Badly injured chimp needs specialist care
A young chimpanzee, found with deep wounds from a machete attack, has required urgent medical attention from our long-term partners at Limbe Wildlife Centre, Cameroon.
Mbolle-Annalies is now recovering (c) Limbe Wildlife Centre
Despite all she has endured, Mbolle-Annalies is a remarkably trusting and kind chimpanzee. Found with terrible wounds in western Cameroon and thought to be an ex-pet, thanks to the swift intervention and expertise of Born Free’s colleagues at Limbe Wildlife Centre, the youngster is now on the road to recovery.
The adolescent female chimpanzee was discovered near a village on the outskirts of Bakossi National Park, in western Cameroon – a hotspot for biodiversity including chimpanzees. Video footage, sent to Limbe Wildlife Centre from local wildlife officials, showed Mbolle’s familiarity around people – which led their team to suspect she’d been kept as a pet, then released. But, when they went to assess the situation, the youngster was found to have deep cuts on her arms and legs – probably caused by a machete.
Mbolle was immediately transferred to the Limbe Wildlife Centre for urgent medical attention. “Our dedicated veterinary team conducted an extensive five-hour surgery to address her injuries,” explains their Fundraising & Communications Manager Laura Praill. “Thankfully, her wounds, among the worst our team have encountered, are healing well externally. However, we remain vigilant in monitoring her recovery to assess any long-term mobility issues she may face because of the attack.”
Limbe Wildlife Centre, established in 1993, plays a crucial role in rescuing and rehabilitating wildlife affected by illegal bushmeat and pet trades in Cameroon. Born Free has supported their life-saving work since 2004, not least helping care for orphaned chimps. Very sadly, it’s likely Mbolle had witnessed her entire family being killed for their meat, then was sold as an infant to be kept as a pet.
“As part of Mbolle’s ongoing rehabilitation, we recognise the crucial role of her psychological well-being,” Laura explains. “To this end, we are committed to implementing a comprehensive enrichment programme tailored to meet her needs. This includes diverse activities such as foraging tasks, puzzle-solving, sensory stimulation, and more, which are designed to encourage natural behaviours and promote recovery.
“Thank you to Born Free and all supporters for your continued support and trust in our mission at Limbe Wildlife Centre. The care and rehabilitation of chimpanzees like Mbolle-Annalies is only possible because of the dedication of partners like Born Free.”
Chinoise (c) Limbe Wildlife Centre
An update on Chinoise
Laura also shared a wonderful update on Chinoise, a playful and cheeky 12-year-old chimpanzee, who Born Free has helped look after since her rescue in 2013.
Healthy and strong, Chinoise is especially close to another rescued chimp called Jojo, who she loves to cuddle!
Limbe Wildlife Centre is currently undertaking a significant expansion project, with plans for larger, forested enclosures outside of Limbe. We’ll report back!