Chimpanzee Trafficking

In the last two years alone conservationists have managed to reclaim over 10 chimpanzees from animal smugglers. The Chimpanzee Sanctuary and Wildlife Conservation Trust director, Ajarova Lilian in Ngamba Island on Lake Victoria announced that the smuggling of chimpanzees out of the country has again began at alarming rates. At a workshop, Lilian said that although chimpanzee smuggling had reduced for at least two years with not reported cases there has been over 10 arrests concerning chimpanzee smuggling. This workshop was organized to celebrate the 10th year of the existence of this chimpanzee sanctuary which was established as a home for orphaned chimps as well as those recaptured from animal traffickers. According to the head of the Uganda wildlife Education Centre, Dr. Seguya, the increasing need for forests covered land is the number one threat to chimpanzees.
What was observed was the fact that chimpanzees are very protective of their young ones and for a person to capture just one of these babies, they will have to massacre the whole colony or contend with the others in the community. A case in point was the family of four chimpanzees that was probable murdered in Kibale forest national park.
Of all the primates in the world, mountain gorillas and chimpanzees in Africa are an endangered species and face extinction if nothing is done about their plight. In Africa Chimpanzees, can be found all along the equatorial region from west Africa to Uganda and Kenya in the East of the continent. As for mountain gorillas these are only found in the border areas of Uganda, Rwanda and Congo. In Uganda they are found in the two protected areas of Bwindi impenetrable forest offering mountain gorilla tour, and Mghahinga national park which also offers gorilla safari. In Rwanda, they are found in parc des Volcanes.
In Uganda chimpanzees are found in Murchison falls national park, Queen Elizabeth national park, Kibale national park and Semliki national park.
For those interest in chimpanzee tours, African Secrets offers Murchison falls national park tour, Queen Elizabeth national park safari, Kibale national park tour and semliki national park tour