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History

1989 - Mrs. JAMART decides to take in charge the chimpanzees kept under miserable conditions in the zoo of Pointe Noire.

1990
ø
February 15: foundation of H.E.L.P. Congo, Republic of Congo by Aliette Jamart, recognized officially by the Congolese authorities in 1991
ø Continuation of the program of reception of chimpanzees seized by the Congolese authorities; 18 chimpanzees in the nursery of Pointe Noire, nursery installed in the residence of Mrs. Jamart
ø April: beginning of research to find a site for the instation of a sanctuary
ø May: diffusion of a first report about H.E.L.P. Congo, on TF1, in emission "S.O.S Traffic" of Brigitte Bardot
ø Initialization of the campaigns of publicity to the protection of the fauna and the flora near the local population.

1991
Aerial view of the islands of the Sanctuary
ø Placed at the disposal of H.E.L.P. Congo of islands on the lagoon of Conkouati, aside of the Reserve of fauna of Conkouati
ø Creation of the Sanctuary of H.E.L.P. Congo on the zone of Conkouati
ø 28 aôut: medical control and transfer on the Sanctuary of 20 chimpanzees collected by H.E.L.P. Congo and living since then in the nursery of Pointe Noire

1992 - 37 chimpanzees are present on the Sanctuary of Conkouati

1994 
ø
the sanctuary counts 48 chimpanzees collected by H.E.L.P. Congo
ø
Preparation of the reintroduction program in natural environment of the chimpanzees accomodated on the sanctuary with the mission of expertise of Dr. C TUTIN (primatologist), having allowed to define the feasibility of this program and the site of reintroduction: the Triangle, forest belt with approximately 1. 30 of boat of the Sanctuary.

1995 - Limitation, and this yet until 2005, of the reception of new chimpanzees in order to concentrate the means on the sanctuary and especially on the development of the program of reintroduction on the site of forests chosen, the Triangle.

1996
ø Signatures of cooperation agreements with the Congolese government, placing the Triangle at the disposal of H.EL.P. Congo and allowing the program of reintroduction

øFinancing of the reintroduction program throughout the GEF- PROGECAP Program(Project of management of the protected surfaces - World Bank); this financing will be achieved in 1999 with the stop of the PROGEECAP in the whole of the Republic of Congo

øChoupette, wearing a transmitting neckless and released in 1996 Preparation of the reintroduction program with i) new expertise of Dr. Tutin and expertise of Dr. Sita, botanist, on the site of the Triangle, ii) medical control of all the individuals present on the sanctuary and ii) the creation of a camp on the site of the Triangle
ø Realization in November of the first released, 5 individuals (4 females, Yvette, Bounie, Jeanette, Choupette and 1 male, Mékoutou), and initiation of the scientific follow-up of their adaptation (ethologic telemetry and observations); this follow-up, very important and still done so far, will concern all the released individuals
ø Initialization of the reception of foreign students in training course on the ground within the framework of their university curse.

1997 - Released of 10 chimpanzees in two steps: February (2 females, Rosette and Fanny) and December (2 males, Hinda and Dolisie, 6 females, Kakamoueka, Cabinda, Massabi, Moussendjo, Nyasha and Caline)

1998 - Appraise of Dr. C.TUTIN concerning becoming of the released chimpanzees and the project: positive assessment.

1999
ø
February: released of 4 chimpanzees (2 males, Koutou and David, 2 females, Sophie accompanied by her baby Valentine, and Agathe)
ø Creation by the Congolese gouvernemt of the National park of Conkouati-Douli, which includes the Fauna Reserve of Conkouati; sites of action of H.E.L.P. Congo are then included in this park.

2000
ø
January: creation in France of the association H.E.L.P. International and signature of the cooperation agreement between this association and H.E.L.P. Congo, thus giving rise to the H.E.L.P. Project
ø Development of the diffusion of the results of the program of reintroduction (publications, conferences...)
ø June: released of 4 chimpanzees (1 male, Chinois and 3 females, Matalila, Perlette and Lucie)
ø November: creation of the Internet site www.help-primates.org.

2001
ø
July-September: released of 12 chimpanzees (3 males, Dereck, Batéko, Bilinga, and 9 females, Cheyenne, Dimonika, Emilie, Karine, Kouilou, Makabana, Mfoubou, Sibiti and Tessie); on the islands of the Sanctuary, there remain 8 chimpanzees not easily releasable, in particular for health reasons.
ø October 22, 2001: Choupette, released in 1996, is the first released female to give birth to a baby in forest. Thanks to the genetic analysis we learn that the father Mékoutou, also released in 1996. Unfortunately the baby disappears in July 2002 after meeting with of wild chimpanzees.

2002 Vehicule of the cartography mission in 2002 in trouble
ø Continuation of follow-up program of the released chimpanzees; data processing collected, publications.
ø Developpement of a pilot plantation on the site of the Sanctuary; it will be 3000 feet long in 2005
ø Realization of a scientific expedition within the framework of the development of the research program on the ecosystems, bearing on the forest cover of the National park of Conkouati-Douli, in collaboration with researchers of Cirad,  with realization of a first chart of the vegetation on the south-western part of the NPCD (National park of Conkouati-Douli).

2003
ø
Continuation of the follow-up program p of the released chimpanzees; data processing, publications.
øContinuation of the development of the pilot plantation
øRealization of a scientific expedition within the framework of the development of the research programmes on the ecosystems carrying on i) the populations of birds and chiropteres, in partnership with French association Biocénose and the Research center on the biology and the populations of birds, of the Natural history museum of Paris and ii) aquatic environments, in collaboration with the Laboratory of biology of the protists, UMR CNRS 6023, University Blaise Pascal Clermont-Ferrand II - France
ø05 Mars 2003: Jeanette is found after one month and half of absence, with a group of wild chimpanzees. She gave birthof a small male.
øAugust 07, 2003: Bounie, released in 1996, which passes more and more time with the wild chimpanzees, is seen with a baby in the arms. She will be re-examined in June 2004 but alone. We don't know what happened to her baby.
øAugust 17, 2003: Lucie, released in 2000, gives birth to a baby. This one unfortunately disappeared during a meeting with a group of wild chimpanzees.
øAugust 25, 2003: Choupette gives for the second time birth to small baby in the forest.

2004 
ø
Continuation of the follow-up program of the released chimpanzees; data processing, publications.
ø Continuation of the development of the pilot plantation
ø Development of the sensitization campaigns : organization of projection meetings and sensitizing towards various schools of Pointe Noire
ø April: organization in Pointe Noire of the Workshop of PASA (Side African Sanctuaries Alliance) with visit of the Sanctuary of H.E.L.P. Congo

2005 
 ø Continuation of the follow-up program of the released chimpanzees; data processing, publications.
ø Continuation of the development of the pilot plantation
ø Continuation of the sensitization campaigns
ø Initiation of the study phase of a new program of reintroduction on a new site.
ø Two new births within the Triangle : Emilie, then Perlette became young mother. The baby of Emilie will unfortunately quickly disappears after meeting some wild chimpanzees.

 


© H.E.L.P. International - 2006 // last update 22/02/2007