Meet George

On Wednesday evenings, our super-sporty colleagues engage in a touch rugby match which we have the option to watch from the comfort of our apartment balcony. A couple of weeks ago, Asa peeked through the drawn curtains to check out the action down on the field and slowly said with disbelief, "There is a monkey out there. And it's wearing a diaper."

Jonah's reply was something like, "Oh yeah. There is a woman who works in the admin building who fosters chimpanzees." Wait, what?? Why he did not think to share this information sooner remains a mystery. Anyway, it turns out that our colleague has a son in the high school who happens to be a talented rugger, and she comes to watch the matches on Wednesday and, as one would do, brings along the nine month old chimpanzee temporarily living under her care.

So the following week, we tromped on down to the field for a quick meet and greet during the last minutes of the game. This is how it felt when when we got our first close look at George:

And then this past week, we paused dinner to get our George fix and this time, took a few photos and short videos. The first thing George does when he sees us coming is run up to and embrace Asa, then Liam, around their lower legs giving their shins a good, long sniff. George must recognize the boys as his potential playmates because he does not even bother to greet the approaching adults.

Asa lowers himself to the grass to let George have a closer inspection:

George enjoying a swing with his "mum":

An orange cone provides entertainment:

It was getting close to bedtime and sleepy George got his a bottle of milk which made him even more tired. Awwww.......

Post-milk - so tired but so wanting to still play:

So why is George in foster care?

He was rescued after illegal hunting for the bushmeat industry claimed the life of his mother. Since meeting George, I have been doing a bit of research to learn more his circumstances and found this quick bit about chimpanzees - which includes the main threats to their population - on the WWF website:

'Bushmeat' has always been a primary source of dietary protein in Central and West African countries. However in recent years, hunting for bushmeat, once a subsistence activity, has become heavily commercialized and much of the meat goes to urban residents who can afford to pay premium prices for it.

The effect of the bushmeat trade on chimp populations has yet to be evaluated, but a study in Congo showed that offtake was 5-7%, surpassing annual population increase. In addition, apes are often injured or killed in snares set for other animals. Infant chimpanzees are frequently taken alive and sold in the cities as pets.

Many conservationists believe that the bushmeat trade is now the greatest threat to forest biodiversity in West and Central Africa.

George is currently awaiting paperwork to leave Angola and if all goes according to plan, he will be moved to the Tchimpounga Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Centre in Congo, a sanctuary established by the Jane Goodall Institute. The hope is that he will be on the way to his forever home next month. 


In mentioning George and touching upon the topic of chimpanzee conservation, I can't help but give a shoutout to our brilliant friend and neighbor back in Maine who is the Executive Director of the Gorilla Rehabilitation and Conservation Education Center (GRACE), a organization whose mission is "to provide the best facilities and care for rescued Grauer’s gorillas in the Democratic Republic of Congo while working alongside local communities to ensure gorilla survival in the wild." Someday Sonya, we will find a way to meet up on a future work trip of yours and fulfill our wish to see your leadership at GRACE first-hand.  

Back here in Luanda, I'll do my best to share updates on George and his upcoming transition. Looking forward to Wednesday already......