Project Primate France
Thanks to Dr. Christelle Colin and Charlotte Houpline, Projet Primate France (PPF) was reactivated.
Returned volunteers have made conferences and expositions to present our work in Guinea. During PPF conferences, adoptions
of CCC's chimpanzees and adhesion at PPF have helped fund some of the CCC's running costs. Volunteers and
Dr. Colin write newsletters with news from the CCC's activities and PPF activities, every trimester, which is sent to all adherents of PPF.
A French web site will be operative at the end of March 2009.
What's new at the C.C.C
Infrastructure:
 We haven't built anything at the sanctuary but many new buildings were put up at the release site to create the
new release camp, that we call Bakaria, since it's 5 kilometers from the Bakaria village.
A safe room, a kitchen, and two local rooms were built to house the personnel local and expatriate who are
monitoring the released chimpanzees that have stayed in the release area.
In March when the males were moved to the release cage, the welder spent weeks reinforcing the cage.
We were camping at the river on the same side as the males up until the release. We moved to the new camp
across the river the morning before the release.
New equipment
In October 2007, we purchased a used vehicle for the release program. It started to overheat in December
and we had to take it to a garage in Conakry, the capital city. It stayed there for weeks. When it was finally fixed,
in January (so they said!) we drove it back to Faranah. On the way, it broke down a couple of times and was fixed . . . But about
50 kilometers from Faranah, it caught fire and burned to the ground on the side of the road. No one was hurt but the passengers
lost their belongings and the car couldn't be saved.
To replace the Toyota, another 4x4 was purchased - thanks to some of the CCC funders who were willing to give additional funding.
We bought it in Conakry in April from a friend of the CCC ,for a very competitive price. It is a very reliable vehicle. We made a
rack on the roof to transport additional luggage.
 Unfortunately the rainy season was particularly intense in 2008 and the bridge that crosses Koffin, 2 kilometers from Somoria on the way to Faranah,
was swept away. We then used the boat to cross Koffin and when the water was low enough we went through the river directly. One time at the end of
August, the driver thought that it was low enough but the car stalled in the middle. We evacuated all the persons and luggage and tied it to tree.
While we were waiting for a pickup to come to pull it out, the water kept rising! The vehicle was almost completely covered by water.
We managed to pull it out and tracked it all the way to Faranah (82 kilometers of bush road). The mechanic changed the filters,
cleaned the motor, changed the oil and it was running again. We took it to Conakry for the electric system and a couple of weeks
after spending 24 hours submerged in water, the Pajero was running smoothly again. Repairing the bridge before the next rainy season
is really high on our priority list for 2009!
VHF radio
In 2006, USAID gave a grant for VHF radios. We also received, through PASA from Gorilla Heaven, hand held radios.
The fixed VHF radios were installed in Somoria and in Bakaria. At first, communication was really difficult and we
had to raise the antennas to over 40 meters. It now works fairly well. Another radio was installed in the Pajero
but the channel needs to be reprogrammed.
New water pump
Most of 2008 was spent without running water at the CCC since our water pump broke down and we couldn't afford a new one.
We were carrying water from the Niger River every day to drink (for ourselves and the chimps) and clean cages. It was hard work
and not a healthy way of living. Thanks to the Columbus Zoo, an emergency grant was received that allowed us to buy a durable
immerged water pump. The pump was installed in November and is working without fail!
Filming
A team paid for by Stichting AAP traveled to Guinea to film the release. Unfortunately, due to safety constraints, it wasn't possible
to film the actual release of the males and the team left after the move of the females. No documentary use with the footage has been made.
|
