Israeli saves chimp from Congolese troops - Israel Activism, Ynetnews
source: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3626534,00.html
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- julesrs007
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Through the battles that have been raging in southeast Congo and the hundreds of thousands of people uprooted from their homes, Israeli aid worker Eyal Reinich managed to rescue a young chimpanzee that was being illegally held by soldiers in the city of Goma.
Reinich has spent the past six months in the North-Kivu district as the director of Belgian organization Handicap International's office. "On my way to aid at the refugee camps, I noticed government soldiers patroling the area with a chimpanzee on them," Reinich said in a telephone interview from Congo.
"Mafima (the chimpanzee) looked very bad, she would just pick up hear head to smile or make contact, but the soldiers just abused her, and beat her up. It was hard to resist her human face. She looked completely starved."
Reinich approached the soldiers and asked to take Mafima from them, but was told that the chimpanzee was a lucky charm for them. "They said that thanks to her they beat the rebels," he said, "I gently told them that I did not want a confrontation with them and if they would just give me the chimpanzee, maybe I could find a better place for her and that would be a lucky charm for them."
After some negotiation, Reinich and the soldiers set up a meeting, and Mafima was eventually purchased for US$ 130 and brought to Reinich's home.
"Mafima suffered from a gunshot injury in the palm of her hand. She was weak, starved, her hair was falling out as a result of malnutrition and stress," said Reinich, who immediately contacted the Congolese Institute for the Conservation of Nature (ICCN) to come pick her up.
For four days Reinich and his housemates cared for Mafima thoroughly; cleaning her, feeding her, giving her lice and flea medicine, and of course providing her with the warmth she was missing during her time with the soldiers.
"We even let her sleep in the same bed with us," said Reinich. "She's a real sweetheart."
ICCN representatives arriving to pick Mafima up frowned on the fact that Reinich bought her from the soldiers, fearing it would only encourage the trade of protected wildlife.
What's the alternative? To let her suffer from a gunshot wound and soldiers' abuse?" Reinich said. "That she be a starved living lucky charm? It's not the ideal solution, but it was the best choice in the given situation."
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Kelly_Boyer
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I understand the pain of witnessing baby chimpanzees starving - abused - malnourished. I understand the desire to save them, to help them. I have raised abused chimpanzee infants at a chimpanzee sanctuary in West Africa. But I also understand the machine - the illegal pet trade. I have known other expats who purchase orphans to "help" save them. I have also known of chimpanzee traders who leave orphans on the doorsteps of expat camps/houses. Expats are targeted to pay for chimps. Money fuels the illegal pet trade. This is the sad truth.
Mr. Reinich, I applaud your empathy. Empathy is lacking in the world today, and I cannot criticize a person for trying to help right a wrong. But I implore you (and journalist Erez Ehrlichman of Ynetnews.com), understand the issues before creating an article that can be seen by millions around the world. This story needs to be shared, but the facts need to be clear. Money should not be exchanged in ending the illegal trading of wildlife.
I am currently a chimpanzee conservationist, dedicating my life to the safety, survival and future of wild chimpanzees. Please understand that for myself, and people like Cleve Hicks, this is our work - our lives! We understand the problems and are striving for solutions. Money is not the solution.
Kelly Boyer
Falémé Chimpanzee Conservation Project - 6 months ago
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Kelly_Boyer
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clevehicks
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Dear Raemonde,
Unfortunately the cost of Mr. Reinich's paying money to save this baby chimpanzee will probably be the death of several more chimpanzee mothers. He has helped to drive the trade! Of course we agree that this orphan chimpanzee should have been saved -- but we disagree on the best way to do so. The offenders in this case (the Congolese soldiers) were NOT punished for having aquired and offered for sale the baby chimpanzee, they were rewarded --- with $130! If we cannot convince ex-patriots to STOP BUYING BABY CHIMPANZEES, the forests will be emptied of chimpanzees in no time. To better understand what the stakes are, please see my Ynet article at http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3700963,0..., or my Youtube news article on the Bili apes (partially in Dutch, but mostly in English) at http://www.youtube.com/user/biliapes. I do agree with Raemonde that we must find a way to encourage the Congolese authorities to confiscate orphan chimpanzees and to lean on offenders with the full weight of the law.Cleve Hicks
- 2 years ago
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clevehicks
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Raemonde
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I am VERY HAPPY that Mr. Reinich saved this beautiful chimpanzee at what ever the cost. What needs to happen is LAWS MUST be put in place to help these poor animals and Great Apes from people that confiscate them.
I believe in an "eye for an eye" when the intent is there.
Offenders must be punished to the full extent of the law for these crimes. Only then will these beautiful species ever have a chance for survival. - 2 years ago
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Raemonde
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clevehicks
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Raemonde:
Dear Raemonde,
Unfortunately the cost of Mr. Reinich's paying money to save this baby chimpanzee will probably be the death of several more chimpanzee mothers. He has helped to drive the trade! Of course we agree that this orphan chimpanzee should have been saved -- but we disagree on the best way to do so. The offenders in this case (the Congolese soldiers) were NOT punished for having aquired and offered for sale the baby chimpanzee, they were rewarded --- with $130! If we cannot convince ex-patriots to STOP BUYING BABY CHIMPANZEES, the forests will be emptied of chimpanzees in no time. To better undertsand what the stakes are, please see my Ynet article at http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3700963,0..., or my Youtube news article on the Bili apes (partially in Dutch, but mostly in English) at http://www.youtube.com/user/biliapes. I do agree with Raemonde that we must find a way to encourage the Congolese authorities to confiscate orphan chimpanzees and to lean on offenders with the full weight of the law. - 2 years ago
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clevehicks
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cleve
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As a chimpanzee researcher and conservationist working in the Northern DRC (please see my ebooks at www.wasmoethwildlife.org), I am enormously disturbed by this story. I have no doubt that Mr. Reinich was moved by compassion to buy the orphan chimpanzee from the soldiers, but it was an act of ignorance that may well cost the lives of many more chimpanzee mothers and babies. $130 is a huge amount of money to a Congolese soldier, and it is a good bet the seller will put in an order for more chimpanzee babies following this windfall. We are currently witnessing a chimpanzee massacre in N DRC, and a huge market in orphans. Clearly misguided compassion such as this is part of what is driving the trade. In the future, please find a way to take in orphan chimpanzees that does not involve an exchange of money or gifts (as we have done in Aketi, with 6 orphans), or you are doing more harm than good. A good idea is to contact ICCN before trying to take in the orphan.
Cleve Hicks
The Bili Chimpanzee Project - 3 years ago
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cleve
