July 2009

2009 is an exciting year for CWAF - after many months of planning and hard work, we have launched our new name and look - Cameroon Wildlife Aid Fund has become Ape Action Africa!

CWAF has meant a lot over the years to our dedicated staff and supporters, but we took the decision to move forward with a name that reflected our commitment to great ape protection and aligned us more closely with our goals:

Ape...to provide sanctuary for individual, endangered primates orphaned by the illegal bushmeat and pet trades

Action...to actively rescue orphaned primates, providing rehabilitation and long term care in a protected environment

Africa...to work closely with the Cameroonian people to protect their natural heritage through education and social support

We are very positive about the future and look forward to the new opportunities we have to increase awareness about the plight of great apes and raise vital funds for our long term work in Cameroon.

To celebrate our new look we have launched:

- a new adoption program, with online adoptions

- online donation facility

- e-news alerts

- social networking presence, and

- new quarterly newsletter

You can find out more about how you can take action to help our project by visiting our new website and becoming a fan of our new profile page on Facebook. We look forward to seeing you there!

NOVEMBER 2008

We are very pleased and proud to announce that our manager in Cameroon, Rachel Hogan, has received the International Animal Welfare Award from IFAW, the Interational Fund for Animal Welfare. Rachel received her award last month in a ceremony at the House of Lords.

Many congratulations go to Rachel from The management in Cameroon and the trustees in the UK, all of whom think that her award is justly deserved...so well done Rachel!

OCTOBER 2008

Miel
It has been a busy few months here at CWAF with an influx of young chimps. During the summer, Deputy Director Talila Sivan arrived at the Mvog Betsi Zoo to find an infant chimpanzee left in a plastic bag. The infant was a female around the age of ten months. She was still fairly healthy although very nervous and traumatized after being taken from her mother. Talila took the infant back to CWAF headquarters where she began the 24hr care needed to keep an infant this young alive.

We have named the infant Miel which is honey in French. She has made great progresss and is now out in the forest at Mefou. Miel still wakes many times through the night for milk and is slowly starting to take an interest in solid food.

Jakob and Evonu

One month after Miel's arrival, two adult male chimpanzees arrived within days of each other. Jakob came to the Mvog Betsi Zoo with his owner of 9 years in July. Jakob had been kept as a pet since he was a youngster and had lived with the same family. Now as a nine year old male he had become too big for the family to control. They had then made the right decision that the best option for Jakob was to donate him to the project where he could be with other chimps. Jakob is in good health just a little under weight. He doesn't have much of an appetite at the moment but as each day passes and he becomes more comfortable with his surroundings he eats a little more. Jakob will spend the next three months in quarantine and we will then introduce him to one of our established chimpanzee groups.

Our next arrival was Evonu who had also been kept as a pet for nearly 10 years. He lived tethered to an old tree on a chain that was no more then half a metre long. He had no shelter from the sun or rain and spent his days rocking to and fro. Evonu was severely mal-nourished and dehydrated. He is now in quarantine for the next three months and eating everything in sight! He has already started to gain weight and loves to play through the bars with his carers. Eventually, Jakob and Evonu will meet each other before they join their new family out in Mefou.

Mandrill enclosure

Finally, we can announce that our new Mandrill enclosure out in Mefou is now completed. We had spent many months building this and construction can be difficult during the rainy season. Finally, construction is completed and everything was ready to move our three resident Mandrills out to their new forest home. Mandoumbi a young male of three who arrived to the project at just a few weeks old was introduced to his two new female pals Mbam and Sami. Eventually we will move one of the Mandrill groups from the Mvog Betsi Zoo out to join Mandoumbi and his friends in the forest. The three youngsters love their new enclosure and it can be very difficult to see them sometimes as they stay high up in the trees vocalizing to the rest of the forest. We would like to thank Max Hug-Williams for his financial contribution to this enclosure.

CWAF and the local community

Earlier this year, the Cameroonian Government held an anti polio campaign throughout Cameroon. For three days, nurses and technicians traveled to the rural areas where the vaccine was urgently needed. CWAF also played a part in this campaign. The villages out in Mefou are difficult to reach and the local health authority did not have adequate transport to carry the nurses into these villages. We were still in the middle of the rainy season so the roads were very bad. CWAF donated the use of our pickup and for the three days, we transported the technicians out to the communities where over 400 children were vaccinated against polio.

