chimpanzee

It is currently the dry session in Congo. At this time of year the sky is almost always overcast and the temperature, especially at night, drops. The added humidity makes the nights unpleasant. Young chimpanzees such as JeJe, are still very small and dependent. For him, it is absolutely necessary to be embraced by a warm body and to hear a heartbeat. Therefore at Tchimpounga, chimpanzee orphans of this age are never alone and always spend the night with a caregiver. While these baby chimpanzees sleep, they sometimes have nightmares, gas in their belly, feel cold or appear restless.

D’Joni is growing rapidly. His arms and legs are now strong and robust, allowing him to feel more confident and secure, which will help him become independent. D’Joni is no longer a baby, but he still really likes bottles of milk each day. Early each morning, Tchimpounga caregivers heat the milk in a saucepan so the younger chimpanzees at the sanctuary can wake up to a comforting breakfast. Although the caregivers hold the milk bottles for the small chimpanzees, D’Joni prefers to hold the bottle himself to show that he is self-sufficient and very grown up.

It was Saturday night in Tchimpounga. Zola was sleeping with his caregiver, Antonette because the small babies cannot spend the night alone without their adoptive mother. Suddenly Antonette became concerned about the way Zola was breathing. She called out with a worried voice at three in the morning to alert the veterinary team. It was an urgent case. Enough air wasn´t reaching Zola´s lungs and his nose was congested with mucus. The veterinary staff quickly put an oxygen mask onto his face. The night was very long and tiring for everyone.

This past spring, during the theatrical release of Disneynature's Chimpanzee, Bill Wallauer, JGI's research videographer and wildlife cameraman, and one of the movie's principal photographers attended the premiere of the movie at the Toronto International Film Fest. Read on to learn about Bill's experience. 

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.