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Draft:Lwiro Primates Rehabilitation Center

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Lwiro Primates Rehabilitation Center (LPRC) is a wildlife sanctuary in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). LPRC provides safe shelter, food, and veterinary care to wildlife entrusted to it by Congolese environmental authorities. LPRC's mission is to care for these animals until they can be safely returned to the wild.[1]

The Need for a Primate Sanctuary in DRC

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LPRC cares for chimpanzees, monkeys, and other animals brought to it by the Congolese environmental authority, Institute Congolaise pour la Conservation de la Nature (ICCN). ICCN rescues some of these animals after they were injured or orphaned by poachers.[2] Others are confiscated from the illegal trade in exotic pets.[3]

Most of the animals LPRC cares for are classified as endangered or vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). See The Animals at LPRC, below.

The primary threats facing chimpanzees and other primates in DRC are poaching, habitat loss, and the illegal pet trade.[3]: 25 

Poaching

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All killing, capturing, or consuming meat from chimpanzees is illegal in DRC.[3]: 25  Nonetheless, poaching is the principal direct threat to chimpanzees in DRC. The poaching threat is made worse by several factors, which the DRC's Conservation Action Plan lists as the soaring human population and subsequent settlements in previously undisturbed areas; the presence of workers in legal and illegal lumber and mining operations in the forests; the presence of armed rebel groups that depend on wildlife to feed themselves; and insufficient anti-poaching patrols.[3]: 25 

Poaching, also referred to as "bushmeat hunting," has two secondary impacts in addition to the killing of the target chimpanzees.  First, infant and juvenile chimpanzees are orphaned when the older and larger members of their troop are killed for their meat. Many of these orphans are abandoned in the forests. Because chimpanzees depend upon their troop for survival, many of these orphaned chimpanzees die.[3]: 25  Second, chimpanzees (and gorillas) can become entangled in traps and snares that poachers set for other animals. This accidental snaring can lead to serious, and sometimes fatal, injuries.[3]: 25 

Trafficking in Endangered Species

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As stated above, the illegal pet trade is also one of the most significant direct threats to chimpanzees and monkeys. It is unlawful to capture, sell or keep chimpanzees as pets in DRC.[3]: 32  The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES) prohibits commercial trade in species that are in danger of extinction, and also requires controls on the trade in animals that are less threatened but still require protection from over-exploitation.[4] The United States and DRC are parties to CITES.[5] CITES prohibits international trade in wild chimpanzees.[6]

Nonetheless, trafficking in chimpanzees continues.[3]: 32  Internationally, the illegal wildlife trade is the fourth most lucrative illegal market, after drugs, weapons, and human trafficking.[7] Young chimpanzees cannot be captured without killing their mothers and other members of the troop who come to their defense.[3]: 32  Thus, for every wild chimpanzee captured for the pet trade, multiple adult chimpanzees were killed.

LPRC's Role in DRC's Conservation Action Plan

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DRC is home to the Grauer's gorilla, which is critically endangered,[8] and the eastern chimpanzee, which is endangered.[9] DRC has established a number of national strategies and objectives to protect these two animals from extinction.[3]: 2-3  These objectives include increasing the capacity of wildlife sanctuaries, including LPRC, "to take in all confiscated great apes and provide appropriate conditions for their potential reintroduction into a natural environment."[3]: 41  The Conservation Action Plan also tasked LPRC with providing veterinary care to animals in the sanctuary and training veterinarians in caring for great apes.[3]: 42  (The Conservation Action Plan refers to LPRC by its French acronym CRPL, for Centre de Rehabilitation des Primates de Lwiro.[3]: 50 ) These strategies and objectives were reaffirmed in the country's 2019 report to the Convention On Biological Diversity.[10]

The Animals at LPRC

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As of 2024, LPRC was providing care for 129 eastern chimpanzees, 108 monkeys, and other animals, including the endangered grey parrot.[11] This number changes over time.

The eastern chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) is one of the four subspecies of the chimpanzee. All four subspecies are endangered.[9] "Endangered" means that, based on the best available evidence, a species faces a very high risk of becoming extinct in the wild.[12]

More than 90% of the eastern chimpanzees surviving today live in DRC.[13] This has led the IUCN to recognize the DRC as the most important country on earth for the survival of this subspecies.[14]

LPRC cares for several different species of monkeys. Several of these monkey species are vulnerable or near threatened. "Vulnerable" means that, based on the best available evidence, a species faces a high risk of becoming extinct in the wild.[12]  "Near threatened" means that a species is close to qualifying, or is likely to qualify in the near future, as vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered.[12] For example, LPRC cares for L'Hoest's monkeys (Allochrocebus lhoesti)[15] and Owl-faced monkeys (Cercopithecus hamlyni),[16] both of which are classified as vulnerable, as well as Patas monkeys (Erythrocebus patas),[17] which are classified as near threatened.