It is a very important part of CWAF's philosophy to work with the local communities and we would like to thank the local health authority and all the technicians involved in administering the vaccine.

FEBRUARY 2008

Bix
At the start of December, the project received an early Christmas present in the shape of a one and a half year old chimp, who was renamed Bix upon arrival. Although perhaps a little small for his age and sparsely-haired on his head and belly, Bix was otherwise in reasonable physical condition. There were some open wounds around his hips where a cord had been tied around him, along with healed scars in the same area, suggesting that little Bix had been restrained in this way at least twice in his young life.

Bix was recently introduced to the infant chimp group. He was an immediate hit with the existing twelve chimps and was often seen being carried around by some of the larger ones. As the attentions of the other chimps occasionally became tiring for Bix, he was accompanied in the enclosure at all times by a volunteer, who would provide him with some respite whenever he needed it. For the first few weeks of his introduction Bix still slept in the chimp box, but has recently progressed to sleeping with his new family instead. Bix’s bright personality suggests that he will be one of the characters of the infant group, so keep an eye out for future updates about his progress.

Tommy
Adult chimps often suffer terribly as long term pets in Cameroon and Tommy is no exception. Rescued in December from a family who claimed to have owned him for over 12 years, Tommy was brought to the forest with an ear infection, open wound on his back and with poor teeth and an emaciated body. Despite obvious neglect, Tommy is a sweet natured chimp and after a few days of medication and enthusiastic eating under the supervision of volunteer Paula, he became much livelier. He has now undergone hotwire training and is able to spend his days in an enclosure, climbing trees whilst he completes his quarantine period. It is hoped that Tommy will be able to join an existing chimp group in a few months time, when he will be stronger and there is adequate space to managed an introduction process.

Lissy
Lissy has been part of the infant chimp group for several months now and continues to be very happy in her new home. It is clearer that Lissy probably spent only a short time in human company after her family was killed, as her chimp skills are very finely tuned. She is an accomplished climber and was seen building a very fine nest at the top of a tree about a month after her introduction. She is sensitive to the social structure of her group and gets along well amongst the others. She doesn’t seek human company like some of the other infants that were kept as pets and has made special friends with Mico. They spend hours together, relaxing in the shade and indulging their mutual dislike of water by avoiding the swimming pool recently installed in their enclosure.

Avishag & Eto'o
CWAF's first gorilla baby was born last May to Avishag and was named Eto'o after Cameroon's favourite footballing son. Though Avishag was a young mother at 9 years, she showed herself to be a natural and Eto’o has been flourishing. Although still small and wide eyed, he is growing fast and is becoming more adventurous eating solid food. His relationship with the other members of the group was positive from the outset and when he was a few months old, Avishag allowed Jasmine to babysit him for short intervals. He now leaves his mum for longer periods and has been brave enough to start playing with the boys, who all love him and patiently tolerate his (occasionally rough) games.

New chimp mums
CWAF's new chimp mums continue to do well and their babies are growing fast. Some infants suffered a skin infection at the end of the wet season last year; however after treatment they are all recovering their lost hair. Some of the babies are now almost a year old and spend time playing away from their mothers and forming bonds with the other members of the group. They have proved to be a positive influence on some of the large males who enjoy spending time grooming them and even carrying them on their backs.

Mums are babies are as follows:

• Laurence and Zawadee
• Leanna and YaYa
• Amber and Jakiri
• Yaourt and Samburu
• Talila and Bali
• TamTam and Hausa
• Marie Jeanne and Tupuri
• Dr Sherri and Olive

Mandrill Enclosure
CWAF's two young Mandrill's, Mandoumbi & Mbam grew rapidly from infants to youngsters last year and by early January were ready for a bigger home and a new family. Months had been spent building a brand new enclosure for them, and a final push was made to finish it by the New Year as a surprise for Rachel when she returned from her leave in the UK. By the end of January, a young female Sami had been moved from the zoo to the forest and a slow introduction began through the walls of the new satellite cage. Mbam & Mandoumbi were very close and it was difficult for them to accept a newcomer, but all three are now outside in the enclosure and tolerating each other, if not yet best friends. In a few more months the plan will be to begin introducing an adult male currently living in the zoo, followed by others to form a larger group.

