Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Project

Giving sad chimpanzees a new lease of life...

Background

My name is Mimi Swift and I have been to Africa to work with chimpanzees over ten times, and have never asked for a penny towards it. This has included many different roles, from tourism, to caring for baby chimps, to general caregiving, to illustrating children's books to working on documentaries. This year I started my MSc in Primate Conservation, and the work I do with these chimpanzees will be part of my thesis research. 

Western chimpanzees are Critically Endangered (IUCN), and only a small population (of less than 500) are thought to still exist in Ghana. There is no sanctuary in Ghana so orphan victims of the bushmeat trade and pet trade that are confiscated get put in Kumasi zoo. 

Some of these chimps have lived in the small cages at the zoo for over 30 years!




Project

This April I am going to Ghana to improve the lives of six very disturbed chimpanzees who are living in an underfunded zoo in Kumasi, Ghana. I am doing this for the first time independent of any sanctuary or organization.  These chimps display abnormal behaviours such as rocking, hair plucking, and self-harm. I want to do all I can to decrease these behaviours and their stress levels by providing t five freedoms...

Freedom from hunger and thirst – by providing enough fresh water and the right type and amount of food to keep them t.
Freedom from discomfort – by making sure that animals have the right type of environment including shelter and somewhere comfortable to rest.
Freedom from pain, injury and disease – by preventing them from getting ill or injured and by making sure animals are diagnosed and treated rapidly if they do.
Freedom to express normal behaviour – by making sure animals have enough space, proper facilities and the company of other animals of their own kind.
Freedom from fear and distress – by making sure their conditions and treatment avoid mental suffering.




I will be there for one month where I will study their behaviour, to understand the extent of their depression and get to know thier individual behaviours. I will then have a second study period where I give them species specific enrichment, nesting and foraging materials, access to water and decrease contact with visitors. 

Jimmy is screamed at ("Jimmy, Jimmy, Jimmy...") until he does handstands and backflips in return for ice-cream. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUEd9ZqNFpk

More footage of the chimpanzees current condtitions...





The money will be used for...


-Chimpanzee food, to improve their diet
-sleeping hammock materials,
-water access facilities,
-improved signage for visitors to the zoo
-foraging materials
-Forested Enclosure fund 


Please note: I have applied for a couple of grants, if I receive any money from them I will use this money to improve these conditions further (e.g. improving chimpanzee holding facilities)

Reward Levels...
£5 =Regular email updates from the field, including exclusive videos and photos. 
£20=Handmade thank you card and bookmark sent to you from Ghana 
£30=Copy of the children's book I illustrated in 2013, called 'I protect the chimpanzees,' translated into English
£40= a pencil sketch of a chimpanzee 
£65= painting done by one of the chimpanzees, size A4 (including photo of chimpanzee painting it and short chimp bio)
£100=Acrylic painting of a chimpanzee (or pet), size A4
£150=Acrylic painting of a chimpanzee (or pet), size A3
£200= All of the Above!(excluding A3 Acrylic painting) A4 Acrylic painting, painting by a chimpanzee, copy of the children's book, handmade thank you card, and email updates from the field.



Example photos of Acrylic paintings I have done of chimpanzees. Above; Ginger, an adolecent male from SYCRC, sanctuary in Cameroon. Below; Medina, a juevenile female from CSWCT sanctuary, Uganda.

If you cant donate, dont worry it would be great if you could share it on Facebook!

Video credit: Sal D Ruffino.