This and that
Category: Chimpanzee, Education, Introduction, Tacugama | Date: Mar 20 2008 | By: admin
This is proving to be a busy week indeed!
We are hosting the upcoming PASA (Pan African Sanctuaries Alliance) Managers’ Meeting, due to start on the 30th of this month, so we’re finalizing the arrangements for this. We’re really looking forward to catch up on everyone’s news and progress.
Two days ago we held the second and final Tacugama Kid Programme Workshop for this academic year with all the teacher - coordinators from the 15 schools participating in the programme. This time they received the second syllabus manual to be used during the next school term and discussed forming Nature Clubs. They also learned new kid activities by trying them out themselves. This seemed to go down quite well and they got very competitive!! We’re really pleased with the programme and many thanks are due to our volunteers: Harriet leading the whole education project from the start and Laia who has been assisting. Harriet is soon to move on onto other adventures and we are looking for a volunteer to take on her role in the education project.
Teachers trying out the kid’s activities
Bidi is taking longer than many of our chimpanzees to be introduced to her new group of chimp mates in the nursery. First we mixed her with a few of the easy going and younger chimps, but even so, she got scared easily. After almost two weeks, she finally seems comfortable enough in their company, thanks to Alex who has become her protector and best friend! She now spends several hours a day in the enclosure with them and we have kept the bullies apart for now. She has also learnt that the electric fence is not something you want to get close to! The next stage is to introduce her to the rest of the group – bullies and all!
Bidi (right) hugging Alex for comfort
Gaura has passed his last TB test and received his second round of vaccinations. He now weighs 4.5 kg …which means he has put on 1.5 kg since he arrived at Tacugama. Not bad at all! He has earned a new nickname: “big belly”. Bless Mama Posseh and all of you for sending your good wishes! And he is definitely more confident….. he doesn’t miss any opportunity to sneak to where Mama Posseh hides extra food on the table and search thoroughly in each container!!!
The final bit of good news is that our very own Tacugama FC has now progressed to the semi-finals of their tournament! We’ll keep you in touch with the results for the next round, here’s hoping….
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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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Tacugama Website
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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
- Dec 2nd Pilar G. USD86.90
- Dec 2nd Heather M. USD163.90
- Nov 17th Christine C. USD20.00
- Nov 3rd Yang H. USD60.00
- Oct 30th Lucia C. USD100.00
- Oct 25th Wildatart . USD20.00
- Oct 17th Christine C. USD20.00
- Oct 16th Wanda H. USD27.50
- Oct 10th Theresa S. USD20.00
- Oct 3rd Yang H. USD60.00
- Sep 25th Wildatart . USD20.00
- Sep 21st Lucia C. USD100.00
- Sep 17th Christine C. USD20.00
- Sep 10th Theresa S. USD20.00
- Sep 3rd Yang H. USD60.00
- Sep 1st Meghan H. USD25.00
- Aug 25th Wildatart . USD20.00
- Aug 19th Lucia C. USD100.00
- Aug 17th Christine C. USD20.00
- Aug 10th Theresa S. USD20.00
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Tacugama Blog
9 Responses to “This and that”
Theresa Siskind St Petersburg FL, on 20 Mar 2008
Bala, such heartening news and photos. Little Bidi has a buddy, Alex. What a great team they make! I’m hoping Alex will give Bidi more confidence. Little Gaura really is something, very cleaver and resourceful. So happy to hear his TB test is negative and that he is sporting a belly! Mamma Posseh is a natural and we really feel good knowing she is there for these little ones. And yes, wonderful news about these children reaching the semi finals, we are rooting for them!!!
sheryl, washington dc, on 20 Mar 2008
They’re all so beautiful. Good luck in the semi finals, and thanks for the photos of Bidi and Alex and Gaura. He really does have a big belly.
s.
Francis, on 20 Mar 2008
It great that little Gaura is doing better and helping himself to the buffet. He looks like he doesn’t need those pajama’s to keep him warm anymore, looks very healthy with that belly and it’s nice that Bidi has found comfort with Alex. I was watching Lyndal’s Lifeline: Animal Lifeline - Chimps Under Fire on Animal Planet and there’s a scene where a chimpanzee gets a finger caught in the rope and I was wondering if that was Chota ? you posted about it in mid January and mentioned that it had happened before. It was a very good program and it was great to see the sanctuary and everybody involved with the project.
Theresa Siskind St Petersburg FL, on 21 Mar 2008
Bala, I just keep coming back to look at little Bidi, Alex, and Gaura; they cheer me up when I’m feeling blue. Thanks again for all you guys do.
Jo, on 22 Mar 2008
Thanks Bala for all these good news. I love to hear Gaura, Bidi, Alex and the kids are all doing very well.
Jo, on 22 Mar 2008
And, wish you have a successful PASA Managers’ Meeting!
Lucia Cristiana, Brazil, on 22 Mar 2008
Bala and all of Tacugama, thanks once again to care this chimps with so much love.
Dipesh Pabari, on 30 Mar 2008
Congratulations to Mosses Kapia for being awarded the PASA Siddle-Marsden Award!
Anyone who would like to find out more, please visit: http://www.pasaprimates.org
I am sure when things settle down at Tacugama after hosting a hectic PASA gathering, they will tell us all about it
Theresa Siskind St Petersburg FL, on 03 Apr 2008
Dipesh, what a great website, thanks! I just had to visit with the babies again, can’t help it. Little Gaura has stolen my heart…with Alex and Bidi, too.
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