Construction update
Construction continues to be a prime focus this year with 2 new enclosures currently being built. After completion of the Mandrill enclosure in January, work began immediately on a new space for the infant and young gorillas in a forest area behind the volunteer kitchen. Full time construction workers are currently installing concrete foundations for the fence posts and others are marking out the fence line for our biggest chimp enclosure yet. It is hoped that the gorilla enclosure will be completed by December 08. The timeline is a challenge due to unexpected work which sometimes needs to take precedence, such as re-enforcement of the older chimp enclosures to prevent escape.

NOVEMBER 2007

Tilly arrived to CWAF in July a tiny infant chimpanzee. She spent over 4 months in the forest during which time she began to develop, climbing small trees, eating more solid food, getting more teeth and gaining more confidence. At the moment CWAF's nursery is full and the infants in there are much older than Tilly. So on Sunday the 11th of November Tilly left the CWAF forest along with her caregiver Susan and headed out to the East of Cameroon to Dr. Sherry Speede's chimpanzee project where Sherry has another infant near the same age as Tilly. Tilly will eventually be with this baby which is important as the ultimate goal is to reunite the babies with their own. Sherry's place is fantastic, nestled in a complete forest setting like CWAF and we have no doubt that Tilly will be very happy.

Pikin was recently introduced into Shufai's group and she is doing fantastic. She sleeps with them now and is a real member of the family group. She keeps up with the rest of the group and is a real hooligan.

All the other infants look out for her as she's the smallest one. Shufai just gets better and better, bigger and bigger. He's become the boss of the infant group, very confident little gorilla who is three times the size and looks after Pikin.

Miko's introduction to the infant chimpanzee group has been a success. He is no longer with his human caregiver and spends all of his days and nights with the other little ones. Miko really loves climbing the trees and eating the forest leaves and running around with the others. We will keep you updated on his progress.

Mid August we received news that a 2 year old female chimpanzee had arrived at the Mvong Betsi Zoo after her parents have been killed by hunters. She spent 2 days in the zoo before she was transported out to Mefou National Park to begin her 3 month quarantine period. Quarantine is vital for all new arrivals as in this 3 months they are screened for any infections or diseases before they are able to join a group. We named the chimp Lissy after one of our long term volunteers Elissa who has worked in quarantine for the last 11 months.

Lissy is quiet and really confident and loves spending her days in the trees. She can climb very high. She recently finished her quarantine period and was able to join the rest of the infant group. She's made great friends with everybody and all the chimps love her. Lissy is very settled in her new home. We will keep you updated.

We finished the construction of our new education building in the forest. Kids go on a tour in the forest and after have their class in our new building. It is set back in the forest so the kids feel like they are in the jungle. We also hold monthly meetings there with the local community. It was painted by ex-volunteer Robin Huffman and decorated with lots of flowers.

We just started construction of a new Tantalus area because the Tantalus population has increased with the number of rescues. We're hoping this area will be finished within the next few weeks. We'll keep you updated when this is finished and provide photos.

At the moment we have 6 volunteers. Ian and Elissa a couple who've been here the longest, Susan Eberth who is one of our long term standing volunteers, Ron Evans who has volunteered for one month, and Kristin & Jose who have just arrived for a months stay. Big thank you to all for the help!

Since the last update three of the female chimps have given birth. This is not something we encourage at the sanctuary and we use contraception, however as you can see our contraception failed, and we've now ended up with 7 chimp babies. Our newest arrivals are YaYa a little boy born to Leanna, Bali a little boy born to Talila, and Housa a little girl born to TamTam. All mothers and babies are doing fantastic. The mothers are great and the babies have been accepted into the group. Some of the babies have already started to walk and show interest in food their mothers are eating. We will keep you updated on the mothers and babies.

Transatlantic rowing duo getting their oars out to race The Matthew in support of gorillas and chimps.

