Dear Friends,
Let me introduce you Masika (picture below) a baby chimpanzee now at J.A.C.K.
Masika arrived a few days ago on the 29th of September. Rosmarie of the Okapi Wildlife Reserve (Epulu,DRC) actually contacted us on September 13th asking if J.A.C.K. could take the baby chimpanzee she had rescued.
Masika belonged to a soldier and was confiscated by ICCN authorities of Epulu. The baby female was transferred at Rosmarie’s place and she accepted to take care of the little one. But feeling the best place for Masika was to be among others of her own kind and knowing about our NGO, Rosmarie decided to contact J.A.C.K. That’s how Masika came into our lives!
But how to transfer Masika to Lubumbashi? The Okapi Reserve is so far ?
There were several people who made the transfer possible. First we need to mention MAF CONGO which accepted to take baby Masika from Epulu to Goma. If Rosmarie hadn’t had this flying opportunity, she would have travelled by road (Epulu-Beni = minimum 6hours driving!) and spent 1 night in Beni before continuing on the next day to Goma. That’s why the MAF CONGO air company was so important: it made the journey shorter to Goma!
In Goma, Rosmarie had already contacted different people. Serge in charge of FZS logistics did a wonderful job and so did Lucy Faveau and Robert Muir who agreed to help with the procedure. We won’t forget the participation of the ICCN in Goma nor Dr Emmanuel de Merode who was aware of this transfer.
Also, Patricia played an important role too. Manager of a local airline company, ITAB, she accepted to take Masika on board to cover the last stretch between Goma and Lubumbashi. It isn’t the first time Patricia, her husband and her team assist us because the Kivu 4 arrived last February in Lubumbashi thanks to their kindness.
Without the intervention of all these helpful people, transfer of Massika from Epulu to Lubumbashi wouldn’t have taken place and we are all grateful for their participation and kindness. Again, this action shows that different NGO’s and institutions can work as a team! Thank you to all of you and thank you too, Rosmarie, for having saved baby Masika!!
In Lubumbashi, Franck and the inspectors of the Ministry of Environment welcomed baby Masika.
Franck drove her to the Refuge where the JACK team was eagerly waiting for her!
Papa Bukasa (left) and Papa Augustin (right)
Papa Augustin took Masika immediately in his arms and cheerily welcomed her with chimp noises…
Because of her young age and because Masika was too thin and could pass through the bars of our quarantine cages, I took her home where she is now looked after by Carole.
Masika is now the 24th chimp of our J.A.C.K. Refuge and is the 27th to be rescued by us.
Why 27th? We have lost JAK and TOUZO(remember!). But in my next post, I’ll talk about Ikia, a baby female who arrived at J.A.C.K. last July but who didn’t make it…. Unfortunately, rescues haven’t always happy ends,…
I’ll update soon on Masika’s settling in,
Thank you
Roxane
Congratulations for the job done.
Masika has the most beautiful eyes I ever saw in a chimp.
Regards
Susana P (Argentina=
She is a luckey chimp arriving to J.A.C.K.
Hope she will find her place soon among other orphend chimps.
keep up with the wonderful job you are doing!
Great effort by everyone to get her to J.A.C.K’s….fantstic team work like you say, all the best little Masika, you are a lucky girl that have found a new home…
Oh Roxane, she is gorgeous…although I am sorry about her circumstances, I am glad she found her way to JACK. Higs to all of you 🙂
Thank you to everyone involved in getting Masika to J.A.C.K. safely. She will be much happier with other babies of her own kind. I have no doubts you and your team will have her fattened up in no time, Roxane. God bless you all. Merci beaucoup!