LPRC also cares for a number of grey parrots (Psittacus erithacus). Grey parrots are also an endangered species.[18]

Accreditation and International Recognition

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LPRC is accredited by the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS).[19] According to GFAS: "Accreditation means that Lwiro Primates Rehabilitation Center has met GFAS's rigorous and peer-reviewed animal care standards which are confirmed by a site visit, and that it adheres to a demanding set of ethical and operational principles."[20]

LPRC is accredited[21] by the Pan African Sanctuary Alliance (PASA).[22] PASA is an alliance of 23 primate sanctuaries located in 13 African countries.[23]

In 2023, LPRC's Technical Director, Itsaso Velez del Burgo Guinea, was awarded the Barcelona Museum of Natural Science's 6th Nat Award "for her primate conservation work, which she combines with humanitarian work in a country ravaged by war, famine and persecution."[24]

The New Yorker documentary film "Mama" explores the healing relationship between an LPRC caretaker brutalized during the ongoing armed conflict in DRC and the traumatized primates in her care.[25] The film won the Goya Award for Best Documentary Short Film in 2022.[26]

LPRC's conservation work has been profiled in National Geographic.[27]

References

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  1. ^ "About Lwiro Primates Rehabilitation Center". Lwiro Primates. Retrieved 13 January 2025.
  2. ^ Grand, Alison (December 2012). "Implementing Conservation Action Plan Strategies in Northeastern Congo". Gorilla Journal. 45: 5.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Maldonado, Oscar; Aveling, Conrad; Cox, Debbie (2012). Grauer's Gorillas and Chimpanzees in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (Kahuzi-Biega, Maiko, Tayna and Itombwe Landscape): Conservation Action Plan 2012–2022 (PDF) (Report). p. 32. ISBN 978-2-8317-1535-3. Retrieved 2025-01-13.
  4. ^ "CITES". U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. 16 July 2024. Retrieved 13 January 2025.
  5. ^ "List of Parties to the Convention". CITES. Retrieved 13 January 2025.
  6. ^ "Checklist of CITES Species". CITES. Retrieved 13 January 2025.
  7. ^ "Rural and Wildlife Crime Strategy: 2022-2025" (PDF). U.K. National Wildlife Crime Unit. National Police Chiefs' Council. Retrieved 13 January 2025.
  8. ^ Plumptre, A.; Nixon, S.; Caillaud, D.; Hall, J.S.; Hart, J.A.; Nishuli, R.; Williamson, E.A. (1 March 2016). "Grauer's Gorilla". IUCN Red List. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T39995A17989838.en. Retrieved 13 January 2025.
  9. ^ a b Plumptre, A.; Hart, J.A.; Hicks, T.C.; Nixon, S.; Piel, A.K.; Pintea, L. (18 March 2016). "Eastern Chimpanzee". IUCN Red List. Retrieved 13 January 2025.
  10. ^ Sixieme Rapport de la Republique Democratique Du Congo a la Convention Sur la Diversite Biologique [Sixth Report of the Democratic Republic of Congo to the Convention on Biological Diversity] (PDF) (Report) (in French). October 2019. p. 176. Retrieved 13 January 2025.{{cite report}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  11. ^ "Lwiro's Primates". Lwiro Primates. Retrieved 14 January 2025.
  12. ^ a b c "IUCN Red List of Threatened Species". IUCN Red List. Retrieved 14 January 2025.
  13. ^ IUCN Red List, Eastern Chimpanzee at "Population".
  14. ^ Plumptrte, A.J.; Rose, R.; Nangendo, G.; Williamson, E.A.; Didier, K. (2010). Eastern Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii): Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan 2010-2020 (PDF) (Report). p. 5. ISBN 978-2-8317-1246-8. Retrieved 14 January 2025.{{cite report}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  15. ^ Ukizintambara, T.; Olupot, W.; Hart, J. (2019). "L'Hoest's Monkey". IUCN Red List. Retrieved 14 January 2025.
  16. ^ Hart, J.; Maisels, F. (2020). "Owl-faced Monkey". IUCN Red List. Retrieved 14 January 2025.
  17. ^ De Jong, Y.A.; Rylands, A.B.; Butynski, T.M. (2022). "Patas Monkey". IUCN Red List. Retrieved 14 January 2025.
  18. ^ Birdlife International (2021). "Grey Parrot". IUCN Red List. Retrieved 14 January 2025.
  19. ^ "Lwiro Primates Rehabilitation Center". Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries. 5 September 2023. Retrieved 14 January 2025.
  20. ^ "Lwiro Primates Rehabilitation Center in Democratic Republic of Congo is Accredited by the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries" (PDF). Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries. 7 September 2023. Retrieved 14 January 2025.
  21. ^ "Ensuring the highest standard of care for apes and monkeys". Pan African Sanctuary Alliance. 14 June 2021. Retrieved 14 January 2025.
  22. ^ "Lwiro Primates Rehabilitation Center". Pan African Sanctuary Alliance. 18 June 2021. Retrieved 14 January 2025.
  23. ^ "United for Africa's Great Apes and Monkeys". Pan African Sanctuary Alliance. Retrieved 14 January 2025.
  24. ^ Museu de Ciências Naturals de Barcelona (2023). "Nat Award 2023". Museu de Ciências Naturals de Barcelona. Retrieved 14 January 2025.
  25. ^ "A Woman and her Chimpanzees Heal Together after Trauma". The New Yorker. 20 October 2021. Retrieved 14 January 2025.{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  26. ^ "Mama". Quexito Films. Retrieved 14 January 2025.
  27. ^ Steyn, Paul (October 2021). "Saving chimps, and finding hope amid chaos". National Geographic. p. 122. Retrieved 14 January 2025.
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