July 2008
C himfunshi Transfers13 Chimpanzees to 75-AcreE Enclosure
The Chimfunshi Wildlife Orphanage continued its commitment to providing orphaned chimpanzees a "virtual" wild experience when it transferred a group of 13 to a new enclosure that covers 75 acres of forests and grassland in central Zambia.
The transfer now means that 99 of the 123 chimpanzees at Chimfunshi are living in vast, free-range enclosures that cover over 1,200 acres at the sanctuary.
Chimfunshi is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2008, and is one of the oldest and largest chimpanzee sanctuaries in the world. Founded by David and Sheila Siddle on their cattle farm in Zambia in 1983, Chimfunshi went on to pioneer many of the protocols, designs and techniques considered standard at sanctuaries today.
Dr. Bruce Peck, a veterinarian from South Africa who has assisted in several chimpanzee projects at Chimfunshi, was brought in from South Africa to oversee the latest transfer, which was conducted on June 13.
Among the chimpanzees shifted to the new enclosure are Julie, a 14-year old female that had been one of the last animals in a private zoo in Qatar when she arrived in 2001; Commando, an eight-year old male that had been rescued as an infant in 2002 from the Central African Republic, where poachers had broken his jaw; and Kathy and Val, a pair of infants that were confiscated from smugglers attempting to bring them illegally into Qatar in 2001.
The chimpanzees were anesthetized for the move and transported from their old five-acre enclosure to the new site by truck. After being allowed to rest and recover in their indoor handling facilities for 24 hours, the chimpanzees were released into the enclosure and enticed to explore by shelled peanuts scattered through the underbrush by the staff.
March 2008
C himfunshi Unveils 25th Anniversary Logo, Merchandise
The Chimfunshi Wildlife Orphanage will mark its 25th anniversary with a special logo and merchandise designed to commemorate a milestone of one of Africa’s most successful chimpanzee sanctuaries.
Chimfunshi was founded in 1983 when a dying infant chimpanzee was brought to the cattle farm of David and Sheila Siddle in Zambia. The Siddles nursed that chimpanzee – nicknamed "Pal" – back to life, and eventually came to care for over 125 orphaned chimpanzees.
The Chimfunshi 25th Anniversary logo depicts Pal as he looks today, along with the Chimfunshi emblem and a stylized "25." The new logo is available on t-shirts, buttons and stickers at the Chimfunshi website at www.chimfunshi.org.za.
The 25th anniversary logo was designed by Haley Newberg, a graphic artist whose company, Wildlife & Whimsy, creates artwork for wildlife organizations from its headquarters in Missoula, Montana, USA. A former keeper at the Sequoia Park Zoo in California, Newberg became aware of Chimfunshi when she met Sylvia Jones at the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA) 2005 Conservation Education course in Sacramento.
Chimfunshi is one of the largest chimpanzee sanctuaries in the world, and pioneered many of the designs and practices used routinely in other sanctuaries today. Chimfunshi is also a charter member of the Pan African Sanctuary Alliance (PASA).
January 2008
Ranch Veteran Rauch Named Chimfunshi Manager
Tony Rauch, a veteran ranch and livestock manager with over 30 years experience in Zimbabwe and South Africa, has been named managing director of the Chimfunshi Wildlife Orphanage.
Rauch, 57, assumes day-to-day control over all decisions regarding the Chimfunshi sanctuary and its staff, and will coordinate with Chimfunshi founder Sheila Siddle in determining care for the 120-plus chimpanzees who reside at the orphanage.
Rauch spent the last decade as the manager of Manjere Ranches in Zimbabwe, where he oversaw 13 properties spanning 50,000 hectares and 7,500 head of cattle. Prior to that, Rauch was a manager of the Union Carbide Ranches in Zimbabwe.
November 2007
PASA Program Halts Chimfunshi Chimpanzee Baby Boom
The Pan African Sanctuary Alliance (PASA) moved to bring a member sanctuary in Zambia in line with its ban on reproduction through a program that immediately placed 19 female chimpanzees on birth control implants and scheduled the remaining 38 to be completed by 2010.
The PASA program was led by Dr. Lawrence Mugisha, the head veterinarian of the Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary in Uganda, who first conducted health checks on the females in the 122-chimpanzee community at the Chimfunshi Wildlife Orphanage from October 20 to November 3.
Mugisha (pictured at right) placed implants into those females who were of breeding age and most likely to become pregnant, and scheduled the others to be implanted once they reach maturity. Eventually, all female chimpanzees at Chimfunshi will be on birth control, halting what had become an untenable situation.
"Surprisingly, we found the breeding age started so early, at the age of seven or eight years old, compared to wild counterparts, where the breeding age is 12 years and above," Mugisha said. “There was also a very short afterbirth interval, in some cases as little as one year. This has given rise to birth of 69 chimpanzees since the sanctuary started."
