The ecological refuges and tree-covered trails of the largest Chimpanzee Sanctuary in West Africa have been without tourists for over two months, while its founder protests against the uncontrolled deforestation in Sierra Leone.
Authorities acknowledge that the country’s rich wildlife is threatened by land seizures and illegal logging, but the founder of Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary, Bala Amarasekaran, claims that they have not done enough to convince him to reopen to visitors.
“A few months ago, we could see land appropriation and encroachment getting closer to the sanctuary,” said Amarasekaran to Reuters at the refuge, which houses more than 100 chimpanzees, mostly orphans, and usually allows guests to stay in their lodges.
“Deforestation is really threatening the existence of the chimpanzee sanctuary, because it is too dangerous when people get close to a wildlife reserve like this,” said Amarasekaran, who founded the refuge 30 years ago and has led it through crises such as the Civil War and the Ebola epidemic from 2013 to 2016.
Loss of native forest in the surroundings of the Sanctuary
Sierra Leone lost approximately 2.17 million hectares of forest cover between 2001 and 2024, representing about 39% of the total in 2000, according to the Global Forest Watch platform.
The western area peninsula, where the capital Freetown and Tacugama are located, lost over 10,000 hectares of forest cover during the same period.
Amarasekaran stated that deforestation in the area was fueled by “land appropriation” for development.
The consequences of rapid deforestation were highlighted by a landslide on the slopes of Sugar Loaf Mountain in 2017 that killed about 1,000 people.
Amarasekaran said that the Government of President Julius Maada Bio had sent a task force to carry out some raids on illegal logging operations, but he complained about the lack of follow-up operations.
Preserving Sierra Leone’s Wildlife since 1995
Located on the outskirts of Freetown, in the Western Area National Park, the Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary was founded in 1995 by conservationist Bala Amarasekaran and his wife Sharmila.
Initially created to enforce wildlife laws and rescue and rehabilitate orphaned Western chimpanzees in critical danger of extinction, Tacugama has evolved into a diverse conservation organization.
Tacugama, which cares for nearly 100 chimpanzees on-site, also actively engages off-site in community outreach activities, field research on wildlife, environmental sustainability, conservation education, and alternative livelihood programs.
Tacugama is also an ecotourism center for Freetown, hosting six eco-lodgings and a variety of activities that both tourists and Freetown residents can participate in.
Note: Umaru Fofana and Ibrahim Miles Kamara
