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Shirley McGreal founded the International Primate Protection League (IPPL) in 1973 and now serves as the Chairwoman. In 1996, IPPL raised enough funds to create a sanctuary in West Africa to house rescued gorillas, chimpanzees and monkeys from the local bushmeat and smuggling trades. The story of McGreal's visit to this sanctuary follows. Limbe Wildlife Center is located in Cameroun, in the hot and humid coastal town of Limbe. In February 1997, I met the animal residents and their human caregivers. The Center is located at the former Limbe Zoo. It was founded by Peter Jenkins and Liza Gadsby, who direct the Drill Ranch in neighboring Nigeria, and who were touched by the plight of the orphans of the bushmeat trade. Cameroun, like so many African countries, is allowing massive destruction of its forests by multinational logging corporations. Traveling from the capital city Yaoundé to the port city of Douala, I saw hundreds of trucks carrying huge logs several feet in diameter. These massive ancient trees were going to be exported to Japan and other wood-hungry nations to make furniture. To get access to remote forests, logging companies build roads. Employees of logging companies often kill wild animals for food. Worse, a commercial trade in "bushmeat" develops, and each major city now has a market where dead monkeys and other wild animals, many belonging to rare species, are offered for sale, intact or "smoked." Gorillas and chimpanzees are also ruthlessly shot despite laws protecting them. These laws are rarely enforced. If a mother is shot, her clinging baby is sometimes recovered. A few of these babies find their way to Limbe Wildlife Center; some are purchased as pets by overseas residents of Cameroun. The Orphans Limbe has a group of adolescent chimpanzees, all rescued from poachers. They are kept in a fairly spacious outdoor enclosure with an indoor attached housing area. There are also some younger chimpanzees. The latest chimpanzee to arrive is A.K., who is very fragile and is being cared for by Linda Percy, a U.S. volunteer. He has two head wounds, perhaps the result of shotgun pellets incurred when his mother was killed. I was rather afraid he would not survive. But, as of October 1997, A.K. was making great progress. Chimpanzee orphans are far more rugged than gorilla orphans. Baby gorillas easily lose their will to live. Sadly, several orphans brought to Limbe haven't made it. But some have. The oldest gorilla is six year-old Nyango. Nyango was bought as a pet by a missionary family and handed to Limbe when she became too rambunctious and destructive to share a household with humans. Two other gorillas, Rambo Chella and Evindi, are about three years old. They are strong and very active. Rambo Chella was confiscated by Camerounian wildlife officials during a vehicle search at a road block at Bertoua in the Southeast. He was kept in the local wildlife office for a week before being taken to Limbe. Rambo was severally depressed and had frequent illnesses, including pneumonia, for six months. Fortunately he survived and is now extremely happy and mischievous. Surrogate Parents Currently, three infant gorillas are being cared for: Benito, Emma and Jumbo. When I was there, each baby gorilla was taken care of by his or her own overseas volunteer and several dedicated African caregivers. Every afternoon, the babies would play with their human friends in the lovely grounds of Limbe Botanic Garden. They would chase and wrestle for some time and then come for some reassuring moments with a caregiver. At night the babies would sleep with "their" volunteers: Emma with Anna Randall of England, Benito with Patti Gleason from Maine, and Jambo with Michael Irvebrandt from Sweden. The volunteers are not living the easy life. At first "their" babies would wake them up several times a night. Malaria is a constant threat and many people react badly to malaria preventives and can't take them. During her two year volunteer stint in Cameroun, Anna has had malaria eight times. Community Education and Funding The Limbe Center has embarked on an education program, handicapped only by lack of funds. A wonderful poster has been printed in French and English (both languages are used in Cameroun), along with educational leaflets. Schoolchildren and adults visit the center and the education officer takes them round. City dwellers in Cameroun know little about their country's forests and wildlife heritage. As a result, Limbe's educational program is extremely valuable. Gorillas and chimpanzees are "high profile" species. Most people know what they are and could recognize one. But few have heard of the putty-nosed guenon, the red-eared guenon, the drill and the crowned mangabey. All these monkey species are threatened with extinction. Most of the Limbe monkeys are former family pets, who now live in groups. My favorite is Coco, a friendly putty-nose guenon. Limbe raises some funds from businesses and individuals in Cameroun. There are many groups that work overseas for "conservation" of wildlife and its habitat. But many such groups avoid getting involved in animal rescue work. Their concern is more for species than for individuals. Most U.S. animal protection organizations do not provide help for overseas sanctuaries. The International Primate Protection League (IPPL) has collected over $25,000, which has been used to build new enclosures and provide daily care for the primates. IPPL's UK branch has sponsored and supported volunteers and In Defense of Animals sent veterinarian Sheri Speede to help with animal health care. The overall situation for wild and captive animals in Cameroun is bleak. However, a few individuals are being rescued from certain death. They need and deserve the compassionate care which Limbe staff and volunteers are providing.
For more information or to make a donation to support the work of the Limbe Wildlife Center, contact IPPL, PO Box 766, Summerville, SC 29484. Tel.: 803-871-2280.
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