21/01/2010

Two monkeys that were left without food and water after their owners abandoned them at a captive facility in the Democratic Republic of Congo have been safely transferred to a sanctuary, thanks to rescue efforts by the Pan African Sanctuary Alliance (PASA) and conservation organizations working in the region.

The monkeys - a Black Mangabey and a Red-tailed Guenon - arrived at the Lwiro sanctuary in Bukavu this week, following a swift response from PASA, in conjunction with Virunga Park, the Africa Conservation Fund, the Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project, and the Congolese wildlife authority (ICCN).

The monkeys' rescued was funded by PASA and the Columbus Zoo.

Five juvenile chimpanzees also found at the captive facility will be transferred to sanctuaries in the near future. For now, PASA is underwriting the daily care and feeding of the chimpanzees.

"PASA believes that the captive primates require a lifetime commitment," said Doug Cress, executive director of PASA. "To abandon chimpanzees and monkeys when money gets tight - especially in locked cages without food or water - is unconscionable. I am just glad we were able to get to these particular primates in time."

The monkeys and chimpanzees were housed at Suena, a small captive facility near Goma. Founded in 2005 by South Africans Pieter and Sumarita Boshoff, Suena at one time had as many as 12 primates in its care, although only seven were discovered when ICCN officials reached the compound and confiscated the primates last week.

The Black Mangabey was in particularly poor health. It was severely emaciated and had lost a great deal of hair, making species identification difficult.

The Boshoffs are believed to have left the DR Congo in late 2009.

Lwiro is a primate sanctuary based at a converted research station near the Kahuzi-Biega National Park. Lwiro currently care for over 100 chimpanzees, baboons and other primates, and is in the process of applying for PASA membership.

 http://pasaprimates.org/new-headlines