Not only chimpanzees….
Category: Chimpanzee, Tacugama | Date: Feb 26 2008 | By: admin
First of all thanks very much to Wanda and Theresa for their great donations that we’ve received this month towards medication costs and running the sanctuary.
We thought that you might like to know a few facts surrounding the environment in Sierra Leone:
* Forest coverage in Sierra Leone has decreased from 75% to 5% primary closed canopy forest in the last 100 years; a further 3.5% remains as secondary (regrowth) forest
* Less than 4% of Sierra Leone’s significant biodiversity is protected in any way with extremely limited re-enforcement capability in place
* Tacugama is situated in the Western Area Forest on the Freetown peninsula - tree coverage in the Western Area Forest Reserve (WAFR) has reduced by 25% in the last 5 years.
Elephants, buffaloes, pygmy hippopotamus, leopards, chimpanzees and several other large mammals are still present in Sierra Leone but they are so rare that spotting them is not easy. Their numbers in the wild are relatively small and they are smart enough to hide in the remaining forests. The good news is that at the end of last year the country’s second National Park was declared in the Gola Forest and in January this year a ban on timber exports was re-enforced.
Sierra Leone’s forests are also home to many other tiny colorful creatures that form an important part of the ecosystem - even though they are a lot less popular among most of us! Probably many are not yet classified by scientists. When taking time away from the chimpanzees, our vet - Dr. Rosa - likes to spend time photographing them so we thought you might like to see a few of these amazing creatures. Enjoy the photos, we’ll share some more of some of the country’s striking flowers in the future:
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Little Gaura is putting on weight, his arms and legs are now getting thicker and more muscular - probably because he’s now spending time every day climbing….with Mama Posseh sitting under the same tree without moving a bit. If she changes position, Gaura will rush down to her arms, worried she might leave him behind. His teething is continuing and now his lower canines are also erupting but it doesn’t seem to be bothering him too much.
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Tacugama Website
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About Bala
Bala Amarasekaran abandoned his original career as an accountant to establish Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary in 1995. Together with the Government of Sierra Leone, he is working to secure the welfare and future of chimpanzees in Sierra Leone.
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100% of your donation, minus a small bank fee, will go to your intended purpose.
Donations made here are safe.
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Donations Received
- Nov 17th Christine C. USD20.00
- Nov 16th Wanda H. USD27.50
- Nov 15th Lucia C. USD100.00
- Nov 11th Yang H. USD20.00
- Nov 11th Tania M. USD66.00
- Nov 10th Kathy S. USD22.00
- Nov 9th Jill W. USD86.90
- Nov 4th Yvonne M. USD55.00
- Nov 1st Amy M. USD10.00
- Nov 1st Yang H. USD20.00
- Oct 24th Raúl C. USD79.00
- Oct 18th Simone S. USD86.90
- Oct 17th Christine C. USD20.00
- Oct 16th Brian W. USD86.90
- Oct 15th Helen S. USD86.90
- Oct 13th Lucia C. USD100.00
- Oct 12th Elisabeth C. USD86.90
- Oct 1st Yang H. USD20.00
- Sep 19th Arturo M. USD22.00
- Sep 18th Michael L. USD79.00
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Tacugama Blog
13 Responses to “Not only chimpanzees….”
Theresa Siskind St Petersburg FL, on 26 Feb 2008
The loss of forests just breaks my heart, again I feel so helpless. What we are doing to our planet is unforgivable. On a much lighter note, these photos of our little Gaura, give me hope and make me more determined then ever to be a voice for these creatures. He looks so happy and carefree, God bless him. Thank Dr. Rosa for her insect photos, I enjoyed them.
sheryl, washington dc, on 27 Feb 2008
Man, I knew deforestation in SEA was insane but I wasn’t aware that Africa is following suit. WE are the invasive species on this planet.
Thanks for the update and photos of Gaura. It’s great to see him climbing around the trees. And boy, do you have a lot of crazy looking bugs!
s.
Wanda, Atlanta, on 27 Feb 2008
You can tell Gaura was small for his age and that his body is trying to fastly catch up to his head! Gosh,
I am so glad he is making it - I love it when they survive after it has such a rough start and rebound like he is! I hope the chimps show the humans someday that we are not nearly as great as we think we are and that they are really the smart ones!
sheryl, washington dc, on 27 Feb 2008
I agree, Wanda. You don’t see the other Great Apes destroying their planet and overpopulating it. They are smarter.
s.
Jo, on 27 Feb 2008
thanks for the update on Gaura. He’s looking more confident and healthy now. I think your care and love have given him the reason and strength to live. I watched Animal Planet’s Going Ape series and then read the story of a little paralyzed chimp Ghaa at Limbe Wildlife Centre. He was seriously injured as the cruel hunters shot him and his mother down from a very tall tree. He survived but paralyzed. The vets/carers at LWC kept helping him to do physiotherapy and trying various things to train his weakened limbs. The training was very difficult and exhausting for a small chimp like Ghaa — you would’ve cried when you saw that image. But months later, when he was introduced to a group of infant chimps, Ghaa watched them running around and then used all his strength to walk for the first time since he was sent to the centre. The will power that little Ghaa posesses is so amazing and touching.
http://www.limbewildlife.org/chimps.html
Lucia Cristiana, Brazil, on 27 Feb 2008
It’s good to our soul to feel there are reasons to believe that our brains can be used to good. Little Gaura’s recovery shows that Mother Nature is able to reborn like a Fenix. Thank you to all you are doing to this precious chimps. A big thank for Mama Posseh for her sweetness and sapience, which smart baby Gaura realize easily. Yes, Wanda, reportedly we are homo sapiens but our closest relatives are truly wise creatures.
Lucia Cristiana, Brazil, on 27 Feb 2008
Sorry, I wanted to say Phoenix, legendary bird who consumed itself in fire and returned to life from ashes.
Dipesh Pabari, on 28 Feb 2008
Talk about a bugz life!!
Dino Martins, on 28 Feb 2008
Hi
Nice pictures of insects and other creatures!
The spider looks like a wolf spider - an especially colourful one!
The red bug is an Assassin bug nymph
The praying mantis is the incredible Eyed Flower Mantis with the striking eye-spot on its back
The multi-coloured bug is the aptly-named “Picasso Bug”
The butterfly is an Acraea
Nice picture of the caterpillar - this is an aposematic species (warning colours - don’t touch!)
Theresa Siskind St Petersburg FL, on 28 Feb 2008
To be very honest, I think these are the prettiest bugs I’ve ever seen…how about we trade, lets say, my palmetto bugs for your Picasso bug!
Lucia Cristiana, Brazil, on 02 Mar 2008
I come here again and again only to see baby Gaura so very well and healthy. This renew my spiritual energy. Thanks.
Rosa, on 03 Mar 2008
Thank you Dino for the info. I rather prefer to call them by name. I wish i knew more about insects. They are really amazing here!
Lucia Cristiana, Brazil, on 06 Mar 2008
Hi Bala, I sent a donation for baby Gaura yesterday. Best regards.
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