by Sheri Speede
As for me personally, my worldview and my human relationships have been irrevocably changed by my time with the chimpanzees in Africa. The lens through which I interpret my experiences is much wider now, but at the same time life seems simpler, more basic.
Chimpanzees engage life fully, in the moment. They wear their emotions for all to see, or hear. Even an adult chimpanzee might cry like a baby if he is being rejected, or throw loud and dramatic tantrums over a perceived injustice. A few minutes later, with the proper recognition or comfort, he can be the picture of contentment. The quality of their friendships and family relationships to a large extent determines the quality of their lives. Watching the social vignettes of chimpanzees through the years has taught me to recognize my own pretenses. We are such similar apes. But they bring a primal pureness and immediacy to their expressions of intimacy, which I have come to cherish in my friendships with them. From knowing chimpanzees I have learned to live more honestly and vulnerably.
From my perspective, life is simply too short, even for those who survive to old age, and nothing is guaranteed. None of us knows what breath will be our last. I try to keep that in mind every day—to face each day with interest and a sense of purpose, and to pay more attention to how I affect the momentary experiences of those whose paths I cross. Being an imperfect ape, driven by unseen influences both ancient and contemporary, I cannot say that I’m always kind, but I am almost always compelled toward reconciliation. More than anything these days I’m left with a deep sense of gratitude for this brief but wondrous opportunity to live and love.
Acknowledgments
Eileen Cope, my compassionate literary agent, tracked me down in Africa to suggest I write my story, nudged me through a year of proposal writing, and then managed to successfully promote an aspiring first-time author. Without Eileen, there would surely be no book. Nancy Hancock, my editor at HarperOne, believed in the book before it was written and applied her considerable talent to make it the best it could be. And I won’t forget Elsa Dixon’s humane though dogged approach to the editing and titling processes and for her commitment to producing a final product that would make me proud. These people delivered Kindred Beings, and I will always be grateful to them.
Agnes Souchal, general manager of Sanaga-Yong Chimpanzee Rescue Center, is both the gentlest and the strongest person I have ever known. I deeply appreciate her consultation, advice, friendship, and encouragement during the writing of Kindred Beings.
Karin Cereghino, IDA-Africa program manager, was patiently tolerant of my preoccupation and graciously shouldered more than her share in keeping IDA-Africa afloat with funds coming in during my yearlong obsession with putting the right words, or at least some words, on these pages.
Agnes and Karin as well as Michael Labhard and Malgosia Ceglowski gave generously of their time to read various parts of my early draft and gave very helpful comments.
Edmund Stone and Cindy Scheel, Stan Jones and Cindy Umberger-Jones, Crystal Schneider, Malgosia Ceglowski, and Susan Labhard bestowed me with quiet writing time, and my daughter, Annarose, with hours of enjoyment in their company.
Photographs for the book were contributed by a talented array of photographers including Carol Yarrow, Mirjam Schot, Monica Szczupider, Agnes Souchal, Marie-Eve Lavigne, Leslie Kadane, Jacques Gillon, and Karl Ammann. I especially thank Monica for the extra efforts that landed her photograph of Dorothy’s funeral in National Geographic.
Annarose Sara Muna, my kindhearted, independent-minded eleven-year-old, cheered me on each day, cooked and ate countless breakfasts alone, and spent many weekends quietly entertaining herself.
In addition to those who provided direct support for Kindred Beings, there were many people who made possible my work for chimpanzees and the life-changing experiences that were its subjects.
When the chimpanzee sanctuary in Cameroon was only a vision in my head, Dr. Elliot Katz, president emeritus of In Defense of Animals (IDA) International, had faith in me. IDA-Africa and Sanaga-Yong Chimpanzee Rescue Center are included in his legacy.
Edmund Stone cofounded IDA-Africa as a program of IDA International and the U.S. base of support for Sanaga-Yong Chimpanzee Rescue Center. He worked tirelessly for over a decade to raise funds for the work in Cameroon. Edmund’s wife, Cindy Scheel, has been both a valued development consultant and a fabulous caterer for our fund-raising events.
Estelle Raballand brought her boundless energy, courage, and bilingualism to our early efforts in Cameroon and taught me much about chimpanzees.
George Muna is the most genuinely generous person I have ever known and his contributions to my endeavors for chimpanzees in Cameroon are countless. I thank him for all of these and most of all for being a loving parent to our daughter, Annarose.
