Support for a rehabilitation center for orphaned chimpanzees to be released into the wild

The common chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes troglodytes) is listed as critically endangered by the IUCN and included in CITES Appendix I. The animals are under particular threat from bushmeat hunting, trafficking, deforestation, farming and the collection of firewood. These factors have been exacerbated by civil conflict and continuing population growth. P-WAC is located in Kongo Central province, where the Mayombe mountain chain begins – the only biosphere of its kind in the world. While gorillas and chimpanzees have been observed there, no initiatives have been launched to date to protect these endangered species.

P-WAC aims to take in and rehabilitate orphaned chimpanzees that are victims of poaching and confiscated by government officials. This ‘bush school’ prepares the chimpanzees for their return to the wild.

Over the funded period, a one hectare rehabilitation enclosure has been built.

The Foundation funded the project a second time in 2020/2021: The NGO had a rehabilitation enclosure, but it required ground-level reinforcement to prevent individuals from going out. This reinforcement was carried out by a local company. The reinforcement has been connected to a solar powered electrical system.

Watch the video of 3 chimpanzees’ first release in the enclosure (in French):