First a disclaimer…this photo was taken in captivity unlike the rest of my wildlife photographs. Baluku was about two years of age when I met him at the headquarters for the Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary in Entebbe, Uganda. Like almost all of the chimpanzees at this sanctuary, Baluku was orphaned due to illegal poaching. His family was shot and killed for bushmeat and Baluku was taken into a town in the southeastern tip of the Democratic Republic of Congo where he was to be sold as a pet. Thankfully, he was confiscated and brought to Ngamba Island where he now lives. The sanctuary is on a 100 acre island, with about 97% of the tropical rainforest for the chimpanzees. The sanctuary has done an incredible job at not only improving the welfare of the chimpanzees, but also helping the local communities by providing them with various resources to improve their livelihoods. Outreach programs throughout Uganda educate the public about the threats to chimpanzees and other native wildlife and the need to conserve this endangered species. The sanctuary is a member of the Pan African Sanctuary Alliance (PASA), which is dedicated to animal welfare, including all aspects of primate conservation and health. PASA holds an annual veterinary healthcare workshop, which I have been assisting with for several years. The purpose of this workshop is to train national veterinarians in all aspects of primate health, including veterinary aspects related to reintroductions of great apes back into native habitats. Both of these organizations have done a tremendous amount for great apes in Africa and I encourage you to visit their websites to learn more about what they do and to make a donation.
Owen Slater Photography 