AR-News: Chimps for China

[Shirley McGreal]

The Ugandan Wildlife Authority has announced plans to export two 
chimpanzees to Changsha Zoo, China. Photos of this disgusting facility can 
be found at:

http://www.aapn.org/zoopage.html

The animals would reportedly come from the Uganda Wildlife Center located 
at Entebbe, Uganda. The center's web site offers them for "adoption" and 
seeks donations. The chimpanzees housed at the center were listed (as of 
the date the site was last updated) as follows. Some of these chimps may be 
candidates for export to China. It seems to me that all of them have 
already suffered enough (too much) in this lifetime.

See http://www.uweczoo.org/bio/chimpanzee.html

Profile Information: Ruth

Ruth was confiscated with another chimpanzee called Amina, from Entebbe 
Airport on 6th January 1989. It has been impossible to trace where they 
both came from and where they were going to, but they were definitely being 
sent overseas by illegal traders. Ruth was estimated be about 4 years old 
at the time.
         Amina and Ruth have a very close bond, which may be the result of 
going through a very frightening time together prior to their rescue. 
However, they settled in well with the rest of the chimpanzees at Uganda 
Wildlife Education Centre (UWEC). Ruth gave birth to a baby on 14th October 
1998. Unfortunately, she could not produce enough milk, and attempts were 
made to separate her and the baby, so that the keepers could supplement 
feed the baby. This was unsuccessful and the baby was put to sleep on 24th 
October 1998. This was a very stressful time for her.

Profile Information: Matoke

Matoke was confiscated from Kilembe by Ruwenzori National Park officials. 
It is suspected that he was originally brought to Uganda from the 
Democratic Republic of Congo. He was taken to Mweya at the Queen Elizabeth 
National Park and then transferred to the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre 
(UWEC) on 24th June 2000.
         Matoke was in poor condition and infested with lice when he 
arrived at UWEC and would only eat bananas. This was how he got his name - 
from the Ugandan word for bananas. Matoke was initially bathed with lice 
shampoo, but escaped and went missing for 3 days. Keepers finally found him 
near the gate of the chimp exhibit. The chimps were very curious about him. 
After a period of special care, Matoke was successfully introduced to the 
UWEC chimp group in September 2000. He now eats a regular, varied 
chimpanzee diet and although he is small, always gets a good share of food.

Profile Information: Kigogoro

Kigogoro was found in Kasese in January 1970 and handraised by a Ugandan 
doctor. She was then taken to Entebbe Zoo on 8th September 1976. When 
Kigogoro first arrived at the Zoo, she lived in a cage with a concrete 
floor, next to four other chimps. However, when Entebbe Zoo became the 
Uganda Wildlife Education Centre (UWEC) in 1994, an exhibit was built for 
the chimpanzee group and they now live together in a naturalistic setting.
         Kigogoro has produced one baby with Zakayo and this infant was 
given to the government of Korea [WOULD LIKE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THIS ONE, 
WHETHER HE/SHE WAS "REJECTED" AND WHERE IN KOREAN HE/SHE ENDED UP] . She is 
very protective of new and young chimpanzees and is very gentle with them. 
She does not fight for food and does not like conflict. One of her little 
fingers is missing, but it is not known for sure how this happened.

Profile Information: Zakayo

Zakayo is the alpha male in the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre (UWEC) 
chimpanzee group. He was found in June 1972 at Semliki, in the Bundibugyo 
district of Uganda, and was handraised. Zakayo was then surrendered to 
Entebbe Zoo on 10 June 1976 as he was becoming difficult for his carer to 
manage.
         When he first arrived at UWEC, he lived in a cage with a concrete 
floor, next to four other chimps. Visitors would offer him cigarettes and 
alcohol and tease him, making him very angry. When Entebbe Zoo became the 
Uganda Wildlife Education Centre, an exhibit was built for the chimpanzee 
group and they now live together in a naturalistic setting. Zakayo has 
sired seven offspring to date and is very protective and fatherly towards 
the younger chimps.

Profile Information: Amina & Yankee

Amina was confiscated with another chimpanzee called Ruth, from Entebbe 
Airport on 6th January 1989. It has been impossible to trace where they 
came from and where they were going to, but illegal traders were definitely 
sending them overseas. Amina was estimated to have been about 5 years old 
at the time.
         Amina and Ruth have a very close bond, which may be the result of 
going through a very frightening time together prior to their rescue. They 
have settled in well with the rest of the chimpanzees at Uganda Wildlife 
Education Centre.

Amina gave birth to a baby female, Yankee, with Zakayo on 18th July 2000. 
Amina is a good mother and looks after her baby well.

Profile Information: Kitomi

Kitomi was confiscated near the Kasyoha-Kitomi Forest Reserve in Western 
Uganda. He was taken to Mweya at Queen Elizabeth National Park, before he 
was flown to the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre (UWEC) on 11th November 
1999. He was estimated to be 5 years at the time.
         Kitomi had many psychological and physical problems, as he had 
been severely mistreated before he was confiscated. He had a chain attached 
around his waist, that had caused deep wounds and he was in poor body 
condition. Although, he disliked human presence and tried to get away from 
the keepers, he was happy being with the other chimpanzees. It will take a 
long time for his psychological wounds to heal, but he is slowly learning 
to accept the humans at UWEC as his friends and not his enemies.

HOW TO HELP

Those living in the United States may wish to contact Uganda's Ambassador 
to the United States, Her Excellency 
<http://www.ugandaembassy.com/staff.htm#sempala>Edith Grace Ssempala 
requesting in a respectful tone that plans to export some of the 
chimpanzees housed at the Uganda Wildlife Education Center to China be 
cancelled.

Postal Address: 5911 16th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20011
E-mail: <mailto:ugembassy at aol.com>ugembassy at aol.com



Dr. Shirley McGreal, Chairwoman
International Primate Protection League
PO Box 766
Summerville, SC 29484, USA
Phone - 843-871-2280, Fax- 843-871-7988
E-mail - smcgreal at ippl.org, Web: www.ippl.org

"He who joyfully marches in rank and file has already earned my contempt. 
He has been given a large brain by mistake, since for him the spinal cord 
would suffice."
         --Albert Einstein