The PASA program brings one of the oldest and largest chimpanzee sanctuaries in the world into line with the organization's ban on captive reproduction. Chimfunshi has rescued and rehabilitated chimpanzees from around the word since its creation in 1983, but with over 780 chimpanzees already in PASA sanctuaries – and another 62 awaiting placement – PASA sanctuaries cannot afford to use up valuable spots on captive-bred chimpanzees.
In addition, the added cost and longevity add unnecessary strain to the PASA sanctuary system.
JULY 2006
Chimfunshi Mourns Loss of Co-Founder David Siddle
The Chimfunshi Wildlife Orphanage has rededicated itself to the permanent care and welfare of over 110 chimpanzees at its sanctuary in central Zambia, despite the recent death of co-founder David Siddle.
David Siddle, who established Chimfunshi along with his wife, Sheila, in 1983, died on June 30 after a lengthy illness. He was 78.
The Siddles helped pioneer the chimpanzee sanctuary movement in Africa, and their decision to convert a portion of their cattle farm into spacious, free-range enclosures for injured and unwanted chimpanzees in 1983 was considered revolutionary. Today, primates sanctuaries around the world emulate many of the designs, methods and concepts created at Chimfunshi.
"We shall miss David terribly, of course, perhaps no one more than I," said Sheila Siddle. “But we must keep working for the chimps. We must make sure they are well cared for. That’s what David would have wanted."
Among the goals for Chimfunshi in 2006 are a fund-raising drive to help pay for a covered, indoor-outdoor enclosure, and the hiring of a permanent manager.
Siddle was a successful contractor and cattle rancher approaching retirement age when he and his wife began caring for chimpanzees on their farm along the Kafue River in central Zambia. Although neither had any formal training, they pioneered many of the modern techniques and methods used in sanctuaries around the world and created a model that has been replicated across Africa.
Along the way, Siddle and his wife battled poachers, civil wars, economic strife, political instability, and corruption to give their chimpanzees the best care possible. The Siddles were awarded an MBE by Queen Elizabeth II in 2001 for their commitment to wildlife, and have received numerous other awards and honors. Their story is told in Sheila Siddle's autobiography, In My Family Tree: A Life with Chimpanzees.
JULY 2006
Sylvia Jones Represents Chimfunshi at PASA / IPS in Uganda
Chimfunshi caretaker Sylvia Jones traveled to Uganda in late June to take part in both the Pan African Sanctuary Alliance (PASA) 2006 Management Workshop and the International Primatological Society (IPS) 2006 Congress, both of which were staged in Entebbe.
Jones, who is the youngest daughter of Chimfunshi founder David and Sheila Siddle, also took part in meeting with the PASA educators, who delivered a symposium on Conservation Education in In-Situ Sanctuaries at IPS. Back at Chimfunshi, Jones concetrates on education programs, volunteers coordination, and hand-raises many of the youngest chimpanzees.
OCTOBER 2005
Lion Country Safari Donates Uniforms to Chimfunshi
The Chimfunshi Wildlife
Orphanage recently received a large donation of second-hand uniforms form the Lion Country Safari Park in Florida, USA. The donation – which was arranged through the Pan Africa Sanctuary Alliance (PASA) – included more than 100 shirts, jackets and other items, all of which were hand-carried to Zambia by longtime Chimfunshi supporter Jackie Hanrahan and delivered to the staff. For more information, please visit www.lioncountrysafari.com or www.panafricanprimates.org.
AUGUST 2005
Zambian Ambassador Delivers Education Materials from Brevard Zoo in U.S.
An education suitcase prepared by the Brevard Zoo in Florida, USA, was delivered to the Chimfunshi Wildlife Orphanage recently by none other than the Zambian ambassador to the United States. The suitcase which is the fifth that the Brevard Zoo's Beth Armstrong has prepared for PASA sanctuaries in conjunction with the Columbus (Ohio) Rotary Club is filled with books, games, posters, teaching materials and other items designed to spur children's interest in conservation. The suitcase was hand-carried back to Africa by Zambian ambassador Inonge Mbikusita-Lewanika, and will be used to educate many of the 30,000 tourists who visit Chimfunshi each year. For more information, please visit www.panafricanprimates.org or www.brevardzoo.org
JULY 2005
Zambia Times Details Chimfunshi Legacy
The Chimfunshi Wildlife Orphanage in Zambia was recently the feature of a lengthy article, “The Legacy of Chimfunshi Chimpanzees Sanctuary,” that appeared in The Times of Zambia newspaper on July 7. The article, which relates the 22-year struggle of Chimfunshi to offer permanent care to over 100 chimpanzees, concludes with a call for tourists to visit the sanctuary: “It is in fact worth taking a trip from anywhere in Zambia, such is the privilege of being able to spend time with these fascinating animals.
