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Chimpanzee Conservation Center : rehabilitation and release sanctuary in Guinea West Africa

Chimpanzee Conservation Center : rehabilitation and release sanctuary in Guinea West Africa. CCC’s background . Created in 1997 by J. CARTER, with EU founding. It was called Project for Chimpanzee Conservation-PCC

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Chimpanzee Conservation Center : rehabilitation and release sanctuary in Guinea West Africa

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  1. Chimpanzee Conservation Center : rehabilitation and release sanctuary in Guinea West Africa

  2. CCC’s background • Created in 1997 by J. CARTER, with EU founding. It was called Project for Chimpanzee Conservation-PCC • Reunited 24 chimps coming from 2 orphanages (VSF in Bissikrima & Mrs Raballand’s in Conakry and well as orphans coming from private owners) • May 1999 (22 chimps): PCC funding ends. The Guinean government contact Mrs. Raballand to take over. • Feb-May 2001: 2 large enclosures are built for the adults and teenagers thanks to a grant from WSPA • May 2002: a veterinary room is built • Dec 2002: building of a new cage for the youngsters’ group • End of 2004: 1 new enclosure (youngsters), 1 cage with an enclosure for quarantine • Spring 2006: new store room for the chimps’ food • Summer 2006: new nursery • Mai 2008: 49 chimps • June 2009: Release of 12adults • Feb 2009: 38chimps

  3. Chimpanzees different sub-species Total chimpanzee population in Africa: 200,000 Total chimpanzee population in West Africa: 20,000 The western sub-specie is the most endangered

  4. Chimpanzee Conservation Center • Located in the Parc National du Haut Niger, Faranah Prefecture • 550 km from Conakry • 82 km from Faranah • PNHN: 55,000 hectares of full protection • Sole animal project in Guinea • Member of PASA

  5. CCC staff • Volunteer • Directorbenevole • Manager • VeterinariansVolunteers • Studentresearchers • 7 soigneurs • 1 driver • 1 piroguier • 3 local guides • 1 officereducation

  6. CCC facilities • Local camp for volunteers and management • Local camp for local staff • A vet room • A food room • 3 “cages” : main one, divided into three cages with sliding doors and annex cages (adults group, teenagers, younger chimps) with three adjacent electrical fences • 1 Quarantine cage with an electrical fence • 1 Nursery

  7. New adult group: 12 chimpanzees (1 year old to 15 years old). They are the next releasable group in 2010 The youngsters: 15 chimpanzees (1year old to 8 years old) MAIN CHIMP FACILITY

  8. “Quarantine” cage and electrical fence (8 chimps from 3 to 5 years old)

  9. Where do the chimps come from? • They are mostly Guineans but some of them have come from other country in West Africa (P.T.Verus subspecie) • Mostly confiscated by Guinean authorities or donated to the CCC. Never bought. • Usually in poor condition: malnutrition, skin problems (scabies, lice, ringworm, …), many cases of diarrhea and dehydratation, respiratory diseases, endoparasites… and psychological disorders due to captivity and/or mistreatment • Quarantine procedures and testing • Special care 24h per day with human staff if really bad condition upon arrival

  10. Principles for rehabilitation • Group living • Daily forest walks (twice a day for a total of 7h per day) for youngsters and “quarantine” group in different areas; The new adult group has access to their fence 24h/24h • Learn from other chimps (and humans) : social interactions, climbing, wild food consumption, nest building, hunting, dangers… • Forest walks stop when they become teenagers. We then reduce human contacts and encourage chimpanzee social learning • Long process, takes several years to learn most of the basic behaviors

  11. Nutrition • 4 feedings a day (7h/8h – 12h – 15h – 18h) • Many “wild” fruits (collected by villagers) are added to their diet following seasons • Some “human food” (cassava, corn, sweet potatoes), but given cooked; and regular fruits (oranges, bananas, etc) • Food bought in villages (really good income for local people), twice a week • Babies (<3 yrs old) receive milk 3 times/day (8am, 12am, 6pm) • 2 times/day until they are 4-5 (8am, 6pm) • 1 time/day until 5-6 (8am)

  12. Release: the goal of the CCC • Release of 12 chimpanzees on 27 June 2008 in the Park, following IUCN guidelines • 2nd release of chimpanzees in Africa, after Help Congo but first one in West Africa • All the orphans released were between 12 and 20 years old. First release of adult individuals in a group. • One of the goal is to reinforce the PNHN wild chimp population • 6 males and 6 females, aged 8 to 20 years (including 2 youngsters born in the group and released with their mother) • 4 Females collars equipped with GPS / VHF • 4 Males of necklaces GPS / VHF / Argos (allows monitoring via satellite) • Monitoring for a minimum of 1 year (diet, habitat use, group dynamics, nesting, interactions with wild chimpanzees, etc.).

  13. MONITORING using VHF receiver and ANTENNA

  14. ARGOS/Satellite Tracking collars 4 males fitted One lost it a month later One passed away Two males left Currently in the extreme east side of the PNHN Many missions to insure their protection One male might be with a female Thanks to the satellite tracking we know were they are regularly

  15. Points of releasedchimps

  16. NANOU and ROBERT

  17. To ensure the survival of the CCC’s released chimpanzees, the CCC has to participate actively in solving the park protection issues.

  18. Illegal activities, such as logging, bush fire, poaching, fishing and destructive agricultural activities are destroying the environment witch then provoke climate changes. Using chimpanzees as a flag ship specie the CCC is hoping to reduce climate changes which would not only destroy chimpanzees but also human kind.

  19. Other CCC activities • Helping protection of the Park (Parc National du Haut-Niger) against illegal logging, poaching, bushfires with military and Park guards. • Education of local people about chimpanzee protection, environmental problems (logging, bushfires, illegal hunting, etc) in villages and schools. • Participated in the Chimpanzee Conservation and Sensitization Program (Sept 2005 to Sept 2007) in Guinea and Sierra Leone with JGI

  20. Protection of PNHN • Military missions • Confiscation of chain saws and hunting guns • Funding from FFI/Arcus for 2008-2009 • Agreement between Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Defense

  21. What next? Monitoring of release chimps for min. of 1 year and use their presence to draw attention from the Guinean authorities and international donors to the protection of the PNHN • Continue to protect the PNHN and work with local and national authorities to set up a protection mechanism that will be efficient. • Planning another release for next group (funding?) • Continued education and sensitization programs around the PNHN mostly but also nationally…

  22. FUNDERS (2008) US fish and wildlife IPPL The Goode Trust fund FFI/Arcus Foundation The Sweedish chimpanzee conservation fund Private donors The Great ape trust of Iowa Fondation Brigitte Bardot TUSK

  23. THANKS FOR YOUR HELP

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