TACUGAMA: Bala Amarasekaran has never felt like running his world-renowned sanctuary for orphaned chimpanzees in Sierra Leone was truly work, having come to his calling only after several unexpected twists of fate.<\/p>\n
Standing in his Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary not far from the capital Freetown, he tenderly patted a young ape\u2019s nose and stroked its cheek, whispering a few words of encouragement into its ear.<\/p>\n
A nearby adolescent, visibly jealous, grabbed at Amarasekaran\u2019s hand, pandering for his attention with an intense gaze.<\/p>\n
The chimps are not just Amarasekaran\u2019s life and work, but his family too. Since 1995 he has fought for them, nurtured them and preserved the oasis he created for them against an onslaught of dangers.<\/p>\n
\u201cI never feel I come to work because the chimps are a part of my life,\u201d Amarasekaran told AFP. \u201cIt\u2019s my passion, I come to see my family.\u201d<\/p>\n
In the face of armed rebel attacks during the country\u2019s civil war, mass deforestation and even Ebola, Amarasekaran has ensured the chimps\u2019 safety.<\/p>\n
In the midst of it all, Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary has become the country\u2019s leading ecotourism destination and a model for environmental conservation in west Africa.<\/p>\n
The little apes in the enclosure visited by Amarasekaran had only recently arrived following traumatic life experiences.<\/p>\n
Members of the critically endangered Western chimpanzee subspecies, the orphans are often malnourished or otherwise wounded by bullets or machetes, sometimes after being sold by poachers and kept as pets.<\/p>\n
At the sanctuary, located inside the country\u2019s Western Area Peninsula National Park, they will first be rehabilitated then freed into its dozens of hectares of protected tropical rainforest, already home to 123 primates.<\/p>\n
Amarasekaran, a 64-year-old accountant by training, was by no means destined for a life protecting young apes.<\/p>\n
\u201cWell it all happened by accident,\u201d Amarasekaran said, green eyes twinkling.<\/p>\n
Amarasekaran first arrived in Sierra Leone at age 17 from Sri Lanka.<\/p>\n
In 1988, while traveling in the countryside with his wife, Sharmila, the newlyweds were shocked to discover a baby chimpanzee tied to a village tree, malnourished and dehydrated.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe took the chimp, otherwise he would have died,\u201d Amarasekaran said, and once home \u201cwe actually looked after him like a child.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bruno, as he was named, would live with Amarasekaran for almost seven years until the sanctuary was built.<\/p>\n
The couple was astounded by the ape\u2019s emotions, and discovered that chimps had \u201cthe same kind of demands in terms of affection\u201d as humans, Amarasekaran said.<\/p>\n
The interspecies family grew as the Amarasekarans took in up to seven chimpanzees at a time.<\/p>\n
Despite all the love, there could be \u201ca lot of destruction,\u201d Amarasekaran said.<\/p>\n
Sometimes the chimps would escape from the house, causing damage to neighbors\u2019 properties or stealing bread from passersby.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was public enemy number one,\u201d Amarasekaran said with a laugh, often returning home to find bills for repairs from neighbors.<\/p>\n
After a decisive meeting with renowned primatologist Jane Goodall in 1993, Amarasekaran secured funding from the European Union and a green light from the Sierra Leone government.<\/p>\n
At the time, Amarasekaran thought he would commit one to two years to the project and then hand over the sanctuary.<\/p>\n
But that never happened.<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t realize the chimps would become a very important part of my life,\u201d Amarasekaran said, his voice breaking with emotion.<\/p>\n
Thanks to his awareness campaign, the government declared the chimpanzee the \u201cnational animal of Sierra Leone\u201d in 2019.<\/p>\n
Over the years the sanctuary has endured many challenges. During the country\u2019s civil war, which lasted from 1991 to 2002, the sanctuary was attacked twice by rebels and completely looted.<\/p>\n
Amarasekaran had to negotiate with the fighters to spare his staff and chimps\u2019 lives.<\/p>\n
Later, the Ebola epidemic posed an existential threat to humans and chimps alike. The center closed for a year and caregivers moved into the facility.<\/p>\n
The same system was also put in place for several months during Covid-19.<\/p>\n
Faced with an alarming increase in deforestation and illegal encroachment on the national park where the refuge is located, Amarasekaran is taking drastic measures.<\/p>\n
Since late May he has kept the sanctuary closed in a protest meant to shock the government into action.<\/p>\n
So far however, the government has not responded, and the financial consequences for the sanctuary, which depends on tourism and donations, are weighing heavily.<\/p>\n
As a keeper it is easy to develop a special bond with a few favorite chimps, just like among humans, Amarasekaran said.<\/p>\n
He had been particularly close with Bruno, Julie and Philipp, now deceased.<\/p>\n
These days, he likes to visit with Mac, Mortes and Abu: \u201cThese are my friends,\u201d he said while smiling.<\/p>\n
As AFP accompanied Amarasekaran around the sanctuary, a roar of excitement arose from an enclosure where some of the adults were gathered.<\/p>\n
The adoring screeches seemed proof that the unique love Amarasekaran professed for his chimps goes both ways.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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