As the novel coronavirus continues to heighten in Liberia, the authority at the Humane Society international says the organization is finding it difficult to cater to Chimpanzees (Bamboos) at Monkey Island in Marshall lower Margibi County.
Several chimps at the sanctuary in Marshall have been fed on locally produced food from near farms and villages in Margibi as well as food from supermarkets.
But the head of Humane Society International in Liberia, Morris Darbo told a local media on Monday April 27, 2020 that as a result of the restriction on people movement caused by the spread of COVID-19, many farmers can no longer go on their farm and his organization is finding difficult to feed the chimps.
“We are finding it difficult to find food for the chimps because many are not going on the farm. People use to bring food to us to buy for the chimps but now they are afraid because of COVIS-19”, said Mr.Darbo.
He is at the same time appealing to the national government to give his organization access pass to enable them find food for the Chimpanzees.
According to him Chimpanzees at the Island in Marshall are very significant to the Liberian society because they were once being used to for vaccine trials.
Mr. Darbo stated that several attempts made by him to the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL) for Access pass to enable them feed the chimps have not been materialized.
“We need access pass so we can move around to find food for the Chimpanzees on the Island. We are appealing to NPHIL maybe their busy but we are going to get to them”, he explains.
Several domesticated chimpanzees on the island were once used for US medical testing sponsored by the New York Blood Center in the 1980s.
According to a report published by the BBC in 2015, the animals are those left from 108 chimps used for biomedical research in Liberia some of which led to the discovery of HIV/AIDs in the country but the group said their research activities ended in 2007.
Vulnerability
The chimps are supposed to be fed daily with pumpkins, plantains, pawpaw, rice, sugar cane and pears that come from nearby farms.
A conservationist who prefers not to be named told Liberia Public Radio that the food shortages for the chimps are worrisome the animals need food and better health to survive.
Such acute food shortage, he believes would make the chimps vulnerable because some may leave the sanctuary in search for food and be harmed by poachers.
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