Perhaps due to her disability Anzac is a little insecure and always on the lookout for potential danger. During mealtimes, she waits patiently from the top of a large tree allowing the powerful males and females to eat first. When it’s time for the other chimpanzee to start feeding, Anzac descends cautiously to the ground, quickly takes her food, and then climbs back up the tree to eat.
With the love and care of the team at Tchimpounga, Anzac has come a long way since she first arrived and it’s remarkable how she manages to move through the trees with only one arm. She jumps from one high branch to another, even when they're five metres apart!
Sadly Wounda was yet another victim of the illegal pet trade. She was completely emaciated when she was first rescued back in 2004 and had lost almost half her body weight – in fact her name means ‘close to death’. Clinging to life, Wounda received Africa’s first-ever chimp-to-chimp blood transfusion from the sanctuary team at the Jane Goodall Institute, Republic of Congo.
Veterinary staff and caregivers provided round the clock care for Wounda for many weeks and her eventual recovery was truly remarkable. In 2013 Wounda was released onto the sanctuary island of Tchindzoulou. Wounda’s incredible story doesn’t end there – today she is the Alpha female on the island and gave birth to a son (aptly called Hope!) in 2016. Wounda’s story truly is a tale of hope and second chances.
While continuing to suffer from the trauma he experienced, added to the stress of being in new surroundings, Zeze spent his first few weeks at the sanctuary clinging tightly to his preferred caregiver. Zeze's fear and anxiety subsided over time, especially once he was integrated with another of the chimps in our Chimp Guardian programme, little Perrine. The two of them quickly became best friends, which has help them both grow in confidence.
Despite being blind in one eye, with the dedication and love of the team at Tchimpounga, today Zeze has successfully adapted to his new surroundings without impediment. Despite such a distressing start in life, Zeze excels at social relationships and is friendly and upbeat, an ideal combination for making new friends at this very special sanctuary.
Thanks to much dedication, love and care by staff at Tchimpounga, over time Perrine’s health improved - her appetite returned, her anaemia subsided and miraculously she regained movement and strength in all her limbs!
Today Perrine is a strong and healthy three-year-old, spending most of her days playing non-stop with her chimp companions (especially her close friend Zeze, also part of our Chimp Guardian programme) in the nearby sanctuary forests under the supervision of Tchimpounga caregivers.