Chimps Get New Home

THE Jane Goodall Institute (Uganda) will this year establish another chimpanzee sanctuary on Nsadzi island on Lake Victoria, reports Gerald Tenywa.Cherie Montgomery, the education and outreach coordinator, said 40 acres of land had been leased from Sudhir Ruparelia who owns three quarters of the island near Ngamba island.Dr. Richard Ssuna of Ngamba Chimpanzee Sanctuary, which had provided a haven for chimpanzees rescued from smugglers since 1998, said the island had become full. “We have 33 chimpanzees yet the island is capable of accommodating only 30 chimpanzees,’’ Ssuna said. He said, “We have two groups of chimpanzees, the adult and infant groups and that they have failed to co-exist.’’Ssuna said 10 adult chimpanzees on Ngamba island would be relocated to Nsadzi Island. He said chimpanzees are endangered animals listed on Appendix 1 of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of wild species of flora and fauna. The species of chimpanzees in Uganda used to be found in 25 African countries, but are now left in 21 countries.Ends