"You have helped not only thousands of primates, but also brought hope to all those who care about them and their suffering at human hands. And the numbers of those who care has increased a thousand fold because of the awareness IPPL has raised in countries around the world."

Dr Jane Goodall DBE

Sanctuaries

IPPL offers support to a network of over 20 primates sanctuaries in countries around the world. As well as offering a haven for victims of the primate trade, these sanctuaries play a vital conservation role, through reintroduction programmes (where possible), protection of vital habitats, and educational work with local children and adults. 

Below are some examples of the sanctuaries with which we work. You can also read what the sanctuaries say about us in the sidebar on the right.   

Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary, Sierra Leone 
Photo of two chimpanzees

Rescued chimpanzees at Tacugama

Tacugama was established in 1995 to home and rehabilitate confiscated, orphaned and abandoned chimps. It is illegal in Sierra Leone to hunt, capture, kill or keep chimpanzees. The sanctuary now takes care of over 90 chimps. Much work is also undertaken towards stopping the illegal trade of this endangered species, and supporting the protection and conservation of chimpanzees in the wild through education, communication and enforcement of legislation. 

Kalaweit Gibbon Rehabilitation Project, Indonesia 

Photo of a gibbon

The team at Kalaweit is rehabilitating 300 gibbons

The Kalaweit project rescues and rehabilitates gibbons in Indonesia. Kalaweit manages two centres (Borneo and Sumatra), currently rehabilitating 300 Gibbons and Siamangs, and employs 50 people, veterinarians and employees. This team takes a comprehensive approach, creating wildlife reserves to protect vital habitats, and educating the local population through a vibrant and popular radio station. 

Ikamaperu Primate Rescue Centre, Peru 

The Ikamaperu project was established by Helene and Carlos Palomino to address immediate threats to primates in northern Peru; hunting, the pet trade and habitat loss. 

Photo of baby woolly monkeys

Rescued woolly monkeys at Ikamaperu

Ikamaperu has successfully established two reserves in two different ecosystems in Peru, the first is based at Tarangue in the Alto Maya valley. This serves as a protected area for wild Andean titi monkeys, as well as a rehabilitation centre for rescued titi monkeys and yellow-tailed woolly monkeys. The second site is a rehabilitation centre for woolly and spider monkeys on the edge of the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve. 

The team at Ikamaperu work with the  local authorities to ensure wildlife legislation is properly enforced and illegally kept primates are confiscated. They have also carried out a  reforestation programme with the help of Awajun indigenous communities to reconnect fragmented forest, and they run an environmental educational programme to increase understanding and appreciation for the local ecosystem. 

CERCOPAN (Centre for Education, Research & Conservation of Primates & Nature), NIGERIA 
Photo of a red-capped mangabey

Red-capped mangabey at CERCOPAN

The forests of the biodiversity ‘hotspot’ where CERCOPAN works is known as the Cameroon faunal region, and includes the area east of the Cross River and south west Cameroon. The primate community of this region are particularly rich with over a dozen indigenous species. The team at CERCOPAN are rehabilitating guenons and mangabeys  – six species altogether, with long term plans to restore vital primate communities in the region. Rescued ‘byproducts’ of the trade in bushmeat, these primates are rehabilitated into social groups and act as ambassadors for conservation of their species in our education programme – some will eventually be reintroduced – some are the only individuals in captivity anywhere in the world.