He Institute Jane Goodall published the story of the little chimpanzee. Kevin was still a baby when he was rescued a few months ago. He lived as a pet in the city of Ouesso, in the north of the Republic of Congo. Some locals heard her crying in a house and warned the owner about the illegality of owning chimpanzees as pets in the country. In Congo, chimpanzees are fully protected by international and national law, so keeping them as pets is a crime.
The owner then took Kevin to the regional authorities of the Ministry of Water and Forests. There the little one remained in the care of the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) waiting for the Institute Jane Goodall (IJG) in Congo was able to organize his transfer to the Tchimpounga Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Center.
The Jane Goddall Foundation is committed to saving chimpanzee Kevin
One of the IJG nurses, Hugues Boungou, went to Ouesso to check on the little boy’s health and stayed with him until the Institute Jane Goodall He arranged the necessary permits and documents to transfer Kevin to Tchimpounga. When the documentation was ready, Kevin was taken by car to the capital Brazzaville (next to the Congo River) and from there by plane to the city of Pointe Noire, on the Atlantic Ocean and near Tchimpounga. His new home was already very close.
Upon arrival in Tchimpounga, the veterinary team placed Kevin in quarantine for adjustment and care. During the first weeks, this newcomer received all the necessary attention. One of the experienced healthcare providers of the Institute Jane GoodallFrancine, acted as adoptive mother and was with him 24 hours a day: she slept with him, fed him, played with him and provided him with all the love he needed to recover emotionally from the great trauma of separation from his mother.
Like human children, chimpanzees have a long developmental period during which they are dependent on their mothers. The loss of their mothers is a trauma and therefore, when a new calf arrives in Tchimpounga, they need not only medicine and care, but also lots of love and affection to heal their emotional wounds.
A happy ending for Kevin thanks to the Jane Goodall Institute
Little by little, the close bond Kevin has built with Francine has provided him with the emotional support and security he needed in these early days. And soon he will be ready to be integrated with the rest of Tchimpounga’s babies, such as Kabi, Zezé, Vienna, Perrine and many others, who have also been rescued from illegal trafficking. Together with them, Kevin will learn to socialize and develop the natural behavior of his own kind, in the safety of Tchimpounga, which belongs to the Institute Jane Goodall.
Kevin’s story highlights the crucial role that local communities, NGOs and government play in securing the future of endangered species such as chimpanzees. And it reflects the importance of everyone (individuals, associations and authorities) working together in primate conservation.
Notice Institute Jane Goodall does not tolerate petting of primates or contact or interference with wild chimpanzees. The chimpanzees interacting with professional caretakers in these images are rescued orphans and live at the Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Center in Institute Jane Goodall in Tchimpounga, Congo.