest at Nanga Eboko, "Three chimps rescued, logging manager behind bars," is available at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30eNA51thno The man offering juice to the chimpanzee on the neck chain (whom is now named Launa) is Raymond, director of personnel at IDA-Africa's Sanaga-Yong Chimpanzee Rescue Center.
Dorothy
 In early March, Dorothy became critically ill with a lung infection that made it difficult for her to breathe. She lost a lot of weight and became anemic. She often felt too weak to join her family in the forest and chose to remain in the overnight enclosure. She was started on an anti-fungal medication and after a few weeks began to show gradual improvement. She started chosing to go out with the others and her appetite increased. Dorothy will have to withstand the toxic side effects of the medication for six months, the time it takes to be effective. Last week she was having a reaction to the medication but showed improvement after Dr. Speede stopped administering it. She will be started back on the medication next week at a lower dose.
After taking Dorothy off the medication, Dr. Speede sent this update: Dorothy's breathing is still not normal and her weight loss is striking. But her appetite is good, and she’s moving around well. She goes out some days and some days she prefers to stay in. She likes to sit in a tire and look at photos in magazines when she doesn’t go out. She enjoys her family a lot, but kids playing rambunctiously around her get on her nerves. She sometimes fusses at them and sends them away. Her family comforts and supports her regularly and I visit with her as long as possible each day.
We don’t know what the weeks ahead will hold. We are all concerned as we know are people around the world who have come to love Dorothy. We will keep you posted about her condition.
Mother's Day♥
♥ Read the beautiful story of Dorothy's adoption of Bouboule and the difference motherhood has meant to each of them.
At Sanaga-Yong Center the notion of Mother's Day is a little bitter sweet. Arvid and Launa, like all of the chimpanzees, were orphaned very young and are now embraced in the love and affection of their adoptive families.
At Sanaga-Yong Center, all of the chimpanzees have lost their own mothers, but they are not motherless.
Please give a gift this Mother's Day that includes a gift to the chimpanzees, a meaningful way to truly honor the spirit of motherhood.
♥ Sponsor A Chimpanzee
♥ Make a donation in the name of a loved one
♥ Peruse the IDA-Africa gift shop for t-shirts, posters, sweatshirts, original art work, and more!
Click the banner above to sponsor a chimpanzee.
Click here to download this banner to your
website or myspace page to help us spread the word!
|
IDA-Africa
700 SW 126th Ave
Beaverton OR 97005
503-643-8302
info@ida-africa.org |
<< Back
|