Two men who plan to undertake the toughest rowing race on earth, across the Atlantic Ocean, are preparing for their next training feat.

Bristol lads Niall McCann and James Burge will take on the historic replica ship, The Matthew, in Bristol's harbour on November 1.

The charity harbour race will form part of the pair's gruelling training regime in preparation for their row across the Atlantic, raising money for Bristol Zoo Gardens' projects in the Cameroon, which includes CWAF.

Rower Niall McCann said: "We are currently training about nine times a week, before work and at the weekends, in preparation for the Atlantic crossing. The Matthew race will be our last training session on the water before the real thing, so this is an important training opportunity for us as well as a chance to have some fun and raise the profile of what we are doing."

Spectators will be able to cheer on the two boats from the harbourside. Or, even better, make a day of it by booking a place on board The Matthew for the race, with a light lunch included. Finish line tickets are also available, with a light lunch on board The Matthew after the race.

Rower James Burge, from Kingswood, Bristol, said: "This is sure to be a fantastic event and we are really looking forward to taking on such a historic and well known ship as The Matthew. We are hoping lots of people will come along and cheer us on."

The two recruitment consultants, who are both 26, will begin their Atlantic adventure in December, when they hope to become the fastest ever two-man crew to make the perilous journey. They will even be rowing naked, to avoid chafing, which has given them the nickname 'the naked rowers'.

They will make the journey in the specially built boat they have named 'Komale' - after Bristol Zoo's baby gorilla. The transatlantic crossing covers a distance of more than 3000 miles, from the Canary Islands to Antigua.

Niall and James will each row two hours on and two hours off, 24 hours a day, for anything up to 70 days to reach their destination.

Funds raised by the rowers will contribute to Bristol Zoo Garden's international primate projects, focusing on the conservation and welfare of primates that are affected by the illegal bushmeat trade.

To book tickets for the harbour race on November 1, contact Lizy Jones at Bristol Zoo Gardens on 0117 974 7329 or email ljones@bristolzoo.org.uk.

For more information on the Atlantic Rowing Race or to support via a donation, visit the rower's website www.panatlantic.org.

AUGUST 7, 2007

A DAY IN LIFE OF ...

The man in charge of the infamous renegade alpha male chimp, Jack, and his group, as well as a second chimp family headed up by Bertie, is Big Joe. With years of experience under his belt, Joe got his start caring for two chimp pets of some expatriates and followed the primates to Limbe. He joined CWAF at its inception in 1998 at Mvog-Betsi and a short stint at Mefou before coming here permanently in November 2006. In 2002, he traveled to England for a 3-month primate training session in Jersey, and visited the Bristol Zoo.

The day starts at 7:30 a.m. in the village with all keepers reviewing the previous day’s highlights and concerns. Upon arrival at the chimp enclosure at the edge of the sanctuary, Joe and his colleagues inspect the enclosure perimeter for damage. During the rainy season especially, trees are prone to toppling and creating an escape route for the chimps, as occurred in early June when Jack and a few of his marauders went on “walkabout.” Following the inspection, satellite cages are carefully checked out and repairs made if necessary. They’re cleaned out, and fresh leaves gathered and installed, which the chimps will use for their nests and their food. The primates spend their days roaming the vast enclosure, and their nights in the satellite cages. Occasionally, one or two stay out all night, so Joe notifies the night security. The chimpanzees’ seasonal fruit diet is prepared 3 times daily, supplemented by milk in the morning.

Sometimes a chimp is isolated and needs to be cared for and entertained separately, as in the case of Ido, who is on the mend from a broken leg and awaiting full reintroduction to the group.

The diversity of the job appeals to Joe, from dispensing medicines to construction, grooming the facilities, educating visitors on the animals and the bushmeat problem, and of course, caring for the orphans. Chimpanzees are Joe’s favorite primate; they are wildly animated and entertaining, and always make him laugh.

