Kenya’s only chimpanzee Sanctuary is set to re-open after a three-year hiatus. The Sanctuary known as Sweet Waters Chimpanzee Sanctuary is located at the famous Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Laikipia County.
It is set to open its doors starting March 1, 2024, after a 3-year closure necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ol Pejeta Conservancy CEO Justin Heath announced the reopening, ushering in a new and immersive experience for visitors encountering the primates.
“We are thrilled to announce the grand reopening of the Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary which marks not just a return to normalcy, but also the unveiling of a new, immersive experience that allows visitors an up-close encounter with one of nature’s most fascinating creatures,” he said.
He further added that the reopening is a celebration of resilience, both of the chimpanzees and the dedicated team at Ol Pejeta Conservancy.
The re-opening will see guests have the opportunity to witness firsthand the care, rehabilitation, and joy of the chimps according to the CEO.
Sweet Waters Sanctuary
According to the Ol Pejeta conservancy, chimpanzees are not native to Kenya which adds a unique aspect about the Sanctuary.
Chimps have their natural home range spanning from Senegal on the West African coast, through the central forested belt of Africa, to Uganda and Rwanda.
Also Read: Details of Rare Kenyan Zebra That Dazzled Netizens
The primates share about 98.6% of their DNA with humans and are believed to be the closest cousins to humans.
Besides, their emotional and intelligent beings display behaviors remarkably like humans, such as affection and laughter.
In addition, the Sweet Waters Chimpanzee Sanctuary was established at the Conservancy in Kenya back in 1993, when a rescue center in Burundi had to be closed due to the civil war outbreak.
It was established with an agreement between the Ol Pejeta Conservancy, the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) and the Jane Goodall Institute.
“The aim was to provide lifelong refuge to orphaned and abused chimpanzees from West and Central Africa,” notes Ol Pejeta.
Moreover, according to the Conservancy, over the last decade, the Sweet Waters Sanctuary has been compelled to keep accepting chimpanzees rescued from traumatic situations.
Many are confiscated from cramped and unnatural living conditions. At the same time, a majority of the primates arrive with horrific injuries sustained from abuse at the hands of humans.
Chimpanzee care
At Sweet waters, they get a chance to start over and the sanctuary currently hosts over 33 chimpanzees.
Also Read: Two Men in Court Over Possession of Ksh.3.2M Elephant Tusks
Chimps arriving at the Sanctuary are carefully nursed back to health through a 24-hour veterinary support and a stimulating quarantine enclosure.
When they are ready, they are introduced into one of the two large groups at the Sanctuary, who live in vast natural enclosures separated by the Ewaso Nyiro River.
The chimps have set feeding times and return to their indoor enclosures at night. Also, the rescued primates spend their days exploring, climbing, socializing, and learning to be chimpanzees all over again.
Sweetwaters is a chartered member of the Pan African Sanctuary Alliance (PASA), an alliance of 18 sanctuaries in 12 African countries.
The alliance currently cares for over 800 orphaned and confiscated chimpanzees. PASA’s role is to help conserve chimpanzees and other primates and their habitats through public education and lobbying for political goodwill.
