By: Summner Kongbap
Since 2018, July 14th is set aside
annually to raise public awareness on the importance of protecting and saving
the incredibly unique and iconic species. In Sierra Leone, this day is of great
significance as it is the only country to have the chimpanzee as its National
Animal. In 2009, Tacugama’s Outreach team conducted a national census and
concluded that there are approximately 5,500 chimpanzees remaining in the wild
in Sierra Leone. The census also confirmed that a significant number of
chimpanzees live outside protected areas leaving them more completely
vulnerable.
Since 1995, Tacugama continues to overcome
deforestation, poaching and encroachment to ensure the protection of the
species and prevent the chimpanzees from extinction. These irreplaceable animals
are critically endangered meaning if actions are not taken to protect their
population and habitats they would be lost or wiped out completely from the
country. For 25 years, the sanctuary has been working with communities
across Sierra Leone to ensure human/wildlife co-existence. Tacugama continues
to educate visitors and students on the importance of having chimps in the wild
and their similarities to humans. These amazing animals play a vital role
to maintain the rich biodiversity of the country. With the disappearance of
chimpanzees and their seed dispersal functions, our forests in Sierra Leone
would also slowly start disappearing – jeopardizing our water catchments and
food security.
July 14th can be traced back to the first day the famous
primatologist, Dr Jane Goodall visited present day Gombe in Tanzania. She was
the first individual to have studied the behaviour of wild chimpanzees
extensively.
In Sierra Leone, the founder and Director
of Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary, Bala Amarasekaran, has walked in the steps of
Dr Jane Goodall and provided a safe haven for rescued chimpanzees. Sadly
despite Bala’s heroics, orphan chimpanzees continue to end up at the country’s
only sanctuary as a result of hunting, illegal logging and the pet trade a
by-product of the Bushmeat crisis. These are just a few of the many threats
faced by wild chimpanzees in Sierra Leone.
Sierra Leone was once a major exporter of
live chimpanzees across the world. At the moment, animals such as chimpanzees
are hunted and killed in even protected areas for various reasons including
commercial Bushmeat trade. Animal parts are smoked making it extremely
difficult to identify the animal and of course easier for transport. However,
border security personnel should be trained in identifying animal species if we
are to tackle wildlife trade. Before the outbreak of COVID-19, huge amounts of
smoked wildlife were being trafficked from Sierra Leone to Bo Waterside.
The local immigration office admitted to
seeing the evidence and stated that security personnel from Sierra Leone turned
a blind eye. In 2017, Tacugama conducted a month-long campaign from Bandajuma
to Bo Waterside against Bushmeat consumption and the illegal wildlife trade. It
was evidently clear that chimpanzee meat was amongst the species
traded.
Time is not our side, chimpanzees continue
to suffer and end up in human homes as pets. It is sad to note that although
the chimpanzees that end up at the sanctuary for rehabilitation are well taken
care of – they are all robbed of their freedom and will spend their entire
lives in captivity. Meanwhile, well-designed law enforcement protocols and a
repeal of the 1972 wildlife Act are necessary to put an end to wildlife trade
and ultimately ending the hunting and killing of chimpanzees - Sierra Leone’s
National animal.
Furthermore, there should be a ban on
domestic wildlife trade focus on protecting endangered and critically
endangered species as listed by the IUCN. Habitat restoration will also
provide a home for chimpanzees and animals in the wild to thrive and maintain
the ecosystem’s balance we humans so much depend on.
Let’s celebrate chimpanzees by protecting
their homes and stop hunting, killing, possessing, trading, capturing or
buying/selling them!
It is our responsibility to react, protect
and preserve them.
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