Reports

Program No.18-052

Current situation and perspective of chimpanzee conservation in Sierra Leone

Report Kabasawa Asami

2nd October, 2006 - 16th March, 2007

Interviews with local people from different sectors in Sierra Leone were conducted in order to find out perceptions on chimpanzees and chimpanzee conservation. The sectors included people living in chimpanzee habitats, local university students majoring in environmental science, government officials, and former animal dealers. Study sites were Freetown, villages around Western Area Forest Reserve and Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary, Outamba-Kilimi National Park, Tiwai Island Sanctuary, Bo, Kenema, Kono, and Pujehun. During semi-structured interviews, people were asked mainly on utilization of chimpanzees as natural resource, traditional believes about them and awareness about chimpanzee conservation. I stayed at Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary for one month to observe the sanctuary's activities and collect data on chimpanzee pet trade. 

From the 25th to 30th November, I stayed in Conakry, Guinea, to attend the Bossou 30 years symposium organized by KUPRI, IREB and DNRST.

Freetown Mural 5

Tacugama Sanctuary

Pet chimp Bebi in Shemingo, Bo

HOPE Project<>