J.A.C.K.

Category: Chimpanzee, Congo, DRC, J.A.C.K. | Date: Jun 17 2008 | By: jack

Dear Friends,

Winter started a few weeks ago. Yes, here in Central Africa, we have a cold season from May untill end of October. Nights are colder, 5 to 8 degrees Celsius (41-46°Fahrenheit) which is quite chilly as we are used to 24 to 28 degrees Celsius (75-82°Fahrenheit).

June and July are the coldest months. As the weather changes, the grass turns color from the green of the rain season to the yellow of the cold and dry  season. 

Of course, cold weather is  synonymous with flu. Humans get colds but the chimpanzees of the Refuge also. Therefore, this year, to prevent them to become sick, we have decided to let them stay a bit longer in their night facilities.

Stacy told you last week the babies were fed at 7.30 am before letting them go outside. Today, they are still fed at the same time, but they go out around 8.30 when the sun has already started to warm up the outside enclosure.

So, once they come out, some climb on the highest branches to get warm …

… and others huddle up against one another.

 I hope this year all will be fine as , last winter, I remember, most of chimps of the main group had flu in July …

Before ending, I want tho thank the following donors. End of May, we have essentially received monthly donations  : Anonymous (10), Birgitta S (10), Kevin C (10) and again a monthly donation of Anonymous (30)  for June.

Also, I hope I will be  able to post an update soon related to the purchase of the welding machine . Remember, on April 28th, in the post about  Coco, I asked for your help. JACK wanted to buy a machine that could help improving the night enclosures of the babies. Well, since then, plenty of documents had to be filled in and JACK has been recently told donations are to arrive in Lubumbashi in the coming days… So, Franck and I are crossing our fingers : this machine is very important and we will let you know as soon as we receive additional information.

Roxane