Martin Ssebuyira
17 October 2008
Chimpanzees stole the show at Ngamba Island Sanctuary on Sunday as they cut a cake during celebrations to mark the 10th anniversary of their adopted home on Lake Victoria.
The cheeky chimps awed hundreds of tourists who joined in the celebrations and sang a birthday song as the cake was being cut.
Mr Stanley Nyandu, a Chimpanzee caretaker, helped the animals, to cut their cake. The chimps, identified as Nakku, Passa, Ikuru and Nani, were later allowed to share and enjoy their cake.
"The animals are 98.7 per cent human. They share the same characters like human beings," said an excited Lilly Ajarova, the executive director of Chimpanzee Sanctuary and Wildlife Conservation Trust, an organisation taking care of the primates.
The Island is home to more than 45 Chimpanzees, which were rescued from captivity and transferred there for safety. The island deputy manager, Mr Gerald Muyingo, said he has learnt to share and love his fellow community members from the animals.
"The animals always fight and harm each other but leave their grievances aside for a common goal," Mr Muyingo said. Ms Ajarova said there is need to protect the animals because they are either poached for bush meat or sold out of the country for scientific research purposes because many of their features are akin to those of man.
"As a result of this illegal practice, dozens of infant chimpanzees are taken alive from forests, bound for pet trade throughout Africa and the rest of the world while others are killed," she told Daily Monitor.
According to Ms Ajarova, approximately 5,000 chimpanzees are killed by poachers for bush meat and trade every year. She said part of the reason for the increased poaching of chimpanzees is the population explosion in the vicinity of areas formerly exclusive to the primates.
She added that the island has successfully managed to provide a safe haven to the chimpanzees and ensured their welfare for the last decade. The sanctuary was established in 1998 when 19 orphaned chimpanzees rescued from poachers were relocated from the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre (UWEC) and the smaller Isinga Island in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Ngamba was chosen as a sanctuary because it was formerly uninhabited and its rain forest environment is almost identical to that of wild chimpanzees. Officials explained that more than 50 plant species known to be utilised by free-ranging chimpanzees in Uganda are on the island.
The sanctuary is supported by UWEC, Born Free Foundation, and Jane Goodall Institute, among others. It compliments the efforts of Uganda Wildlife Authority to eliminate poaching.
Ngamba's senior care taker Stanley Nyadu says the interesting character of the primates regularly takes away their boredom.
"We enjoy their company as they play and display extra ordinary characters just like human beings.
He recalled a recent event when the alpha male chimpanzee Micca badly beat his wife Connie for moving out with another Chimpanzee. "Micca badly beat Connie and tore her mouth for committing adultery," he joyful recalls.
He said they rescued Connie by putting her into the holding facility for some time. Mr Nyadu says they trained the chimps to cut cakes using long sticks and maize flour until they learnt the process. "They were used and helped the function run smoothly," he added.
A genetic study suggests that our human ancestors were still interbreeding with their chimp cousins long after first splitting from the chimpanzee lineage. "It goes to the heart of who we are and where we came from," the report adds.
Ngamba island is located on Lake Victoria about 23km south east off Entebbe Town. The journey lasts about two hours on a normal boat ride and approximately 45minutes on a speed boat. One can also stay overnight at Ngamba since new facilities have been established and there is a bat watching at night.
Chimpanzees can also be found in other reserves like Kibale and Semliki. It is believed that many tourists come to Uganda to watch the interesting primates alongside other animals and birds.
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