Chimfunshi

The Chimfunshi Chimpanzee and Wildlife Orphanage was established in 1983 by Dave and Sheila Siddle. The Siddle’s success in rescuing chimpanzees orphaned by the bushmeat trade soon became well known and the influx of chimps intensified. Today there are more than 90 resident chimpanzees at Chimfunshi.

While conflict and habitat destruction threaten wild chimps, and leave nowhere safe for the relocation of orphans, the emphasis at Chimfunshi is firmly on providing those rescued with the opportunity to live in peace and security. To that extent two 500-acre enclosures have been built with the aid of Tusk funding, and which provide ample space for large groups of chimps to live in wild-like social groups.

Community work at Chimfunshi

Kasanka National Park

As recently as 1986 Kasanka National Park was in complete collapse, abandoned by funding and security its borders were open to encroachment from local people. The Kasanka Trust has been working to conserve and develop Kasanka National Park in the Northern Region of Zambia for the last 20 years. One of the most significant results has been progress towards self-sufficiency – tourism now brings in enough money to ensure that the collapse of the 1980s cannot be repeated.

The Park is a beautiful wilderness of woodland, plains, lakes, rivers and swamps and is Zambia’s only national park under private management. It is a valuable conservation area with diverse flora and fauna including many endangered species and exceptional birdlife. Of note is the world’s largest colony of the straw-coloured fruit bat.

Community work at Kasanka

Kasanka aims for the park to become self-sufficient – revenue from tourism now covers the larger part of the park’s daily management costs. If this model can be perpetuated, the community will reap the benefits.

There are a broad range of management activities inside the park including anti-poaching, fire management and infrastructure development. In addition there is a vibrant community project which supports the surrounding communities to generate real benefits from improved resource management as well as assisting with education, health and livelihood support. Conservation education has been set as a priority to teach the upcoming generation the value of protecting the remaining resources. For this purpose a large new conservation education and research centre is nearing completion close to the park entrance.