We’ve been hearing about some chimps near Beni, which is a town far north of Goma for a while now. First it was one, then it was two, then it was three, then back down to one… But they finally got two of them confiscated and got them driven down to Goma, we paid for the transport… But one of them managed to brake out of his cage so they could bring them no further, and we had to come and get them in Goma. All along we had heard that they were about 1 and 2 years old. But then the night before me and Carmen was leaving for Goma, they called again and this time said that one of them was 20kg! We left the next morning for Bukavu and the boat for Goma. We had booked tickets for the fast boat and hoped to be there in the afternoon the same day, but no… They sold our tickets to someone else... We found one that was going in the afternoon and would take all night to get to Goma. No choice so we bought some first class tickets, which was still a lot cheaper than the fast boat. It was a nice cabin on the top of the boat, but as time went on it filled up with quite a lot of people. And it was over filled by the time we left Bukavu… Incredibly we managed to get some sleep though. And the next morning after 13 hours on the boat we arrived in Goma. People from the ICCN met us and we drove straight to DFGF International where the chimps were kept.
The two chimps were Kongo and Lume. Kongo was chained to a cement post, and he was big, but the nicest personality. He gave both me and Carmen big hugs and was very happy to meet us. We guess he’s about 8 years old, maybe older and closer to 30kg!
Lume was in a cage, very traumatised and scared, and he bites. We think he’s about 5-6 years old. Carmen managed to find a cage and reinforced it so that it hopefully will keep Kongo inside, and she anesthetized him and we put him in the cage.
We managed to find a boat that will take us with the chimps, but it leaves the day after tomorrow, so we have to spend tomorrow here. At least then they will get to know us a bit, and we’ll see if the cage will hold Kongo inside!
The two chimps were Kongo and Lume. Kongo was chained to a cement post, and he was big, but the nicest personality. He gave both me and Carmen big hugs and was very happy to meet us. We guess he’s about 8 years old, maybe older and closer to 30kg!
Lume was in a cage, very traumatised and scared, and he bites. We think he’s about 5-6 years old. Carmen managed to find a cage and reinforced it so that it hopefully will keep Kongo inside, and she anesthetized him and we put him in the cage.
We managed to find a boat that will take us with the chimps, but it leaves the day after tomorrow, so we have to spend tomorrow here. At least then they will get to know us a bit, and we’ll see if the cage will hold Kongo inside!
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