J.A.C.K.

Category: Congo - DRC, Illegal trade, J.A.C.K., galago - bushbaby, rescues | Date: Oct 16 2009 | By: jack

Friends of JACK,

Romeo arrived two days ago at J.A.C.K. But Romeo isn’t a chimpanzee. Romeo is a galago.

A Congolese farmer had found a very small bushbaby on his field and came to us for help. He had heard there was a project at the Lubumbashi Zoo taking care of seized galagos.

Franck was very surprised to be handed such young animal and knew from the early beginning this case wouldn’t be easy at all. So, at home, we gave the baby his first diluted milk (70% boiled water and 30% milk)and it was obvious the little bushbaby had been separated for too long from his mum and that he hadn’t had food for several hours.

The baby drank easily with a sterile syringe. Because of the severe dehydration of the little one, our vet Jean-Claude cautiously administrated him subcutaneous fluids.

Although exhausted, Romeo seemed full of life, made a lot of baby galago noises once hungry.

Franck had organised a puppet in which he had put a clock to simulate the regular heartbeats of Romeo’s mum and the baby loved the cling to the puppet.

Both Franck and I had hope and to be sure we would work in the perfect way to save Romeo, I managed to be in touch with two wonderful people of the Duke Lemur Centre (North Carolina), Julie and Bobby.

Bobby is a veterinarian and gave us tons of interesting details and we learned a lot! His advice was most welcome: it was the first time we had to deal with such young baby…

But from the beginning, Bobby had also mentioned this rescue would be difficult and that the baby might not make it.  Franck put extra attention on the baby and fed Romeo every 2 to 3 hours day and night.

Yesterday, all went well except in the evening. Romeo didn’t want to drink. We were worried. Even at night, he refused his milk and hardly ever made galago noises.

Romeo left us at 4 o’clock this morning and must be with his mummy now who has surely been killed and eaten up. Congolese people like galago meat. That’s the reason why this species is also considered as endangered species in the DRC and this is also the reason why we started this project: to stop the slaughter and to teach people how to preserve and respect their environment!

Thank you Bobby/Julie for all this energy spent in helping us so hard!

Good bye little Romeo… we are so sorry

Roxane

3 responses so far

Category: Congo - DRC, J.A.C.K., galago - bushbaby | Date: Jan 16 2009 | By: jack

Dear Friends,

As already mentioned, JACK not only saves infant chimps but also takes care of bush babies or galagos.

In our Southern part of the DRC, one of the galago species we have is the biggest bush baby of Africa : the greater galago (otolemur crassicaudatus crassicaudatus).

Unlike apes and most of the DRC wildlife, these small nocturnal creatures are being poached for their meat. Pacific and the size of a cat, greater galagos are caught very easily: because they sleep in the trunk of the trees during day, poachers put the tree on fire and wait for the galagos to come out of their shelter.

Galagos are eaten but also sold on the streets in cages made of barks and wire mesh…

…or sold in bags …

Bag (top) and galago inside the bag (below)

… or in other kind of cages/boxes…

Bush babies are mainly bought by expats! These latters believe they can domesticate them and, ignorant, they keep them in their houses and make them become diurnal. One particularity of the galagos is that they wee on their hands and feet to mark territory… so, imagine, expats got rid of them because their “pet” is “smelly” and urinates every where…

galago on the right is weeing on his hands

Not many studies have been carried out on bush babies. Our project is receiving advice from the Nocturnal Primate Research Group coordinated by Professor Simon BEARDER, one of the world’s leading authorities on nocturnal primates.

As to provide the best to these government seized little ones, JACK built new enclosures. There are now 5  bush babies - all males!

Upon arrival, seized bush babies stay in quarantine. To introduce them to their new place takes a couple of days. As the kennel is their first quarantine place, we put the crate into the new enclosure where they remain 1 or 2 days.

galagos kept in the kennel to adjust to their new environment

 Then, we open the door of the kennel and the bush babies are allowed to come out at night and to discover their new world. The kennel is still inside in case the galagos want to keep sleeping in it.

A few days after, kennel is removed and the galagos have their own little house where they sleep during day…

But it is clear JACK doesn’t want to keep these lovely creatures in an enclosure.

A reinsertion program is planned and the individuals will be released with collars as to allow further study about this species in the DRC. This will be another step and of course, I’ll keep you posted.

An adoption program for these confiscated animals will start soon as well.

Roxane

3 responses so far