A protracted time of chimpanzee conservation efforts in Sierra Leone might soon be going up in smoke.
Hidden within the rainforest discontinuance to Freetown is the Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary, a protected haven for rescued chimps from all over the nation.
But illegal encroachment is threatening its borders on the perimeters of Sierra Leone’s capital. No matter flora and fauna rules, conservationists disclose areas of forest are being illegally cleared by gash-and-burn farming, cattle ranching and properties being built closer and closer to chimp enclosures.
The chimps’ territory is diminishing, making them reflect even the humans that work on the sanctuary as intruders.
“You can see how they are reacting, imagine on that side when we don’t even know who is coming there now. That’s where the danger will come,” says the sanctuary’s founder Bala Amarasekaran, as he aspects to a careworn out chimp from leisurely a fence.
Closed doorways to proceed conservation efforts
The Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary is a popular vacationer appeal, nonetheless in a stand against the encroachment, the sanctuary has closed its doorways to pals to focal point on conservation, rehabilitation and research.
The staff here proceed to address the over 120 rescue chimps of all ages as supreme they’ll.
“Every time a baby chimp arrives, people think ‘Oh well, you’re doing a good job, you were able to confiscate a chimp and rescue a chimp and bring it here.’ But for me, as founder of the sanctuary I feel defeated because this chimp shouldn’t be be arriving here. If we have done enough work outside, there shouldn’t be any killing, there shouldn’t be rescues. That is the time I can say we have achieved something,” says Amarasekaran.
The sanctuary’s most in trend resident is miniature one Asana. He’s slowly being nursed attend to health after being rescued as an illegal pet.
An unsure outlook
Even without pals, the sanctuary is a chuffed atmosphere for the chimps, nonetheless the workers are pondering the long bustle.
“Now we are closed indefinitely, but what if this becomes something where we can never open the sanctuary again to people to visit? Then you have all these young Sierra Leonians who have to live their lives not even ever understanding fully what their national animal is, not having the opportunity to experience it,” says Sidikie Bayoh, the communications officer on the sanctuary.
The closure moreover scheme there’ll doubtless be no income from pals at a time when USAID funding has been paused.
“In the absence of funding at the moment from the U.S. government, it is going to be difficult for us to turn around quickly, but we are very resilient. We are like chimpanzees, so we will manage somehow,” says Amarasekaran.