Who starts work hours before the others even stir? Who works late into the night, after the others have turned in? The man who feeds them all….Thierry Mbarga. They say an army marches on its stomach, and CWAF is no exception. Working wonders in the modestly-equipped kitchen (though elegant by local standards), Thierry produces two meals a day for the 21-person staff as well as the handful of volunteers. He whips up a tasty peanut sauce with sautéed onions and tomatoes; spaghetti; creamy potatoes in tomato sauce; succulent salads of fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, onions and avocado; and delicate hand-cut frites worthy of the cafes of New York City or Brussels.

Thierry worked on the construction crew at CWAF before turning chef. He enjoys preparing the meals, and doesn’t really mind the hours. It’s the dedicated life of a chef. For a lunch of red beans, for example, he must start preparing them the night before, washing and soaking them overnight, before starting to cook them in the morning. Thierry said the thing that he would enjoy adding to the kitchen would be more knives and more spices.

NEW ARRIVALS

Word came from Rachel on June 1 that a monkey would be arriving in the afternoon. A female moustache monkey, badly dehydrated and flea-ridden, showed up, probably 4 to 6 weeks old, so tiny she fit in a cupped hand. Maasai was doused with flea powder and then paired with new volunteer Robin for round-the-clock vigil, with emphasis on rehydration. After a weak initial 24 hours, Maasai turned the corner and is bright-eyed, jumping, climbing (mosquito net is her favorite), and chirping like a small bird.

Jimmy Jimmy, a little girl monkey, came to CWAF on May 7, a healthy 4- to 5-week old bought by a tourist from local girls to save it from an uncertain fate. She was put into volunteer Sandy’s care. Initially it was difficult to tell what type of monkey she was, but Jimmy Jimmy’s blossomed into a classic DeBrazza’s monkey, with a russet crown, thick body and blond beard.

Jimmy Jimmy and Maasai have been constant companions for a few weeks now and on August 4 joined Vala the colobus monkey. Vala calmly watches the two little ones romping around as she consumes vast quantities of green vegetation and fruit to fuel her unusual dual-chambered stomach typical of that species.

Dainty Tilly, a female 6-month old chimp, showed up at CWAF following her confiscation as a pet in a Cameroonian village. She was in good health but timid, and Sandy, who’s providing full-time care, reports that Tilly feels disoriented at night and needs to be reassured, which is common for a baby chimp that age who’s been removed recently from its mother. Because Tilly is in the quarantine phase and can only have physical contact from Sandy, we all worship her from afar.

Even teenier and tinier than Tilly is the latest orphan rescue who showed up on August 5. Possibly the smallest yet at CWAF, a male 2- to 4-week old Talapoin monkey was confiscated by CWAF from a nearby village shop where it was being sold for a pet. He’s been dubbed Yoda by his caretaker, volunteer Robin, for his enormous eyes and pronounced cheekbones (the more so as he is gaunt). Oh, and massive ears that would make Dumbo the Elephant envious. The various wounds on his frail body are being administered to, including the one over his heart where a buckshot pellet was extracted (possibly strayed from shot that killed his mother for bushmeat).

BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENTS

The big chimp groups have been productive. Four babies were born to Laurence, Marie Jeanne, Amba and Yao – within a few weeks of each other. They are with their mothers, and the groups are being very protective of the babies.

Finally! Avishag the gorilla had her baby on July 6. All went smoothly – the beautiful baby boy exhibited wrinkled light skin at first which is darkening daily. Avihshag, a model mother, proudly displays her progeny to visitors, and Bobo is the proud protective father. The baby has been named after the world’s reigning football hero, Cameroon’s own Eto’o.

Primate UPDATES

This irresistible jet-black little gorilla is a common sight being carried around Mefou by Thierry and Appolinaire. She’s developing her distinctive personality, and has just been introduced into the gorilla nursery group so she’ll have her own gorilla family.

Vala, the elegant colobus monkey, who wore a fashionable blue-sleeved cast on her fractured arm for 5 weeks, was relieved of the plaster June 15 and is recuperating nicely. She was observed using the arm quite well during her occasional outbursts at being confined in a satellite cage. CWAF vet Bibla Tafon (aka “Babs”) did a commendable job of applying and removing the cast which was a difficult feat due to her delicate frame.

