JGI Chimpanzee Blog

Motambo is adjusting nicely to his new life at Tchimpounga.  He has fully recovered from his tetanus infection, and his significant wounds have healed.  A few small marks on his skin are the only reminders of the terrible trauma he suffered at the hands of poachers.

Here's the latest contender for the Chimpanzee Photo of the Week Caption This! game. Using the comment box beneath the photo, submit your caption! The JGI team will pick the top three, and our community will vote on the top one for this week. There are no prizes or winners, just good old plain fun! 

Please note that the comments are moderated and will appear as soon as someone from the JGI team has a chance to approve them. 

On October 10, 2012, this year’s seventh orphan arrived on Tchimpounga’s doorstep.  Like Mambou, this young five-year-old male chimpanzee was suffering from a very serious medical condition.  He also had terrible wounds on his left wrist and waist, had a fractured collarbone, and was missing several teeth in his upper jaw.

Update: November 26, 2012 - Here's the winning caption," For Heaven's sake, Prudence, put the camera down and come eat." In reality these are a group of chimpanzees enjoying eggplant for lunch at JGI's Tchimpounga Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Center in the Republic of Congo. 

Kudia was one of the first Tchimpounga chimpanzees to be transferred to Tchindzoulou Island.  She received this special honor because of her independent and courageous nature, as well as her excellent health.

With the Chimpanzee Photo of the Week we're now playing Caption This! Think of a good caption for this photo and submit it using the comment box below. Next week  we'll share more info about these two chimpanzees and select our favorite caption.

It’s been 20 years since the Tchimpounga Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Center (TCRC) opened in the Republic of Congo.  Dr. Jane Goodall founded the sanctuary to provide care and hope to the chimpanzee victims of the illegal commercial bushmeat and pet trades.  Today, many of the chimpanzee residents are adults who need to explore and expand their horizons beyond the boundaries of the existing facility.  Recognizing this need, the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI) put a great deal of effort into creating a more natural environment for the Tchimpounga chimpanzees.

Chimpanzees like Moboulou demonstrate many human-like behaviors.  Like us, rules govern chimpanzee societies and there are standards that all individuals must respect and adhere to in order to maintain harmony and stability in the community.  The first rule is that there is a single alpha male in each community who must be obeyed.  Moboulou represents this social figure in his community and he plays the part very well.  Moboulou is not overly violent or authoritarian.  Instead, he uses his strong character and diplomacy to mitigate and resolve conflicts.