Tacugama

Category: Gaura, Introduction, Quarantine, Tacugama | Date: May 08 2009 | By: tacugama

After such a sad week last week, we are pleased to be able to bring you better news this week.

It was finally time for young Bruno to leave quarantine and join the famous five: Gaura, Tombo, Mac, Bai Nyaa and Jessica! He could tell the day was different and seemed very happy to accompany Mama Posseh as she walked him over to the rest of the babies.

Happy Young Bruno
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Everyone behaved very well when the first polite introductions were made, but it didn’t take long for the senior babies - Gaura and Tombo - to test Bruno with some vigorous play! We decided to take them for a short walk while Bruno had a chance to get to know Mac, Jessica and Bai Nyaa so that by the time Gaura and Tombo came back Bruno started to lay down a few rules of engagement. It was just what Gaura needed - he was in danger of becoming a bad bully but young Bruno is big enough and bold enough to keep Gaura in his place and they’re quickly becoming the best of friends. Even little Mac is getting braver to join in the games.

Bruno extends a greeting to Jessica
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Vigorous greetings indeed…
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The next day saw Bruno happily accompany Mama Posseh and Esther for the daily walk to the forest - it’s getting to be a big walking party these days. He had an amazing time as, for the first time in at least three months, he was free to climb and play in the forest.

Real trees!!
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Gaura and Bruno have a great time!
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Meanwhile our newest arrival - Yoyema - is benefitting from lots of necessary attention and treatment. She’s had a thorough check out and the poor little thing was full of tapeworm, one of the reasons she was so thin and unhappy. Mama Posseh is on a well-earned week off so Esther has stepped in to bath, cuddle and help with Yoyema’s care. Yoyema’s just starting to show signs of putting on a bit of weight and becoming a bit less lethargic. She’s also using her left hand more and more so we’re hopeful she won’t be too handicapped by the damage she sustained before she was confiscated.

Yoyema
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Cheetah’s gentle recovery is continuing and she’s now able to move around her den without the support of overhead sticks, though she’s still very cautious as she moves around. We’re so pleased with how she is now compared to a month ago.

Marcel is also making a strong recovery.  Fortunately he was nowhere as nearly badly affected as Cheetah though we continue to monitor him carefully and keep him indoors.  The health check team are progressing very well and almost all the chimps have now undergone their EMCV vaccination and thorough examinations.  We’ll hopefully be finished this weekend.

Tags: Chimpanzee, EMCV, sanctuary, Sierra Leone, Tacugama, wildlife