Ido, the adventurous little chimp who broke his leg, also got his cast off on the 15th after 6 weeks in plaster. The rainy season brings a greater risk of fractures because trees and branches are prone to breaking. During Ido’s recovery period in his cast, he was kept in a separate room with human companionship 24/7. Ido had a voracious appetite for being entertained – he went through magazines, pens, papers, bottles, teddy bears and several volunteers…. As a treat for getting his cast off, Ido was given the empty peanut butter jar to clean out.

Both Vala and Ido have made full recoveries and have rejoined their groups.

Miko the chimp has re-joined the quarantined infants after his 2-month foray in the forest with his mother. He’s socializing well, making friends and climbing trees and tires. He still sleeps with a volunteer during the night so he can get nightly milk. Within the next 2 months, he’ll progress to sleeping with the other chimps.

Daniel the docile young chimp arrived April 10, dehydrated and with a sparse coat of hair, but alert and wanting food. He was handed into the open arms of volunteers Elissa and Ian who hand-reared him until he joined the quarantine group in mid-June. He is quiet and still a bit shy with the others, but filling out.

This baby baboon residing in the monkey enclosure has been adopted by the young female mandrill, Mbam, who is fiercely protective and maternal except when it comes to sharing food, so they get fed at the same time. Within a couple of months, Kinte will join the baboon group.

MEFOU

This luxuriant tropical rain forest park recently underwent a facelift. Everything was revamped during the summer – all signage replaced and expanded, including the wayfinding signs along the roadways, gardens replanted and benches painted. Everyone worked hard – particularly the construction crew, education department and the volunteers. Jessie and Robin, timely volunteers from the U.S., happen to be artists and lent their talents and painting skills to the signage project.

This has been the “small” rainy season, which means it rains virtually every day, with the occasional torrential downpour. The animals all get herded into their satellite cages during the rains. This season also harkens a lot of colds and coughs, so the primates are fed vitamins, warmed milk, and a soothing concoction of ginger, lemon and honey.

The park is always in need of construction improvements, repairs, and new structures. The climate, work-stoppage, availability and cost of materials, and the sheer force of nature that is the rain forest, can be daunting. Construction is labor-intensive; for example, the iron grids of the satellite cages are fabricated on-site, each joint welded separately. Masonry walls are erected using hand-cast cinder blocks.

In spite of the obstacles, improvements forge ahead. The current large project is behind the “Little Hilton” – a new spot for the baby gorillas to move them to a larger, more private venue from the more public location they currently occupy. Targeted completion is the end of the year. This is a high priority for CWAF.

MVOG-BETSI ZOO

New climbing structures were built for the mandrills and tantalus monkeys. More to follow on the next update.

VOLUNTEERS

Being a volunteer at Mefou entails working 7 days a week, assisting Rachel and the staff. Activities range from construction projects to cleaning and grooming the grounds, observing the orphans, and occasionally hand-rearing of an animal, but primarily…. and always…. the reason CWAF is here, the general care and feeding of the primates.

At the time of this posting, Ian and Elissa from England and Australia respectively, work with the eleven quarantined chimps (they celebrated their 9th wedding anniversary in June), and hand-raised “their son,” Daniel the chimp.

Sandy from Liverpool, England, has been obsessed with monkeys her entire life, works in quarantine and currently cares for Teeny Tiny Tilly. She loves being here at this sanctuary more than any place on earth.

Robin from the heart of New York City now has Yoda to care for, having raised Maasai to independence. A love of gorillas brought her here; she also now adores monkeys. Robin’s also continuing her sign and primate portrait painting for the park.

Jessie from Albuquerque, New Mexico, studies art in California. She works with her 3 charges in the chimp nursery, Zombla, Akimu and Soho, and has also lent her artistic talent to the signage endeavor. Serendipitously, she has spent the last 12 months painting large portraits of chimps and gorillas at art school. Who knew there’d be a sign revamping during her stay here?

Tommy from Durban, South Africa, works with dolphins and has a background in animal behaviour. He’s thrilled to be here working in the nursery, loves gorillas, and has been seen jogging around the local roads.

Graham of Aberdeen, Scotland, is working quarantine with Ian and Elissa. He’s tall; the beds are short; so Graham’s rigged an idyllic hammock in the bush.

MORE NEWS