Conkuati-Douli Chimpanzee Project
Background
Throughout their range, chimpanzees are threatened by deforestation, hunting, pet trade and disease outbreaks. There are presently 18 sanctuaries in Africa, housing more than 500 great apes. However, due to the high financial burden of keeping chimpanzees in captivity, a long-term solution is required to address the problem of the expanding population of great apes in sanctuaries. HELP Congo has developed a reintroduction program in the Conkouati-Douli National Park (CDNP) to investigate whether it is feasible to return chimpanzees to their natural environment.
Given that the wild population of chimpanzees is currently large enough not to require reinforcement via release programs, the most important measure in the conservation of chimpanzees clearly remains the protection of their habitat, and reduction of hunting pressure. However, if released females are shown to interact with wild chimpanzees and to reproduce successfully, this will demonstrate that wild-born captive chimpanzees can be released into the wild and integrate into wild populations, which will have huge implications for the future conservation of wild and captive populations. Although wild chimpanzees are not at imminent risk of extinction, increasing 
habitat fragmentation has already led to the isolation of small communities. Re-introduction may have potential as a method of increasing the numbers and the genetic variability of small populations and chimpanzee release programs may also be of use in relocating populations that have no future.
Demonstration that wild-born, captive chimpanzee females can be successfully released into the wild means that release may be a possible solution to the fate of some of the many chimpanzees currently maintained in African sanctuaries. Information from the HELP Congo reintroduction will provide important facts for these sanctuaries to consider before making a decision to reintroduce any of their chimpanzees.
Post release monitoring of wild-born chimpanzees
Before being released into the wild the orphans in HELP’s care, many of whom arrive at a very young age, are slowly rehabilitated back into their natural environment - daily walks into the forest with their caretakers starts the process. This is followed with the chimps being released onto a safe island in the Conkouati lagoon when the chimps are three years old. Once the chimpanzees are ready they are released into the wilds of the National Park. Over a five- year period (1996 – 2001) HELP released 37 chimpanzees (27 females and ten males) and since then they have been monitoring their movements and behaviour to determine whether captive animals can be rehabilitated successful back into the wild.
With help of advanced radio-telemetry equipment donated by Tusk, the dedicated teams of HELP trackers are still monitoring the behavior and movements of many of the chimps. Nine offspring have been conceived and born in the wild to six of the released females – a real indicator of HELP’s success. The oldest baby (Maï, 4.5 years old) was born to Jeannette, who was one of the first chimps to be released in 1996. In a few years, Maï could be the first chimpanzee born to a released female to reproduce in the wild.
Comments from the field
The presence of HELP Congo in the National Park has had a clear impact on species and habitat preservation, with decreased hunting pressure in our activity area, and increased sightings of large mammals. Our success has also prompted other chimpanzee sanctuaries in Africa to consider reintroduction. Tusk's support has been essential in maintaining our project running. We rely on the support of donors such as Tusk, which tries to provide funding every year.
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