More than a Safe Haven: The Role of Tchimpounga in JGI’s Conservation Work

When Jane Goodall opened the Tchimpounga Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Centre in 1992 she knew she was embarking on an enormous undertaking. The orphaned chimps whose mothers had been killed would need to be cared for for the rest of their lives – and with a life expectancy of approximately 60 years, this represents a significant and long-term financial obligation for the Institute.

Many of her colleagues urged her not to get involved with these young chimpanzees. But for Jane, abandoning these animals was never an option. Her r

esponse, “How could I turn my back on their outstretched hands, their pleading eyes, and their pathetic, malnourished bodies?”

Located within the JGI-managed Tchimpounga Natural Reserve in the Republic of Congo, Tchimpounga is currently the largest refuge for orphaned chimpanzees on the African continent. Inside its protected borders, and under the watchful eye of JGI’s caregivers, over 130 chimpanzees are being given a second chance at life. They thrive within the sanctuary’s forest habitats, socializing with other chimpanzees, overcoming the injuries and trauma they’ve suffered.

Photo Credit CSWCT

Tchimpounga today is much more than just a safe haven for chimps. It is also becoming a leading centre for non-invasive chimpanzee research. JGI is now collaborating with world-renowned research institutions such as the Max Planck Institute and Harvard University. Through the study of chimpanzees at sanctuaries such as Tchimpounga, it is anticipated that researchers can obtain an accurate understanding of chimpanzee capabilities while supporting both welfare and conservation efforts.

The area surrounding Tchimpounga is also the focus of JGI’s preliminary feasibility studies for the potential reintroduction of chimpanzees back into the wild. JGI is currently working to determine if and where suitable habitat exists for the reintroduction of some of the chimpanzees within the Republic of Congo.

Photo Credit JGI

School hut at Tchimpounga sanctuary

Photo Credit CSWCT

Lastly, Tchimpounga is contributing to JGI’s community-centred conservation work. In Congo, JGI engages the villagers living in the areas adjacent to the sanctuary and reserve as partners, and is working to improve their livelihoods, access to education and health care.

Perhaps most importantly, when people visit our sanctuary they often for the first time come face-to-face with the humanity of chimpanzees. Local school children who are frequent visitors to Tchimpounga and participants in our educational activities, will grow up understanding the importance of protecting chimpanzees and their fragile ecosystems. Many adults have also stated that after visiting Tchimpounga, they will never again look at these beautiful creatures in the same way. At the epicentre for the extinction crisis, JGI and Tchimpounga are working to change the hearts and minds of the people upon whom the chimpanzees’ survival depends.