Chimpanzees and other wildlife rescued by the Jane Goodall Institute find a new home at the Tchimpounga Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Center in the Republic of the Congo. Many orphaned by the international illegal wild meat and pet trades, these chimpanzees receive expert care and rehabilitation by Tchimpounga’s staff and are adopted into new chimpanzee families. Tchimpounga also stands as a beacon against wildlife crime through a “Triangle Approach,” which supports relationships with law enforcement and partnership with communities to address the drivers of the illegal trade through sustainable livelihoods, public awareness, and environmental education.

Founded in 1992, Tchimpounga is one of the largest chimpanzee sanctuaries across countries in Africa, having provided care to more than 200 individuals. Located within the Tchimpounga Nature Reserve, Tchimpounga’s chimpanzees are cared for at a main sanctuary site, as well as three forested island sanctuary sites by Dr. Rebeca Atencia, JGI-Congo’s executive director, and a dedicated team of expert caregivers.

Tchimpounga’s staff provide individualized care plans for each rescued chimpanzee while supporting and ensuring their welfare as they are integrated into communities of other chimpanzees, many of whom are unrelated to one another. Tchimpounga is also home to the Chimpanzee Welfare Index, created by Dr. Atencia (based upon the Great Ape Welfare Index by Amanda Fernie) which rates welfare across criteria ranging from social, psychological, and physical well-being. Connected with local communities, the work at Tchimpounga extends beyond the sanctuary through a holistic approach that tackles the drivers of illegal trade like poverty and lack of available information. By investing in locally grown fruits for the chimpanzees, supporting law enforcement agency confiscations of endangered wildlife, and offering school-based educational programs for youth as well as information billboards, JGI is making great strides in the work to end the trade for good. The facility has also successfully rescued, rehabilitated, and released several groups of mandrill monkeys, pangolins, and a variety of other animals.

We build on the work of our model facility at Tchimpounga, as well as on Dr. Goodall’s inspiring thought leadership, writings, and advocacy to improve non-human animal welfare globally. Through innovations in captive care, advocacy and cross-sectoral partnerships, JGI makes sure that every chimpanzee is provided the respect and quality of life they deserve. Through their care model and evaluation system known as the Chimpanzee Welfare Index, JGI is proud that every chimpanzee in Tchimpounga is at or above 97% for positive welfare—which has continued to increase since its implementation. The model is one they share to improve the standards and wellbeing of captive apes around the world.