Ikia, the chimp that didn’t make it
Category: Chimpanzee, Congo - DRC, Illegal trade, J.A.C.K., seized chimpanzees | Date: Oct 08 2009 | By: jack
Hi Everyone,
In my former post, we had a happy rescue story. But also as mentioned, saving wildlife doesn’t always have happy ends. Today, I’ll talk about Ikia, a baby chimpanzee, who unlike so many others, had lost her family and hope…
End of June 2009- Julius, a Congolese man working in the city of Kalemie (Eastern DRC), saved a baby chimpanzee he had seen stranded in a bag.
The baby female surely was meant to head for Lubumbashi on the Kalemie-Lubumbashi train,
but Julius got really interested in the content of the bag…
That’s how Ikia entered in Julius’life…
Early July 2009 - Not knowing exactly how to look after a young traumatised chimp, Julius managed to get in touch with our Refuge in Lubumbashi. He wanted the best for the little one and needed advice and help.
Franck and I were in Europe, so it was Chantal who first had contacts with Julius. She was running the project and sent me Julius’ email address so that I could correspond and help the young man of Kalemie…
Ikia was in a bad condition. She needed medical assistance and a lot of love and attention. Julius did a wonderful job and was assisted by other friends when he had to travel.
July 16, 2009 - Once all the paperwork had been done, transfer to Lubumbashi took place thanks to people wishing to help the baby.
Chantal welcomed Ikia at the airport with the ICCN authorities and the representatives of the Ministry of Environment.
At the Refuge, our team welcomed a traumatised, weak and extremely stressed baby.
Ikia was lethargic, remained at the bottom of the box.
Carefully, Ikia was set into quarantine for observation and care.
Assisted by the vet and a young man from France volunteering at the Zoo of Lubumbashi (Cyril), Chantal did all she could to help the new baby. But Papa Augustin and the others were extremely worried as it was clear the baby had had enough….
July 17, 2009- Ikia’s last day. Early in the morning, Papa Augustin took Ikia to feed her and to give her love and care…
Although the team knew something was going wrong, everyone wanted to keep on believing Ikia was going to recover soon…. But Ikia had gone already. Papa Augustin held her in his arms when Ikia decided to give up the fight and to let herself die of desperateness.
Everyone cried and felt guilty of not having done more… This was the first time the team went through such sad experience….
Our team and some friends of J.A.C.K. organised a small burial ceremony.
Ikia now lies in piece at the Refuge. This has been a painful event to everyone and it was even more frustrating for Franck and myself who weren’t in the DRC at that time…
Rescuing animals can be very tough and each time a new confiscated baby arrives, it is a challenge to us. Sometimes, we struggle very hard to give the newcomer hope and confidence. And sometimes, it doesn’t work…
Julius did a great job although he had never worked with Great Apes before. He started blogging about Ikia and you can read her story and see more pictures of her on the following link:
Thank you Julius for your help and for all you did!
Thank you Chantal for all that energy spent in giving Ikia the best!
And great thanks to all the people who were involved in this rescue!
Your assistance was precious!
Ikia, I have never met you, but you’ll stay forever in my heart!
Roxane
Masika, a new baby chimp confiscated in the DRC
Category: Chimpanzee, Congo - DRC, Illegal trade, J.A.C.K., Refuge Centre, seized chimpanzees | Date: Oct 05 2009 | By: jack
Dear Friends,
Let me introduce you Masika (picture below) a baby chimpanzee now at J.A.C.K.
Masika arrived a few days ago on the 29th of September. Rosmarie of the Okapi Wildlife Reserve (Epulu,DRC) actually contacted us on September 13th asking if J.A.C.K. could take the baby chimpanzee she had rescued.
Masika belonged to a soldier and was confiscated by ICCN authorities of Epulu. The baby female was transferred at Rosmarie’s place and she accepted to take care of the little one. But feeling the best place for Masika was to be among others of her own kind and knowing about our NGO, Rosmarie decided to contact J.A.C.K. That’s how Masika came into our lives!
But how to transfer Masika to Lubumbashi? The Okapi Reserve is so far ?
