Dear Friends,
The Chimfunshi Wildlife Orphanage was founded 25 years ago in Zambia, when a wildlife ranger brought a badly injured baby chimpanzee to the cattle farm of David and Sheila Siddle. That chimpanzee – nicknamed “Pal” – recovered as a result of the Siddles’ love and care, and set in motion a chain of events that ultimately saw Chimfunshi become one of the largest chimpanzee sanctuaries in the world and a pioneer in the field of captive care and management.
Many of you have visited Chimfunshi and fallen under its spell; others have read Sheila Siddle’s autobiography, In My Family Tree: A Life with Chimpanzees and made the connection, or seen programs about the sanctuary on television. Either way, Chimfunshi is indeed a magical place.
But Chimfunshi’s success has brought new and difficult challenges. Over 120 chimpanzees now reside permanently at Chimfunshi, and the cost of feeding so many – not to mention the staff salaries and operating expenditures – has pushed the sanctuary to the brink. David Siddle’s death in 2006 has left a void that is hard to fill, and the current world economic crisis has caused Zambia’s rate of inflation to rise to 15.2 percent, three times the world average. The copper industry that fuels the region is bracing for difficult times ahead, and tourism in the area has waned.
Chimfunshi is desperately in need of funds to maintain operations at the sanctuary, and we are appealing for your help.
The Chimfunshi directors are seeking to raise immediate funds between now and the end of 2008 to pay for food and medicine for the chimpanzees, staff salaries, and cover essential operating costs. We are also working to acquire a vehicle, as breakdowns have left only one truck operational on the entire 24,000-acre Chimfunshi property.
Chimfunshi is proud of the role it has played in raising awareness and concern on behalf of chimpanzees, and the sanctuary has been a bulwark against bushmeat and the illegal trade for over two decades. Chimfunshi also has many exciting plans for education and outreach programs in the future. We are asking for your help to permit this important work to continue.
Thank you.
The Chimfunshi Wildlife Orphanage
To support Chimfunshi, please donate through one of the mans listed below:
Credit card
Click “How You Can Help”
Bank transfer
Bank: Standard Chartered Bank Zambia
Account Name: Chimfunshi Wildlife Trust Orphanage
Account number: US 87002 11451900
Branch code: 060336
SWIFT code: SCBLZMLY
Check
Chimfunshi-USA
P.O. Box 5873
Boston, MA02114
United States
Chimfunshi –Germany
Postfach 80 06 72
Rungedamm 35
21027 Hamburg
Germany
Be First to Comment