AYV News, May 27, 2025
The Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary in Sierra Leone has been closed until further notice due to ongoing illegal encroachment in and around the protected area.
In a public statement, the management of the Sanctuary said encroachment beyond park boundaries remains a serious issue.
The Management said it was grateful to President Julius Maada Bio for personally ordering law enforcement to act, but that efforts to remove some illegal structures near the sanctuary stopped three months ago, and encroachment on other flanks is now rapidly approaching the perimeter.
The management complained that they have been seeing traps dangerously close to the chimpanzee enclosures, and these poses a direct threat to the 122 rescued chimpanzees and the ecosystem.
The Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary said: “This is a painful but necessary decision. Tacugama plays a vital role in conservation education, and we rely on visitor income to care for the chimps. During this closure, we will also rehabilitate several electric-fenced enclosures to ensure safety and strengthen our security protocols. We urge the authorities to resume immediate action to protect Sierra Leone’s wildlife and national parks”.
