Protecting Chimpanzees

Thank you for supporting David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation through GlobalGiving. As well as providing you with your bi-annual Chimpanzee project report full of fantastic news and results of this project, we would also like to inform you about an exciting campaign.

Since last August, our ground-based conservation partners, the Chimpanzee Conservation Centre (CCC), received three orphan chimps confiscated by the authorities as victims of the pet trade. These three were called Sewa, Dali and Marco. Sewa was for sale and was confiscated just in time before a Chinese citizen could buy her. She was dressed like a little girl and was extremely depressed and scared of people. After her quarantine she was introduced to the juvenile group where the older females immediately took care of her like older sisters would do in the wild. It was a huge relief for Sewa to be back with other chimps. 

Dali was confiscated in October 2020 and even though he was in a good physical state, he was very depressed too. Our ground-based conservation partners took care of him during his strict 3 weeks quarantine but sadly he suddenly stopped eating and became very sick. After multiple vet visits, he finally recovered and gained his strength back. He was firstly introduced to Sewa and then the rest of the youngsters. He was very excited to be able to play with the males of the orphan group.

Marco was also in a very poor state upon arrival to the centre. Unfortunately, he had been shot during his capture, and his jaw was broken and infected. He required a lot of love and vet care by the CCC team. After his recovery in quarantine, he joined Sewa and Dali then the rest of the youngsters.

The orphan group are now a fit and healthy group of 12 young chimpanzees between 1 and 7 years old. They go out in the forest every day to get used to living in the wild and CCC hope to be able to release them back into the wild in the future. The current chimpanzee release group at CCC is doing very well in the wild with the addition of another two births recently.

CCC aim to create further release groups and are currently investigating another protected forest in the North of Guinea as a potential new release site. A first study was conducted in March and an extensive one will be carried out later this year to determine its viability. However, it is a huge challenge to find a suitable site to release chimpanzees due to the increase in human encroachment across Guinea which is why awareness and education programmes across Guinea are equally as important in protecting Chimpanzee populations long term.

How can you help this vital work continue?

This week GlobalGiving are hosting their annual Little by Little Campaign this means that all donations donated through GlobalGiving to David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation between Monday 13^th and Friday 17^th September will receive 50% match funding from GlobalGiving. So, if you donate £20 today to any of our projects, we receive £30, making your contribution work that little bit harder!

We are hugely grateful that you have chosen to support us to help turn the tide on extinction. Thank you.

Little by Little Campaign T’s and C’s

• Campaign runs from Monday 13^th to Friday 17^th September.
• Donations up to the amount of $50 / £36 will be match funded by 50%.
• One donation per unique donor will be match funded.
• New monthly donations set up this week will be 50% match funded and your 4th donation will be 100% matched!
• All DSWF projects are eligable for match funding.