By: Mohamed Sahr
In the process of increasing awareness against hunting of animals for bush meat and illegal pet trading, Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary has rescued western orphan chimpanzees in various communities across the country every year.
This was known made during an interview on Monday 27th February 2023.
During an exclusive interview with the A-Z Newspaper, Daniella Samura, the Communications Officer attached at the Tacugama Community Outreach Progam said the sanctuary embarked on community outreach drive in a bid to clamping down on hunters, people resorting into deforestation, burning land for agricultural purpose and the cutting down of trees for livelihood.
She stated that one of the many challenges Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary had faced over the years has been the continuous rescuing of western orphan chimps in the hands of communities and individuals. ‘’As long as more people listen to our radio programs, read our newspaper articles, there is every possibility that these people are advocating on our behalf in the bid of rescuing the chimps and bringing them in the sanctuary,’’ Daniella said.
She disclosed that the core mission of TCS gears towards providing affordable resident for these endangered species; adding that the sanctuary houses hundreds of chimps and other wildlife like Monkey, Pygmy, Hippopotamus and Cattle Egret Birds among others. Daniella said that Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary had attracted tens of thousands of both local and international tourists to visit Sierra Leone with the view of seeing the western chimps. Madam Samura stated that one major success the sanctuary had derived was the official declaration made by President Bio referring the Chimpanzee as the National Animal in 2019. ‘’This success has brought positive strides to the sanctuary and fanfare of hope to the Ministry of Tourism by extension,’’ she said.
Daniella furthered that the launching of the Chimpanzee National Animal Awareness and Protection Campaign in 2022 stormed the eyes of stakeholders, community people and kids in Freetown and Sierra Leone. She said the Chimp Week provided lots of activities such as kids march, football tournament, art and photography exhibition, storytelling, climate change seminar including Gala and Fundraising session which took place at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Aberdeen. Madam Samura revealed that in collaboration of the Ministry of Basic Education, Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary has provided the TKEEP book that has to be included in the National Curriculum for kids in primary schools in order to enhance their reading capability and help them to know about the important of protecting the environment and wildlife.
She said the sanctuary has diversely contributed to the growth of communities in terms its Corporate Social Responsibility by embarking in environment monitoring, livelihood support, and offer emergency response to people in the area of operation and provide education and scholarships to mudslide affected kids living around the Western Area Peninsula National Park. “We are currently working in seven districts namely Moyamba, Pujehun, Bombali, Tonkolili, Falaba, Koinadugu and Western Area and hundred communities in Sierra Leone,’’ Daniella affirmed.
Tancugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary urged Sierra Leoneans to embrace the chimps and be proud of them as the country’s National Animal just as the Mountain Gorillas in Rwanda. Daniella thanked the government of President Bio for acknowledging the sanctuary and creating more public awareness through the watermark inscription of chimp and other animals in the National Passport.