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Set
on a 1000 hectare game reserve, JGI Chimpanzee
Eden is a home to chimpanzees that have been
misplaced from their natural habitat. The world
renowned Jane Goodall Institute has made this
tranquil venue their South African sanctuary and
has committed itself to the rescue and care take
of chimpanzees in need of refuge. Being the 1st
and only chimpanzee sanctuary in South Africa,
this venue will be able to bring the world of
chimpanzees closer to humanity through
education, tourism and modern technology.
Entering the reserve, a mere 15 km from the
bustling city of Nelspruit, visitors can expect
to be captivated by the beautiful bush
surroundings with most of the natural game
species roaming the reserve.
The
reserve is located in a low risk malaria area
The
Chimpanzee
Eden
The
Chimpanzee (Pan Troglodytes) is the closest
relative to humans. In recent years the ‘bush-meat’
trade has grown exponentially as the great wild
forests of Africa have become more accessible to
humans, largely due to logging which is
destroying primate habitats by opening large
sections of forest with dirt roads. It is
estimated that Chimpanzees will be extinct
within their natural habitats in as little time
as 10 years. Therefore the Jane Goodall
Institute is committed to conserving the
primates and has created multiple sanctuaries in
Africa.
The
goal of the Sanctuary is to rescue some of the
Chimpanzees that have survived the hunting
ordeal but are still misplaced through the
lucrative illegal pet trade to zoos, circus
performers and medical research facilities.
Besides being provided with a home to live out
their lives they are also provided with the
necessary attention to recover from the trauma
that they have experienced.
Visitors
will have a unique opportunity to see
Chimpanzees in semi-wild surroundings with
normal social interaction and behavioural
patterns under group members. The Chimpanzee
groups live within large semi-wild enclosures
that are close to their natural habitat. The
enclosures also have viewpoints overlooking the
forest and ‘foraging areas’. The ‘foraging
areas’ have small fruits and berries mixed in
Eucalyptus Tree leaves. These ‘foraging areas’
will provide the Chimpanzees with behavioural
enrichment and will also provide visitors that
arrive after the feeding time with a better
chance to view them in the large enclosures.
Chimps
like other Great Apes (Gorillas and Orang Utans)
are finding an ever growing interest from the
public, as they are the closest relatives to
Human Kind and they are facing a quick
extinction in their natural habitat.
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