In the North of Democratic Republic of Congo and in south of African-Centre Republic (Africa’s heart) there is, maybe, the last fight that one species of chimpanzee – Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii – sustains for survival in their wild refuge areas. In the region known as Bili-Uéré, chimpanzees used not to be afraid of the few humans they met. There were no hidden hunters or traps, poisoned arrows did not reach primates on the trees, lions, elephants and a dozen of other species of primates were together with them day-by-day, each one taking care of their territory and families.

It seems that this will have a tragic end in the next months. A local tribe decided to break an agreement it had with Wasmoeth Wild Life Foundation and conservationist Karl Ammann, which gave support to communities that live in the region in exchange of biodiversity protection. In a few months, thousand of miners settled in the area and the members of the foundation had to leave the region.

The problem concerning the recent arrival miners is that they do not respect biodiversity, consuming everything, including the animals of the region. In comparison, local tribes are used to live with primates and other animals and even have restrictions when it comes to use them as food, as long as they consider it can be a bad thing.

The researchers who have been working there, directed by Thurston C. Hicks, Biodiversity Institute of Amsterdam University – who were unsuccessful in avoiding the invasion of congoleses and other ethnics groups in a preserved environment – , could not standing anymore seeing baby chimpanzees in the villages in the south of Uele River being offered for selling for a few dollars. It is considered that all those babies seen in 2009 are not alive anymore. And there is a fear that other hundreds also do not stay alive for much long in the hands of hunters and their negotiators.

The tragedy that is happening in the north of Congo is terrible. With no sanctuaries – Lwiro is full – to receive orphans, the destiny of those unhappy who lost their parents and relatives with poisoned arrow is, in reality, death.

According to what we have been seeing, humanity will not speak out against this and will be accomplice of the massacre o four hominids brothers, with whom we have deep history and blood bonds.

Dr. Pedro A. Ynterian
President, GAP Project International

Related news:

https://www.projetogap.org.br/en-US/noticias/Show/3262,chimpanzees-massacre-the-last-refuges-invaded-in-africa