A new lease on life
Mar 30, 2006
We are so very pleased to inform you that Tati is now safe at Sanaga-Yong Chimpanzee Rescue Center (SYCRC).
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For the first time in years, seven year old Tati is feeling the ground below his feet. Here he is in a temporary quarentine enclosure after his rescue. What a tender expression from a boy who is experiencing many changes and emotions as he begins anew at
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Tati chained to a limb of a tree
| Very early during the morning of March 29, a delegation including armed guards from the Brigade Nationale de Controle of the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife (MINFOF) under order of the Minister, along with a veterinary technician and two vehicles from the Cameroon Wildlife Aid Fund (CWAF) and SYCRC's chief of staff Raymond Tchimisso conducted a forced seizure of Tati from the Roman Catholic priest who was holding him captive.
Tati is finally free of the shackle and chain around his neck. He had been living on the limb of a tree for years in isolation ~ yesterday he walked around his temporary enclosure, lounged in the sun on the ground to eat his meals, and slept comfortably. He has a long road ahead of him to heal the wounds of his captivity, but he is on his way.
THE ROAD TO RESCUE
After learning about Tati, Sanaga-Yong staff members met with the priest three times, and Dr. Speede met with the priest and with his boss, the archbishop of the church. The priest was keeping Tati illegally on church property and Dr. Speede, acting diplomatically and with careful regard to cultural and political nuances, hoped to convince them to release Tati to a much better life. She was met with a great deal of resistance and defiance, the priest refusing to abide by Cameroon law and demanding that Dr. Speede pay him for Tati, which also would have been illegal.
The strong influence of the catholic church generated fear and a reluctance to move forward in the confiscation of Tati, although he was being held in blatant violation of the wildlife protection regulation. The case demonstrated the precarious position of political and legal powers when weighed against social and religious forces.
During several weeks, much time was spent traveling to meetings with officials, writing and delivering formal requests for enforcement of the law and the confiscation of Tati, and collaborating with other NGO’s. Following a great deal of collaborative work on the part of Dr. Speede with Avi and Talila Sivan, directors of CWAF, Ofir Drory of the Last Great Ape Organization and MINFOF, Tati is finally released from the miserable life of captivity.
AT SANAGA-YONG
In accordance with veterinary protocol to ensure the safety of all the chimpanzees at SYCRC, Tati will live in quarantine for three months. During this time he will have a comfortable shelter for sleeping and an enclosure where he will be able to explore and climb. After years of isolation, living, eating and sleeping on the limb of a tree, Tati is already experiencing dramatic life changes made possible in large part by our supporters' invaluable contributions which make our work in Cameroon a reality.
 Tati’s recovery will be slow. He has missed so much in life and has been physically and emotionally scarred. He most likely witnessed the killing of his mother and then endured more than seven years without the comfort and companionship of other chimpanzees. Integration into a family unit for an adolescent chimpanzee like Tati can often present challenges, but the expert staff at Sanaga-Yong will do everything they can to ensure Tati’s success. Like all residents at Sanaga-Yong, Tati will have an opportunity to become part of a social group, create friendships, develop his individuality, and move freely through the forest.
Thank you for caring and for participating in the movement to save Cameroon’s great apes.
Read the Tati updates in the July and October e-news
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