Wellington Zoo Primate Keeper Volunteering at Chimp Eden

Media release
4 November 2013

Wellington Zoo Primate Keeper Volunteering at Chimp Eden

This week, Wellington Zoo Primate Keeper Jacqui Hooper has travelled to South Africa to spend three weeks volunteering at the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI) South Africa Chimpanzee Sanctuary, Chimp Eden.

Chimp Eden was established in 2006 and is home to Chimpanzees that have been displaced from their natural habitats in Africa. It is also the first and only chimpanzee sanctuary in South Africa.

Jacqui last visited the sanctuary in 2007 before taking on her role at Wellington Zoo, working for two months through their volunteer programme.

This time she is supported by the Wellington Zoo Conservation Fund, which contributes to local, national, and international conservation projects. Chimpanzees are iconic animals for Wellington Zoo.

During her stay, Jacqui will be working with the sanctuary keepers and hopes to contribute knowledge around enrichment ideas, training plans, and general schedules.

‘I’m really keen to learn more about Chimpanzee husbandry in a sanctuary set-up. Their social groups are set up differently from our troop at Wellington Zoo – rather than all living as one big family, the Chimps at the sanctuary live in three separate groups,’ said Jacqui.

‘I want to learn about the many introductions they do, with bringing new Chimps into the sanctuary. There’s always a chance that Wellington Zoo will bring in new blood lines for breeding and Chimp Eden have a lot of experience in this area.’

‘I’m also really interested in getting inspiration for exhibit design – to see how they use the space in their exhibits, and how they utilise time allocation for eating, socialising, and grooming.’

Jacqui will be sharing photos and blogging about her adventures over the next three weeks – check out wellingtonzoo.tumblr.com for regular updates.

For more information about Chimp Eden and the Jane Goodall Institute of South Africa, visit www.chimpeden.com, or their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/JGISA.

ends

© Scoop Media