There were several people who made the transfer possible. First we need to mention MAF CONGO which accepted to take baby Masika from Epulu to Goma. If Rosmarie hadn’t had this flying opportunity, she would have travelled by road (Epulu-Beni = minimum 6hours driving!) and spent 1 night in Beni before continuing on the next day to Goma. That’s why the MAF CONGO air company was so important: it made the journey shorter to Goma!
In Goma, Rosmarie had already contacted different people. Serge in charge of FZS logistics did a wonderful job and so did Lucy Faveau and Robert Muir who agreed to help with the procedure. We won’t forget the participation of the ICCN in Goma nor Dr Emmanuel de Merode who was aware of this transfer.
Also, Patricia played an important role too. Manager of a local airline company, ITAB, she accepted to take Masika on board to cover the last stretch between Goma and Lubumbashi. It isn’t the first time Patricia, her husband and her team assist us because the Kivu 4 arrived last February in Lubumbashi thanks to their kindness.
Without the intervention of all these helpful people, transfer of Massika from Epulu to Lubumbashi wouldn’t have taken place and we are all grateful for their participation and kindness. Again, this action shows that different NGO’s and institutions can work as a team! Thank you to all of you and thank you too, Rosmarie, for having saved baby Masika!!
In Lubumbashi, Franck and the inspectors of the Ministry of Environment welcomed baby Masika.
Franck drove her to the Refuge where the JACK team was eagerly waiting for her!
Papa Bukasa (left) and Papa Augustin (right)
Papa Augustin took Masika immediately in his arms and cheerily welcomed her with chimp noises…
Because of her young age and because Masika was too thin and could pass through the bars of our quarantine cages, I took her home where she is now looked after by Carole.
Masika is now the 24th chimp of our J.A.C.K. Refuge and is the 27th to be rescued by us.
Why 27th? We have lost JAK and TOUZO(remember!). But in my next post, I’ll talk about Ikia, a baby female who arrived at J.A.C.K. last July but who didn’t make it…. Unfortunately, rescues haven’t always happy ends,…
I’ll update soon on Masika’s settling in,
Thank you
Roxane
Flu has gone!
Category: Chimpanzee, Congo - DRC, J.A.C.K., Refuge Centre, seized chimpanzees | Date: Apr 08 2009 | By: jack
Flu has gone!!!
All the chimps are well again and we do take many precautions now as weather starts to become a bit chillier and winter is approaching…
Santa is completely fine and stayed with us about 2 1/2 weeks because of her respiratory problems. While being with us, she met little Maïka who is now doing well too.
Santa
Santa and Maïka have become good friends and both had great fun together at my place.
Santa & Maïka playing at home
Having two small chimps to take care of requires a lot of attention and patience.
Maïka (left) and Santa (right)
Today, Santa’s back at theRefuge with Kimo and Maïka spends her days with them playing in the bushy quarantine area.
Santa & Kimo
At the beginning, Kimo slammed Maïka a lot: he was jealous Santa took care of her too much. But now, the three of them are getting on very well together and it seems Maïka really enjoys staying with them.
Papa Augustin with Kimo (left), Santa (right) and Maïka (top)
Flu has interupted all kind of introductions between the group and the chimps that had already started to be presented. So, Mwisho and Coco are still on the list to join the group as well as Kimo and Santa… I’ll keep you posted…
Thank You,
Roxane
3 years ago, JAK, the 1st chimpanzee ever seized by local authorities in the Katanga Province (DRC)
Category: Background, Congo - DRC, Illegal trade, J.A.C.K., Rescued Chimps, Uncategorized, seized chimpanzees | Date: Apr 07 2009 | By: jack
The month of April is very particular to Franck and myself : it was on the 6th of April 2006 that we first met JAK, a dying baby chimpanzee for sale on the streets of Lubumbashi…
JAK is the first chimpanzee ever confiscated in the Southern DRC province of Katanga.
When meeting him we didn’t know he was going to be assassinated by saboteurs willing to stop us.
Nor did we expect the J.A.C.K. project would take huge steps forward shortly after the sabotage…
But one thing is sure, JAK has become a symbol for the Conservation and the Protection of his own kind as thanks to him, the lives of other chimpanzees have been and are being saved.
Thank you, JAK!
We miss you so much !
