Day 14

One hour of release training for an orphaned monkey in Congo

From the cage back to the jungle From the cage back to the jungle From the cage back to the jungle From the cage back to the jungle

One hour of release training for an orphaned monkey in Congo
Day 14
Confiscated monkey children learn to master life in the wild

Up into the treetops, the thin branches swing as they jump from branch to branch. One more swing - done! The delicious fruit is already picked and eaten with relish. The little monkey boy hangs acrobatically upside down in the branches. But now quickly back to the herd of monkeys: The warning calls of the others announce a leopard nearby! When monkeys romp through the jungle, everything looks so easy and well-rehearsed. But what if you have never learned to hold on and balance on swaying branches? Where do the fruits grow that don't give you a stomach ache, and what does a crocodile actually look like? Without this knowledge and skills, life in the jungle is extremely dangerous, even for monkey children. Like human children, the little monkeys learn everything they need to survive from their family and the other members of the monkey gang. If they are torn away from their families and locked up as pets, they have to learn life in the wild all over again.

Confiscated monkey children learn to master life in the wild
Julia (@julias.diary) presents her favorite project in the video
need
Release training for confiscated monkey orphans from illegal animal trade in Congo
activity
Expansion of the monkey orphanage into a release station and special training of the monkeys for a safe return to the rainforest
Measurable performance
Number of monkey orphans that can be taken in and cared for and later released into the wild
Result
The rescue center's release program is well established and dozens of monkeys are regularly successfully released into safe forest areas
Systemically relevant impact
The species protection authorities are taking more consistent action against the illegal animal trade because they can safely accommodate confiscated animals
background

In the heart of Africa lies one of the most species-rich countries on earth, a so-called "mega-hotspot of biodiversity": the Democratic Republic of Congo (CBD 2022). Bonobos, golden-bellied mangabeys and other endangered monkey species are found exclusively in the Congo. This is where Africa's largest remaining rainforests are located. It is not for nothing that the Congo is considered one of the four most important countries for the protection of monkeys (Estrada et al. 2018). Monkeys are not only threatened by the loss of their habitat, but also by poaching for the so-called "bushmeat trade" and the illegal trade in young monkeys as "pets" or for amusement parks (Kazaba 2019). All monkeys are protected by the World Conservation Convention CITES. However, species protection laws are only as good as they are implemented in practice. Police and law enforcement officers can only confiscate illegally kept monkeys if they also have good accommodation options available. However, the few existing monkey rescue centers are already overcrowded. The monkey orphanage “JACK” (Jeunes Animaux Confisqués au Katanga) in Congo still takes in various monkey species (Pro Wildlife 2022), but a release program is now of utmost importance. This will create space for more confiscated animals and the released monkeys can contribute to the survival of their species in protected forest areas. There is currently no rescue center in the Democratic Republic of Congo that has a release program for small monkey species.

 Lubumbashi
Day 14 Day 14
The good deed

With your donation today you are making release training for rescued monkey orphans possible. The basis for this is the construction of a release enclosure, where a special training program can be carried out for each monkey species. The animal keepers create these training programs together with experts who have already successfully released various species into the wild. For a life in the wild, it is important that the monkey children are put together in harmonious groups. In the release area, the monkeys are then gently weaned by their animal keepers. Together they practice gathering their own food - including hanging overhead from branches or ropes to train their climbing skills. This is how they also get to know the edible plants and fruits of the forest. The correct behavior when threatened by crocodiles or other hunters is vital for survival. Ready for the wild, the path to freedom can now begin. In the first few weeks, the charges are monitored with radio collars until they can safely find their way around their new territory.

About Democratic Republic of Congo
Capital city
Capital city
Capital city
92,377,986
92,377,986
Population
584.1
584.1
Gross domestic product per capita per year
Rank 179 of 191
Rank 179 of 191
Human Development Index (Human Development Index)

The Democratic Republic of Congo is the only country in the world that is home to three species of great apes: gorillas, bonobos and chimpanzees.