Karen Bachelder deserves special mention for traveling to Cameroon to volunteer at Sanaga-Yong Chimpanzee Rescue Center eleven times, for generously managing the volunteer selection process, and for her sage and well-considered advice, from which I have benefited on many occasions.
When they were directors of Ape Action Africa, the late Colonel Avi Sivan and Talila Sivan contributed immeasurably to my safety, security, and peace of mind in Cameroon.
Rachel Hogan and Babila Tafon, current director and manager of Ape Action Africa, have been frequent collaborators and have assisted Agnes and me many times on issues of security, chimpanzee transportation, and medical care.
It has been my pleasure to work with still other truly unique, larger-than-life people whose collaboration at various times in the past fifteen years facilitated and advanced my work for chimpanzees in Cameroon. I owe debts of gratitude to Shirley McGreal, Peter Jenkins, Liza Gadsby, Ofir Drori, Dave Lucas, Karl Ammann, and Jean Liboz.
Many valued colleagues have contributed to my work through Pan African Sanctuary Alliance (PASA). They include Doug Cress, Anne Warner, Julie Sherman, Steve Unwin, Christelle Colin, Kay Farmer, Ainare Idoiaga, John Kyang, Felix Lankester, and all the other managers and directors of the PASA sanctuaries in Africa.
The employees of Sanaga-Yong Chimpanzee Rescue Center have been essential since 1999, and their number has steadily increased. I single out for mention those who have been with us a long time and/or forged a special bond with the chimpanzees: Raymond Jules Tchimisso Guea (a member of our management team), Timothy Maishu Wirba, Emmanuel Ndong Mene, Assou Felix Francois, Julien Clerck Gomdong, Bertrand Avom, Barnabe Julien Andang, Henriette Nganyet, Nicholas Banadzem, and Severin Bipan.
Thousands of generous and caring people in the United States and other countries around the world have contributed financially to the work we are carrying out in Cameroon, and though they number too many to mention by name, from my heart I appreciate them all. There are some who, in addition to financial support, have given very generously of their time to help us raise essential funds. They include Brian Behrens, Steven Bernheim, Marianna Boros, Malgosia Ceglowski, Christine Desvignes, Claudine Erlandson, Ruth Fredine, Julia Gallucci, Al Hainisch, Betsy Holbrook, Julie Honse, Sangumithra Iyer, Kerri Jackson, Mohamed Jantan, Stanley Jones, Cindy Umberger-Jones, Leslie Kadane and Kyle Doane, Erika Knauf Santos, Andrea Kozil, Susan Labhard, Jessica Martinson, Molly Mayo, Laura Michalek, Iain Moffat, Heather Murch, Perrine Odier, Mary Perin, Rebecca Pool, Meg and Jon Ratner, Gwendy Reyes-Illg, Suzanne Roy, Richard Satnick, Crystal Schneider, Valerie Sicignano, Franz Spielvogel (Laughing Planet), Chuk and Donna Steadman, Connie Theil, Dana Vion, Kimber Webb, Rachel Weil, and Jacque West.
Index
The pagination of this electronic edition does not match the edition from which it was created. To locate a specific passage, please use your e-book reader’s search tools.
Africa, 1–3, 8–14, 17–21, 37, 51
Akono, 126, 141, 198, 199, 200, 202, 203, 204
Albert, Mr. Ndang Ndang, 90–92
Ammann, Karl, 45, 69
anemia, 73, 83
anesthesia darts, 118–19, 120, 122, 135, 136, 199, 216
animal cruelty, 47–48,
77–78
Annarose (author’s daughter), 185–87, 192–93, 200, 202, 223–28
antibiotics, 182, 203
