Tacugama

Category: Gaura, Tacugama | Date: Jul 28 2009 | By: tacugama

Shortly after Tacugama started blogging through Wildlife Direct, Gaura arrived as a newly rescued, frail baby chimp; eighteen months later he is a strong, cheeky and loveable character. Sadly another seven young babies have arrived since then; Chippe being the most recent two weeks ago (another four older chimps have also come to us in the same time frame). As each of the babies has completed quarantine they have been gradually introduced to Gaura and his “gang” now includes Tombo, Mac, Bai Nyaa, Jessica and Bruno. Last week they were joined by Yoyema who has quickly settled in with her new playmates.

Yoyema checks out Tombo’s hammock for comfort!

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

8 responses so far

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

5 responses so far

Category: Gaura, Quarantine, Tacugama | Date: Mar 25 2009 | By: tacugama

Congo - our wild chimpanzee visitor - continues to come to Tacugama with her daughters. Her older daughter - now almost five years old - is gaining confidence and becoming more independant of Congo. This is a typical view that we get of her as she watches activity at camp….
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Category: Chimpanzee, Gaura, Tacugama | Date: Dec 22 2008 | By: tacugama

Gaura and Tombo have an important seasonal message for everyone…

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They’d also like you to know that if you’re stuck for a Christmas gift then there’s no need to panic. You can now visit our new pages on Wildlife Direct and adopt one of the Tacugama chimpanzees for your family and friends. We will do our best to email electronic copies of the adoption certificate and biography by return so that you have time to print them for Christmas Day while the rest of the adoption pack follows in the post.

Many thanks to Yvonne, Lucia, Christine, Mark and Maciej for their recent generous donations - Gaura and Tombo promise that these will be shared with all of the 92 chimps we now have at Tacugama.

From all of us at the sanctuary - as we complete our first full year of blogging - thank you for your continuing interest and support and we wish you a peaceful and happy holiday season.

Tags: Chimpanzee, Sierra Leone, Tacugama, wildlife

12 responses so far

Category: Chimpanzee, Gaura, Tacugama | Date: Nov 19 2008 | By: tacugama

Unfortunately in the last couple of weeks we’ve had some reports of hunters entering the Western Area Peninsula Forest Reserve carrying guns. While we’re not concerned about Tacugama chimps or visitor and staff safety (we work so closely with our local communities that there are lots of eyes and ears taking care of our immediate sanctuary area) its both illegal and unacceptable for the hunters to be in the forest reserve. Over the last few months we’ve enjoyed hearing wild chimps calling to our own with increasing frequency and only on Saturday five wild chimps were seen playing close to our local dam. It’s these guys and other forest inhabitants that we’re concerned about so our small patrol team are watching carefully and we’re in close contact with the enforcement authorities. We’re hopeful that the hunters will be apprehended and prosecuted before long.

Empty cartridges found by the patrol team
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Tags: , Chimpanzee, sanctuary, Sierra Leone, Tacugama, wildlife

6 responses so far

Category: Gaura, Tacugama | Date: Oct 06 2008 | By: tacugama

Last week saw the end of Tombo’s quarantine period and so finally we’ve been able to give Gaura a playmate. After a long wait, he was very excited to meet Tombo. With only a small hesitation on Tombo’s part, it took no time for them to bond together, so much so that Tombo wouldn’t let Gaura go at all. It was an amazing introduction that we’ve captured on a few video clips so that you can share the moment…..!
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Tags: , Chimpanzee, sanctuary, Sierra Leone, Tacugama, wildlife

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Category: Chimpanzee, Gaura, Tacugama | Date: Sep 04 2008 | By: tacugama

Congo, our lady from the wild, has a new brand baby. A tiny furry chimp with pinkish hands and feet holding tight on Congo’s belly….that’s all that we manage to get a glimpse of. What a wonderful surprise! Congo is impossible to get pictures of… she runs away at the sight of a camera, or at anything that points at her. …now she is even more distrustful and unfortunately this picture is the only one we can show you for now….can you see the tiny foot on the left side of Congo? We are keeping our cameras ready for the next opportunity.

Congo carrying her new baby and with her 4 year-old daughter behind
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Category: Blogroll, Chimpanzee, Gaura, Tacugama | Date: Jul 10 2008 | By: tacugama

Three days ago we received an urgent call informing us that a baby chimp was being sold at Lumley beach area in Freetown. Our informer was instructed to keep negotiating with the dealer until our arrival.

Willie, our head keeper, and Tommy, wildlife ranger were swiftly dispatched. On their way they picked up two police officers and with their help the baby chimp was confiscated without too much hassle.

The man, a woodcutter from Tombo village situated in the peninsula of Freetown, obviously explained a fancy story that he came across three adult chimps in the bush and when they saw him, they panicked and took off leaving the baby behind.

Tombo village is a gateway by boat to many provincial coastal villages, and we think this baby must have been capture in the south of Sierra Leone and transported into Freetown peninsula for a quick sale. The dealer was in a hurry as he was willing to sell the baby for a mere $25.

Tombo on arrival to Tacugama with Willie
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Category: Chimpanzee, Education, Gaura | Date: May 18 2008 | By: tacugama

Cheeta managed to nick the two way radio from Willie and was happily going around, showing off her new toy to the rest of her gang. We tried all sorts of ways to get it back but she was proving to be much smarter than us. She was getting excited hearing her name coming out of the radio and all the attention from the chimps and staff as everyone was following her. The entire Tacugama team was having a good laugh. I wanted to join in….but just the thought of buying another radio for $400 did not permit me. 48 hours gone, the battery has gone flat and the chances of finding the bloody radio in this thick forest is very slim! Cheeta wins! You can bet we’ll be looking at how to secure those radios better….

Cheetah holding her prize aloft, safely out or reach….
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Category: Chimpanzee, Gaura, Introduction, Tacugama | Date: Apr 22 2008 | By: admin

Poor little Gaura….he has gone through his first knock down! Despite his tolerant nature towards medical procedures, he had to be sedated as we all know dental surgery can be very painful.

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6 responses so far