Rescuers Save Baby Chimp Tied Up In Plastic Bag After Poachers Killed Her Mom

Mar 14, 2019 by apost team

Baby Chimpanzee named Bonita is recovering well after the horrific ordeal.

Bonita was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and was still very young when poachers found her. First, they killed her mother right in front of her. Then they tied a rope around her and placed her in a bag.

Hungry, lonely, and frightened, little Bonita was left in this bag for days while the poachers arranged a buyer in the pet trade.

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This situation is all too common, and many young chimpanzees die when illegal poachers try to turn these wild animals into pets. This is especially prevalent in red zones like her home, an unsecured area where poachers are prevalent and rescue workers rush to save the animals.

Fortunately, Bonita was found and rescued due to the cooperation of several organizations, including Lwiro Primates, Aproted, Kahuzi Biega National Park, and Gorilla Doctors.

Bonita now lives at Lwiro Primates, a sanctuary for orphaned primates, located nearly 200 miles away from where her mother was killed. When she first arrived, her anxiety was so strong that she kept a blanket over her head at all times. Then she spent several days simply eating and sleeping, like all of us do after a terrible trauma.

Now life is finally looking better for this baby chimpanzee, and she has begun to groom herself and play with her caretakers.

"She is smart and independent (probably forced to be), but she keeps hiding herself under the blanket, maybe as consequence of being kept in a bag for days."

Chimpanzees like Bonita deserve to grow up in the wild with their own families. But, when horrible situations like this occur, it’s nice to know that sanctuaries like Lwiro Primates are ready to create a new home for these babies.

With any luck, Bonita will be laughing over a watermelon treat with her new friends in no time! What do you think of her inspiring story? Let us know in the comments and pass this along to all the animal-lovers you know!