Antoine, Chief, 100–105, 183
ants, carnivorous, 61–62, 94, 200, 201–5
Ape Action Africa, 18, 248
Arcus Foundation, 179
Atlantic Beach Hotel, 18, 25–37
attacks on humans, 27, 28–32, 215–17
autopsy, 241, 247
baboons, 69, 74, 133, 135
Bachand, Nicholas, 170, 180
Bachelder, Karen, 190, 220
bacteria, 19
Bamvéle, 54, 87, 89, 92, 211, 224
bandit attacks, 168–72
Bankim, 221, 222
Bantu people, 14
bathing, 98
BBC, 17, 51
Beatrice, Madame, 95
Becky, 18–22, 25, 27–28, 30–37, 78, 104, 109, 117–24, 139, 177–82, 191, 194–96, 199, 204, 208, 212, 217, 229–33
death of, 232–33
intestinal surgery, 177–82
moved to sanctuary, 117–24
social integration and dominance hierarchy, 139–44, 145–57, 207–17
transition period, 139–44, 145–57
behavior, 13, 19–20, 249
attacks on humans, 27, 28–32, 215–17
bullying, 151–55, 237–38, 246
dominance hierarchy, 139–44, 145–57, 198–99, 207–9, 245–47
grooming and hugging, 13, 20, 31, 33, 79–81, 108, 139–41, 146, 150, 194, 195, 214, 246
integration of juveniles, 189–96, 211–13, 230–31
maternal, 20, 173–87, 190–96, 230–31
mimic, 19–20, 80
mouth movement, 33, 80
sexual, 139
with humans, 19–21, 27–37, 72–84, 107–8, 141–42, 176–77, 192, 199, 203, 214–17, 248
Bélabo, 64, 100, 103, 104, 114, 115, 147, 156, 160, 167–72, 197, 219, 240
Bernard, Chief, 211
Bertoua, 114
Bikol, 51–60, 64, 87–105, 107, 160, 183, 241
Bikol (chimpanzee), 156, 186, 189, 191, 192, 239, 245–47
Bikol 1, 112, 159, 160
Bikol 2, 91, 100, 102, 112, 159
biomedical industry, 3, 8, 212
birth control, 174–75, 213, 233
Biya, Paul, 46, 87
Bobilis, 89
Bouboule, 189, 195–96, 208, 215–17, 235–38, 239, 240, 243, 245–47
bread, dipped in tea, 146–48
bridges, 100
bullying, 151–55, 237–38, 246
bushmeat trade, 3, 9, 14–15, 19, 45, 49, 50, 77–78, 123–24, 155, 242
bush taxis, 9–10, 41, 42, 100, 117, 119, 120
cages, 18–22, 25–37, 124
construction of, 107–24
satellite, 109, 110–16, 121–24, 125, 127, 143–44, 146, 149, 150, 180, 181, 190, 204, 207, 212, 235, 236, 240
transport, 118–21
Cameroon, 1–3, 8–14, 17–21, 23, 37, 42–43, 45, 47, 85, 187
French, 51, 147
wildlife policy and law enforcement, 49–50, 74, 76, 85–87, 119, 132–38, 156, 164, 171, 222, 248
Cameroon Wildlife Aid Fund (CWAF), 18, 133, 155
Campo, 65
Carla, 247
Caroline, 137, 189–90, 191, 194, 208, 212
car travel, 9–10, 41–42, 45, 47–48, 52, 60–67, 70, 86, 91, 100, 103–5, 110–11, 116–18, 137
cataract surgery, 208–11
Cathy, 182–85
cell phones, 171
cement, 111
Center for Chimpanzee Conservation, 85
Central Cameroon, 45
ceremonies and traditions, 59–60, 92–93
Chantal, Ndele, 190
chikungunya virus, 110
children, 53, 56, 57, 58–59, 60, 224
chimpanzees, 1–3, 8, 45
biomedical use of, 3, 8, 212
bullying, 151–55, 237–38, 246
bushmeat trade, 3, 9, 14–15, 19, 45, 49, 50, 77–78, 123–24, 155, 242
grooming and hugging, 13, 20, 31, 33, 79–81, 108, 139–41, 146, 150, 194, 195, 214, 246
integration of juveniles, 189–96, 211–13, 230–31
moved to sanctuary, 117–24
orphaned, 18, 19, 37, 123–24, 153, 155–57, 189–96, 211–13, 221, 230
shackled, 69–84, 130–31
social integration and dominance hierarchy, 139–44, 145–57, 198–99, 207–9, 245–47
vocalizations, 18–19, 27, 31, 72, 118, 120, 121, 145, 154, 179–80, 190, 195–96, 201, 204, 236–38, 240, 246
See also specific chimpanzees
cigarette smoking, 79
cleaning behavior, 148, 230
Clementine, Ma, 98
clothing, 56
washing, 96–97
cockroaches, 60
Colbert, 53–60, 95
colonialism, 51, 147
conservation. See wildlife protection and conservation
