LWIRO PRIMATES REHABILITATION CENTER
A center in Eastern DRC for
chimps and monkeys. Situated close to the Kahuzi-Biega National Park (KBNP),
defined by the IUCN as the world’s third most important site for the
conservation of the Eastern Chimpanzee, Lwiro has an ideal location for
chimpanzee rehabilitation, local conservation education, and outreach. Lwiro takes care of chimpanzees and monkeys of 13
different species, together with parrots, turtles and a porcupine. All these
animals have been victims of poaching and pet trade.
What We Do:
RESCUE
Together with Congolese
authorities (ICCN), we rescue primates and other wildlife from the hands of
poachers. Most of the chimpanzees arrive prior to weaning (84%) and they are
mostly byproduct of illegal hunting for bushmeat.
Where We Are:
CRPL is situated in the Democratic Republic of
Congo in the province of South Kivu in a small village called Lwiro. The CRPL
is situated only four kilometres from the Kahuzi-Biega National Park (KBNP).
The area is inscribed as a World Heritage Site in Danger since 1997 and it is
listed at the 3rd most important site world- wide for conservation of the
Eastern Chimpanzee by the IUCN.
LWIRO'S RESIDENTS BEFORE
CONFISCATION
All of CRPL's residents have been
illegally removed from their forest homes, often their family groups have been
killed or injured during this process. Most adult animals are sold as bushmeat
and consumed either fresh or smoked so that the meat can travel long distances.
The infants are too small to eat and are usually sold as pets. While most
infants will die due to insufficient care, some will be rescued by the
Congolese Wildlife Authority (ICCN) and become residents of the CRPL.
LWIRO's PRIMATES
CRPL takes care of 92 chimpanzees and 108
monkeys of 13 different species, together with parrots, turtles and a
porcupine. All these animals have been victims of poaching and pet trade. The
numbers of animals is continuisly increasing...
CHIMPANZEES
The CRPL currently houses 92
resident chimpanzees. Every chimpanzee resident was brutally taken from their
forest home by poachers. Tracked down by dogs, the adult chimpanzees of the
group are usually shot and killed and then the meat is either eaten by the
hunters (soldiers, illegal miners) or sold as meat in villages or large city
markets. The infant chimpanzees are too small to eat and can bring in more
money when sold as a pet. It is illegal in DR Congo to keep a primate as a pet.
Sometimes the Congolese Government Wildlife Authority (ICCN) is able to
intercept these infant chimpanzees while still being transported and as such
prosecute the poachers. The infant chimpanzees are then transported to the CRPL
for long term care. Unfortunately, at
times the ICCN is unable to intercept the transport of infant chimpanzees in
the first instance and the infant is sold into the pet trade or dies in
transport. Often, an infant chimpanzee which is kept as a pet will die due to
insufficient care. However, if the chimpanzee does survive then, the physical
and psychological damaged caused to the infant is significant. The longer the
chimpanzee is kept in insufficient care, the more damage the animal will
suffer. The CRPL strives to provide the highest
quality of care to all of our residents and will continue to do so while the
trade in wildlife is prevalent in the country. We continue to support and work
alongside the ICCN and other conservation organisations in the region to stop
the illegal trade in wildlife and to make the forests safe!
MONKEYS
CRPL is the only sanctuary in DR Congo which accepts all monkey species. CRPL provides refuge to 108 monkeys, divided in the following species: Olive baboon (Papio anubis), Yellow Baboon (Papio cynocephaius), Owl-face Monkey (Cerchopithecus hamlyni), L'hoesti Monkey (Cerchopithecus l'hoesti), Blue Monkey (Cerchopithecus mitis), Back crested mangabey (Lophocebus aterrimus) It is illegal in the DR Congo to keep any primate as a pet. As with chimpanzees, all of the CRPL resident Monkeys are removed from the forests illegally by poachers and have been confiscated by the ICCN before being transported to the CRPL for long-term care. Most of these animals arrive in very bad physical and psychological condition due to the trauma they experience during the hunting process and as a result of being kept as a pet. It is the long term goal of the CRPL to be able to reintroduce our monkeys to the forests of DRC, if their forest homes can be made safe enough to do so.
LWIRO PRIMATES'
INFRASTRUCTURES
The CRPL is constantly undergoing
change due to the ever increasing number of Chimpanzee and Monkey residents. These new enclosures improve the life of
our primates, providing them a semi natural, reach environment, which help them
to develop the necessary skills to be able to survive to a future
reintroduction into the wild. But not only that, because of the living
conditions provided, the sanctuary can play a critical role by demonstrating
the level of humane treatment that captive apes deserve.
Visitors:
Visitors are welcome. Be sure to
arrange for a guided tour. Whether it’s marveling at the sight of Grauer
gorillas in nearby Kahuzi-Biega National Park, discovering nature’s power at
Congo’s Tsivati waterfall, or simply relaxing in the serene beauty, there is
much to see and do in Lwiro. Even indoors there are surprises, with a trove of
discoveries in the Center’s “magic” library. Restaurant and overnight
accommodations are available nearby.
HELP US TO SAVE LIVES
Our biggest challenge is to find funds to
care of these victims of poaching and pet trade. Every dollar counts to make a
difference in their life. Without your generosity this project would not
be possible!
OTHER WAYS TO HELP US:
SHOP Lwiro Primates has a
new shop! Please visit our shop and help us by doing some shopping! Please
check out our link:
https://lwiro.brightredbuffalo.com/
VISIT CRPL It is possible to visit the
CRPL in person and have a tour of the facilities and an information session.
Please feel free to contact us to find out more information. Note: Due
Covid-19, the visits to the Center are limited and you need prior appointment.
GOODS IN KIND The sanctuary uses many
tools, different kinds of equipment, computers, educational resources,
medications and more on a daily basis. While we prefer to source in-country,
this is not always possible. If you have access items which you believe may be
of use to the CRPL, please send us an email.
CONTACT US
Lwiro Primates Rehabilitation
Center
Lwiro Village
South Kivu
Democratic Republic of Congo
E-Mail: info@lwiroprimates.org
^ This center is doing a lot of
good and hard work taking care of chimpanzees, monkeys and other animals. ^
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