JGI Chimpanzee Blog

At Tchimpounga, the staff do their best to care for the more than 150 chimpanzees living at the Jane Goodall Institute sanctuary. Ongoing veterinary attention and constant assessments of their diet ensure that all the chimps are in good condition.

Anzac is progressing very well at Tchimpounga. She is growing and eating lots of fruits and vegetables in addition to her bottles of milk. With the love, care and support of Chantal, her primary caregiver, Anzac is developing into a very outgoing and adventurous little chimpanzee. She’s not hindered by her missing limb and comes up with novel solutions for every situation that arises. And she loves to make up games!

Alex, Leki, Mbebo, Mambou and Makassi share an enclosure at Tchimpounga with the nearly 50-year-old female chimpanzee, La Vieille. The youngsters are all under four years of age, so they are too young to be completely independent. La Vieille has taken on the role of their adoptive mother and her guidance is very important for the little ones. Likewise, the small chimpanzees are important to La Vieille. They keep her on her toes, ensuring that her mind stays active while she spends the day watching out for them and keeping them in line.

Just like with people, you can gain insight into a chimpanzee’s mood or intentions by looking into his or her eyes. Lemba´s eyes are tender, warm and a little sad. This young chimpanzee’s face reflects the many tragedies she’s endured during her short life. First, she lost her mother who was shot by a poacher. Then, after coming to Tchimpounga, she contracted polio during a regional outbreak. As a result, her legs are paralyzed. Needless to say, these two events deeply impacted this charismatic chimpanzee.

Dunez’s companions, Lemba, D’Joni and Wounda, spend hours playing and laughing. Of the three, Dunez is the best at moving through the trees. D’Joni tries to follow her, but he is not as coordinated, so he doesn’t move as quickly. Dunez is probably more skilled because she arrived at Tchimpounga at age three. As a result, she likely spent more time in the forest with her mother. Dunez constantly amazes the Tchimpounga caregivers with her enormous jumps.

Antonio is under the watchful eye of Noel, one of Tchimpounga’s dedicated caregivers. Noel and Antonio even sleep together because baby chimpanzees, like human infants, need the warmth and protection of an adult during the night.

D’Joni (pronounced “Johnny”) plays all day long with his friends Lemba and Dunez. There is a very close friendship between the three youngsters. When Dunez tries to bully D’Joni, Lemba acts like a protective mother. D’Joni is well aware of this, so he often provokes Dunez with a push and then runs to Lemba for safety.

This week, JeJe began wanting to eat solid foods. His stomach is ready for fruits and vegetables, so every day the caregivers at the Jane Goodall Institute’s Tchimpounga sanctuary offer him a broad selection of treats. They give him small bites little by little to see what he likes.

Each morning, Wounda receives a liter of milk. This is just one of several treatments she receives due to a recent illness. Young Lemba watches in anticipation until the caregivers produce a bottle for her. For Lemba, milk is a special treat, so the mornings are her favorite part of the day.

In late May, authorities confiscated an 18-month-old male named “Zola” in Imphondo, which is a town found in the north of Congo. Imphondo is located along the Ubangui River, which flows into the Congo.