DRC wildlife authorities and 6 NGO’s together to rescue 4 chimps
Category: Chimpanzee, Congo - DRC, Illegal trade, J.A.C.K., Rescued Chimps, seized chimpanzees | Date: Feb 25 2009 | By: jack
Dear Friends of J.A.C.K.
Sorry to write so late! Should have done so earlier, but as you can imagine, we are extremely busy!
As already mentioned, the orphan chimpanzees who arrived in Lubumbashi last Saturday from Goma had a safe journey.
These 4 babies seized by the DRC wildlife authorities have been transferred to the J.A.C.K. sanctuary thanks to the PAN AFRICAN SANCTUARY ALLIANCE (PASA)which totally supported transfer and will cover the 3-month-salary of the carer in charge of the babies (Faustin). Thank you for that, Doug!
Also, other NGo’s took part in the rescue operation:
- We’d like to thank the Africa Conservation Fund (ACF/Virunga) and the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International (DFGFI) for their help
- Thanks also to Gorilla.cd (thanks again, Sam!) and Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project (MGVP) to have taken care of these orphans during their transit period in Goma.
- J.A.C.K. also wants to thank the Congolese wildlife authorities (I.C.C.N.) for having saved and seized these infant apes from illegal traders.
Together with the J.A.C.K. refuge, these NGo’s worked as a team ; each member of the team taking part actively in the operation and doing its best to save these young chimpanzees.
Faustin, Thierry and the ‘Kivu Four’ in Goma
Today, the ‘Kivu Four’ are at J.A.C.K. and all three have started adjusting to their new environment this also thanks to Faustin!!
Mavivi
Etaito
The two females are ok and don’t seem to be as traumatised as the young male who has lost almost all his hair. He is crying a lot and needs Faustin to stay close to him.
Udongo
Faustin is doing a real good job and we do appreciate his being here with us at J.A.C.K. We really trust him 100%!
During this first stage, the 3 will stay together in the isolation enclosure. Then, once settled, they’ll go and play during day in the bushy quarantine open air enclosure where Santa and Kimo used to go…
Etaito
These 3 are lucky to have survived all that pain. And this rescue operation that was set up clearly shows that different NGO’s and some Governmental institutions can make the difference! In order to remember this particular partnership between this different NGO’s and institutions, JACK has decided to change the names of the three babies.
Yes, because the ape infants we have welcomed are still very young, their names can be changed easily just the way we did with Santa who was known as “Mapima”.
So, Udongo is now “PASA”, Etaito is “Dian” (Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International) and Mavivi has become ‘Africa” ( Africa Conservation Fund).
“Pasa” (Udongo)
“Africa” (Mavivi)
But, what about Maïko? the little one who died?
Well, at JACK we have now Maïka. Look at the picture below:
Last Saturday was a long day. Not only did we had that pressure and excitement of welcoming the ‘Kivu Four’, we also had the call of a friend saying she had seen a tiny chimp for sale on the Lubumbashi streets… Franck and I couldn’t believe our ears as no new chimp had been traded in our city for the last 13 months… Imagine how disappointed and how bad we felt when the local authorities handed us the tiniest chimp we have ever had. Santa is extremely big compared to Maïka!!!
So, you see, the ‘Kivu Four’ were 4. Then, they became 3 but a 4th baby has joined them… Maïko is still with us!
The J.A.C.K. family is getting bigger as illegal trade of protected specieskeeps on going… Someone sent us this a morning pictures of two more babies for sale in Northern Katanga. In two weeks, 7 baby chimpanzees have been seen and some confiscated by authorities…. This means that at least 70 chimpanzees were killed to get them out of the forest…
J.A.C.K. needs you more than ever!!!
Thank you,
Roxane
The Kivu Four
Category: Congo - DRC, Illegal trade, J.A.C.K., seized chimpanzees | Date: Feb 17 2009 | By: jack
Hi Friends of JACK,
The “KIVU FOUR” are four chimps that have recently been seized by the Congolese authorities in the Kivu area.
End of January, Mr Doug Cress of PASA, contacted us saying there were 3 baby chimpanzees in Butembo (Kivu) and was wondering whether JACK would agree taking care of them or not.