constitution (1972), 51
construction of chimpanzee sanctuary, 107–24, 125
Coron Logging Company, 45–47, 64, 161
crime, 39–43, 168–72
crocodiles, 77–78
dancing, 93
diarrhea, 73, 80, 83, 160
disease, 13, 19, 57, 60, 73, 83, 110, 145, 160, 186, 226, 237
Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund, 248
DNA, 3
Dorothy, 1–3, 69–84, 104, 107–9, 117, 125–38, 139, 199, 208, 212, 216, 217, 231–33
death of, 1–3, 239–43
forced seizure of, 125–38
juvenile chimpanzees and, 190–96, 238
legacy of, 235–43
social integration and dominance hierarchy, 145–57
transition period, 145–57
Douala, 9–12, 39–43, 118
Drori, Ofir, 156, 247
dysentery, 57
electric fencing, 109, 111, 125, 127, 130–31, 142, 143, 144, 149, 156
elephants, 49
Emilienne, 96, 97, 98
Emma, 231
entertainment industry, chimpanzees used in, 3
Erlandson, Claudine, 170, 171, 182
Essi, Daniel, 132–38
euthanasia, 30, 203–4
extinction, 14–15, 74
eye surgery, 208–11
farming, 65, 87, 89, 112, 159
female chimpanzees, 32, 34, 69, 230–32
alpha, 208–9, 215–17, 238
bullying, 154–55
mothering instincts, 190–96, 230–31
ovulation, 139
social integration and dominance hierarchy, 139–44, 207–9
undiagnosed pregnancy, 232–33
flies, 94
Fonyoy, Kenneth, 86–105, 107–22, 125, 127, 133–38, 151, 156, 161–67, 170, 174–75, 179–82, 187
food, 13, 20–21, 28, 35, 57, 71, 72–74, 76–79, 88, 89, 92–93, 95, 108, 113, 126, 144, 146–48, 160, 200, 211–12, 235–36
beating drum at mealtime, 144
forests, 61–62, 87, 94, 98–99, 157, 161
France, 51, 115, 116, 147
Francis, Mr., 111–12
Francois, Assou, 1, 105, 126, 142, 198, 200, 202, 203, 204, 231, 239
Francois, Vivian, 101–5
“free land” policy, 87, 88
free-living chimpanzees, 123–24, 189
fruits and vegetables, 13, 35, 71, 72–74, 76–79, 92, 108, 211, 235–36
fund-raising, 22, 114, 125, 174
Future, 231, 247
Gabby, 156, 186, 189, 192, 194, 195, 230–31, 247
Gadsby, Liza, 8, 23
Gaspard, Chief, 53–60, 88, 89, 91, 92, 159
geckos, 60
generator, 114, 115
Germany, 51
gorillas, 9, 14, 15, 19, 45, 54, 55
government, 51, 67, 75–76, 85–88, 164
approval of chimpanzee sanctuary, 85–93
wildlife policy and law enforcement, 49–50, 74,
76, 85–87, 119, 132–38, 156, 164, 171, 222, 248
Great Britain, 51
grooming and hugging, 13, 20, 31, 33, 69–81, 108, 139–41, 146, 150, 194, 195, 214, 246
Guinea, 85
guns, 55–56
Haut Niger National Park, 85
Hogan, Rachel, 18
hormones, 31
hospitals, 103–4, 105, 160
housing, 52, 89
Ibrahim, Alain, 163–66
Ibrahim, Chief Tendi, 160–66
In Defense of Animals (IDA), 7–8, 21, 22, 174, 223, 227, 228
insects, 55, 56, 58, 60, 61–62, 94, 110, 124, 201–5
International Primate Protection League, 8
Internet, 39, 40, 228
Jackson, Dr. Kerri, 233
Jacky, 18–22, 25, 27–37, 78, 104, 109, 117–24, 179, 191, 193–96, 198, 207–17, 239, 240, 243, 245, 248
cataract surgery, 208–11
moved to sanctuary, 117–24
social integration and hierarchy, 139–44, 145–57, 198–99
transition period, 139–44, 145–47
Jenkins, Peter, 8, 23, 109, 127
juvenile chimpanzees, 19, 146, 147, 155–57, 170–71, 186, 189–96, 211
aggression in, 215–17
integration process, 189–96, 211–13, 230–31
Kang, Jonathan, 133
Kanoah, 247
Katz, Dr. Elliot, 8, 22
Kribi, 137
Labhard, Susan, 209
languages, 51, 53, 114
local, 53, 54, 58, 87, 89, 224
Last Great Ape Organization, 156, 247
latrines, 96, 111, 172
Liboz, Jean, 45–50, 54, 64, 87, 99, 103, 104, 109, 115, 161
Limbe Wildlife Center (LWC), 8–13, 18, 20, 22, 23, 29, 78, 109, 110, 118, 127, 133, 137, 155, 248