At Limbe Wildlife Centre, we are now facing a serious situation due to the fear of Ebola and its link to primates. While Cameroon has been fortunate not to have been hit by the Ebola outbreak, media has instilled a fear in the local population of, and tourists to, West Africa. Typically, the majority of our funding for animal food comes directly from visitor gate fees and governmental allowances; however, since the newsbreak of Ebola in July, we have faced a visitor decrease of nearly 50%. This drop in visitors, partnered with a decrease in governmental funding, has left us in a dire financial situation. We are now struggling to provide food, a basic necessity, for more than 300 animals under our care, all of whom are victims of the illegal trade.

So far this year, we have rescued 105 animals from the illegal bushmeat and pet trades, including 13 primates. Upon arrival, individuals are often in poor condition physically and emotionally, suffering from malnourishment and dehydration, parasite infestation, and sometimes wounds from shotgun pellets, snares, ropes, machetes, or sheer abuse. Each orphaned animal who arrives as a result of confiscation or surrender receives immediate medical attention, individualized care, and specialized nutrition. New arrivals in 2014 include Madame, a 3-year old chimpanzee who had been illegally held as a pet for more than 2 years until her “owner” feared that she may carry Ebola, Mundongo, an infant drill who witnessed the hunting of her family before being chained to a village post in the dirt, and Manyi and Tanyi, 3-month old putty-nosed guenons who likely only survived the deaths of their mothers thanks to their close friendship.



Now, after having been rescued from tragic circumstances, orphans like Madame need your help to receive enough food to prosper in their new home. The news of the Ebola outbreak in West Africa has led to a loss of $2,700 per month from entrance fees. Normally, our entrance fees contribute directly to the cost of animal food, which costs an average of $1,500 per week. Our team is working day and night to try to continue to provide the animals at L.W.C. with the food and care they so badly need, and the situation is at a critical level.

With such a decrease in visitor numbers and a 40% increase in fees imposed by the Cameroonian government, we must raise $10,500 in order to purchase food for the animals under our care for the next 7 weeks. While we recognize that the drop in visitors to L.W.C. is a temporal situation, it is vital that we are able to provide every animal under our care with proper nutrition during this difficult time. We respectfully thank anyone who is able to donate in order to help to provide for these animals who have been given a second chance at life.