Mavivi and Etaito
Without hesitation, Franck answered ‘yes’ under the condition that all the babies had the pertinent seizure documents….
This must be Etaito, sorry, I haven’t met her yet!
So, in a few days time and with the assistance of Samantha (thanks again, Sam!), a rescue operation financed by PASA was set up by I.C.C.N., ACF/Virunga, Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund (DFGF) and J.A.C.K.
Mavivi, for sure!
On Sunday 8th of February, carers Faustin and Thierry left Goma and drove Northwards in a I.C.C.N. car to Butembo where not only 3 babies were waiting them but a 4th one who was actually arriving from Bafwazende, not far from the Maïko National Park.
Udongo
The Kivu Four arrived in Goma with carers Faustin and Thierry on February 12th. Since then, thanks to Samantha and ACF/Virunga, all the attention of different vets were set on these little ones and especially on baby Maïko who was very weak.
Udongo
But, as most of you know already, exhausted and dehydrated, little Maïko didn’t make it and died on Saturday 14th… A sad, very sad day to all of us who have been working for days in finding ways and means to rescue the Kivu Four.
Maïko
Why do people continue these crimes? Taking apes from the wild, assassinating a whole family for a baby that will - maybe?- die because they can’t take care of it? How many of these little angels have died on the road? in a train? in the back of a car? How long will these horrible things still happen? Will there ever come an end to that slaughter and trade?
We at JACK have decided to accept the Kivu Four because the place they belong to is the DRC. JACK has the obligation to help whatever the challenge is. But I can assure you that taking care of them won’t be an easy task! Of course, this will represent a lot of money and time and love and and and…
But we feel very desperate because 4 chimpanzees at a time means nothing is being done to protect them in Kivu, a Congolese province where most of the wild populations of chimps live in protected areas! It means that the trade is getting worse and that people keep on ignoring the fact that there are laws in the DRC protecting Chimpanzees!
JACK’s duty is to help all these lost babies. Although we are a young NGO, JACK is ready to take this challenge. But JACK can’t do everything alone. We need YOU! JACK needs people like YOU to support and to help stop that awful haemorrhage that is emptying our forests!
Maïko
On our JACK Facebook Cause, we have started a fundraising goal for the Kivu Four. Please, donate for THEM !
Faustin & Maïko
Know that, although Maïko has gone, JACK will still name the group ” Kivu Four” as he was part of it and because his story isn’t to be forgotten.
Before ending, I absolutely want to thank Samantha, Doug, Pierre, Eddy, William, Jean-Jacques, Thierry and of course Faustin for that great job!
I’ll keep you posted when they arrive next weekend,
Thank you already for what you can do for THEM!
Roxane
Coco and Mwisho presented to Chita
Category: Chimpanzee, Congo - DRC, J.A.C.K., Rescued Chimps, seized chimpanzees | Date: Feb 05 2009 | By: jack
Hello Everyone!
First of all, know that the flu is almost gone and that we now feel less under pressure! It is still raining a lot but we do all what we can to have the chimps dry.
Now, let me introduce you Coco and Mwisho. I have talked about them already in different posts and today these two young and strong males are being presented to Chita (dominant male) and to Bachi (second male of the main group). They have recently left the quarantine area and are in the transition enclosure we use for presentations.
Coco did’t matter at all to meet the two males of the main group. He even looked happy to see other faces than Mwisho’s!
Mwisho at the beginning was terribly scared of Chita. He shouted and curled up his lips as to show his fear.
But after a few sessions, he now seems more confident and submitted to Chita.
Chita and Bachi haven’t expressed much aggressiveness. Bachi just hit the bars separating both groups, but none tried to bite nor fight. We still keep bars in between them and soon these will be taken away so that real introduction can take place. I’ll tell you more about this later on.
As to update on Doguy’s eyes, it is a real catastrophe. Two vets only gave us their opinion and advised to put drops in Doguy’s eyes. But can you imagine how difficult it is to keep a young chimp quiet to put drops in his eyes? Could anyone give us some tips, because we feel lost!
Thank you,
Roxane
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About Franck & Roxane
With the Congolese authorities, we are working to end the illegal trade of chimpanzees in eastern DRC.
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