By: Fayia Jr. Moseray
Sierra Leone’s only chimpanzee sanctuary, Tacugama, has been closed to visitors for the past two months due to escalating threats that could push it to the brink of extinction. Despite the sanctuary’s closure, little has been done to address the issues that endanger its survival.
Home to dozens of chimpanzees, Tacugama Sanctuary is facing severe threats from widespread deforestation activities by local residents around its boundaries. The environmental degradation has become so severe that many of the chimpanzees have fled the sanctuary, leaving behind only a small number.
Bala Amarasekaran, the founder of the sanctuary, described the situation as dire, stating, “The level of forest brushing and burning around the sanctuary has seriously threatened the animals’ lives, causing many chimpanzees to flee.”
The closure of the sanctuary is part of efforts to protect it from the expanding deforestation and illegal land grabbing activities encroaching on its territory. According to Amarasekaran, these illegal activities not only pose environmental threats but also endanger the lives of the chimpanzees that call the sanctuary home.
While he commended the government for conducting several raids to address the illegal activities, he expressed frustration at the lack of enforcement. “Despite public declarations by government officials, the enforcement of these measures has become a futile venture,” he lamented.
Amarasekaran pointed out that government officials have demarcated boundaries and issued warnings to encroachers, but these actions have yet to yield meaningful results. He criticized the failure of authorities to clamp down on the illegal activities and protect the sanctuary, which is not only a critical wildlife reserve but also a major tourist attraction.
In his appeal to the government, especially the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Ministry of Environment (MoE), and development partners, Amarasekaran called for stronger laws and more effective enforcement to prevent further destruction of the sanctuary’s land. He warned that if authorities fail to act, Sierra Leone risks losing its premier chimpanzee park a unique natural treasure for the country and a key tourism asset.