Meet Tamu and Malago on World Chimpanzee Day

To mark #WorldChimpanzeeDay, here are the stories of two of the 130 chimpanzees being cared for at Lwiro Primates Rehabilitation Center:

Tamu: Tamu was rescued as an infant in 2021, with two bullets in his body. He was orphaned when hunters killed his mother, and all the other adults in his troop, for meat. After three-plus years at LPRC, Tamu has healed from his physical wounds and continues to recover from his trauma.

Tamu, 2021 and 2024

Malago: Police found Malago in a car heading across the border to Burundi, to be sold illegally as a pet. Trafficking in endangered species like the chimpanzee is outlawed around the world. Instead of being kept alone and caged for the rest of his life, he was brought to LPRC. There, he receives food and veterinary care, and has the company of other chimps. Two years later, he is thriving.

Malago, 2022 and 2024

Chimpanzees are highly social creatures. They live in groups, and they depend upon each other for survival in the wild. Chimps orphaned at a young age do not learn the survival skills their elders would have taught them. LPRC’s vision is to carefully select chimpanzees from its population who are ready to begin their return to the wild. Those chimps will form a new troop in a special enclosure designed to help them adjust to life as nature intended it. Then, they can be released to their rightful home in nature. Please donate for #WorldChimpanzeeDay to support this important work. Thank you!