Masks to protect people and chimpanzees

Masks to protect people and chimpanzees in Nimba and Bossou 

We are a team of researchers studying wild chimpanzees and biodiversity in the Nimba Mountains and Bossou hills in Guinea, West Africa. We are raising money to fund the production of 3000 reusable masks to be used by local researchers and the communities living around the Nimba and Bossou research sites. The Nimba Mountains is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a stronghold for the critically endangered West African chimpanzees. 


Both human communities and chimpanzees are extremely vulnerable to COVID-19, as well as a range of other zoonotic diseases (those that can be transmitted from humans to animals and vice versa). Human respiratory viruses have been transmitted from humans to chimpanzees in the past with often lethal outcomes for the apes. One way to help prevent disease transmission is to wear a mask. A mask can provide some protection for a healthy person wearing it, but it aids most in preventing the spread from a sick person to those they come into contact with, including wildlife. Since many people who are ill with COVID-19 do not have symptoms, wearing masks in public places is an effective way to limit spread.

To protect the chimpanzees, our research team is accustomed to wearing single-use surgical masks in the forest and maintaining a safe distance (>20 m) from chimpanzees and all other wildlife. With the spread of COVID-19 globally and in Guinea, we have increased our safety protocols by continuing to wear masks, clean our boots daily with bleach before working in the forests, and washing our hands more regularly. Unfortunately, single use surgical masks are in short supply and with the reduced travel to and from Guinea by researchers, it is even more difficult to continue to supply these masks. In light of this, we have made a number of reusable masks from fabrics purchased locally and with the help of local tailors. They look great and fit nice and snug for the best possible protection, but more are needed.

In addition to providing masks for researchers and their families, we want to provide as many masks as possible to the local communities living near the forests and around the research sites. If we can help provide access to masks, the better we are able to serve the needs of the local communities as well as the chimpanzees living in close proximity.  


We can make re-usable masks locally for approximately GBP 0.70 or USD 0.75, so any contribution (great or small) will be an enormous help in providing masks for as many people as possible!


PLEASE HELP US PROTECT PEOPLE AND CHIMPANZEES!!!