In a world of crass commercialism, Chimfunshi thrives on unconditional love and untrammeled dedication.” To read the whole story, please visit http://www.times.co.zm/news/viewnews.cgi?category=7&id=1120675164
JUNE 2005
Sheila Siddle Travels to Kenya to Attend PASA Workshop
Chimfunshi co-founder Sheila Siddle traveled to Kenya to attend the Pan African Sanctuary Alliance (PASA) 2005 Management Workshop, which was staged at the Mount Kenya Safari Lodge from June 4-8. The workshop, which brought together sanctuary managers, experts and advisors from across Africa, featured presentations on a variety of topics, including black-market smuggling routes, genetic analyses of chimpanzee sub-species, and reintroduction programs in Nigeria and Congo, in addition to a visit to the Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary. For more information, please visit www.panafricanprimates.org.
MAY 2005
Chimfunshi Educator Picked by PASA to Take Part in U.S. Conservation Education
Course
Sylvia Jones of the Chimfunshi Wildlife Orphanage represented the Pan African Sanctuary Alliance (PASA) at the recent American Zoological Association (AZA) Conservation Education course, which was held April 30 through May 6 in Sacramento, California. Ms. Jones, who directs Chimfunshi’s education programs and has attended all three PASA Education Workshops, was sponsored by PASA and the Knoxville Zoo. She is the third consecutive PASA delegate to attend the course, following Isaac Mujaasi of Ngamba Island in 2003 and Josef Mulema of the Limbe Wildlife Center in 2004. For more information, please visit www.panafricanprimates.org or www.knoxvillezoo.org.
MARCH 2005
Hamalambo and Jones Attend PASA Education Workshop in Uganda
Chimfunshi sent two delegates – Stemson Hamalambo and Sylvia Jones – to the Pan African Sanctuary Alliance (PASA) 2005 Education Workshop, which was held at the Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary in Uganda. The six-day program included topics such as bushmeat, religious taboos and totems, and communication strategies, and representatives from PASA sanctuaries and wildlife education organizations from 11 nations took part. The workshop, which was organized by PASA education director Barb Cartwright of IFAW-Canada, featured an address by noted wildlife author and expert Jonathan Kingdon at a kick-off dinner in Entebbe on March 6, then delegates were transferred via boat to Ngamba Island the next day for the workshop. For more information, please visit www.panafricanprimates.org.
FEBRUARY 2005
Author Donates ‘Cultured Chimpanzee’ Profits to Chimfunshi
Bill McGrew, a professor of anthropology and zoology at Miami (Ohio) University in the United States, has pledged the proceeds of his latest book, The Cultured Chimpanzee: Reflections on Cultural Primatology (Cambridge University Press), to support the Chimfunshi Wildlife Orphanage. To purchase a copy of McGrew's latest book, please visit www.amazon.com.
SEPTEMBER 2004
Weary Congo Chimpanzees Finally Reach Chimfunshi
A trio of infant chimpanzees from the Democratic Republic of Congo that had been the subject of intense negotiations for months finally arrived at the Chimfunshi Wildlife Orphanage this week, bringing to 112 the number of injured and unwanted chimpanzees at the sanctuary.
The three chimpanzees – two males and a female – were scheduled to arrive in late August, but were detained en route in Uganda while local authorities reviewed the paperwork. Only an intervention by conservationist Karl Ammann allowed the chimpanzees’ transfer to proceed.
The transfer was underwritten by the Hans Wosmoeth Foundation of The Netherlands, which also made a donation for the long-term care of the chimpanzees.
Bili, a five-year old male, is the oldest and is named after the heavily forested region of the DRC where the chimpanzees were confiscated. Hans, a four-year old male, arrived with a damaged eye but is otherwise healthy, while Karla, a one-year old female, is the youngest of the group and was the most frail and uncertain. All three chimpanzees had been confiscated from village camps in the eastern region of the DRC.
Although initially nervous and fatigued, the chimpanzees responded quickly to treatment at Chimfunshi, and have been placed in a quarantine enclosure alongside Cindy and Alice, two female adolescent chimpanzees that arrived recently from the Ivory Coast. All five newcomers will eventually join a nursery group in a five-acre enclosure.
“After a week of different food and lots of tender, loving care we are beginning to see a difference in them,” said Sheila Siddle, who founded Chimfunshi along with her husband, David, in 1983. “They seem to be settling down very well, and they can also hear the other chimps calling, which seems to be a good sound for them.”
SEPTEMBER 2004
Ivory Coast Chimpanzees Reach Chimfunshi After Harrowing Tale
The Chimfunshi Wildlife Orphanage accepted two female infant chimpanzees from Cote d’Ivoire on August 10, bringing to 109 the number of chimpanzees in residence at the sanctuary. Alice, a 4-year old, was collected by poachers when she was just one week old, but was then acquired by Italian expatriates who ran a tourist restaurant and cared for her over the next several years. Cindy, who is estimated to be three years of age, was approximately eight months old when she was bought along with another infant chimpanzee by a Belgian expatriate. But when the Belgian fell ill with malaria and was hospitalized, Cindy’s companion died and she was left in the cage for three days with a dead body, no food and no water. Luckily, she was accepted into a private home in Cote d’Ivoire and was able to regain her strength. The chimpanzees’ transfer was arranged by Italian caregivers Simona Merella and Carmen Ceccato. For more information, please contact www.chimfunshi.org.za.
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