The world can be quite a difficult place for animals who live in the wild. They have to find food to survive, whilst at the same time avoiding predators and protecting their young.
This is why in countries like the Republic of Congo where there is a lot of wildlife, it is very important to have rehabilitation centers for sick or injured animals.
On June 20, 2015, a video emerged showing just what a wonderful job these wildlife centers do.
Meet Wounda. This sweet little chimp came to the Jane Goodall Institute Rehabilitation Center in Tchindzoulou, Republic Of Congo.
This amazing institute is a lifeline for chimpanzees who need help, and it holds over 160 other chimps! Wounda was very lucky to be rescued by the selfless doctors.
The poor thing had sustained many injuries and was dangerously underweight when she arrived at the center.
She was on the brink of death and doctors didn’t know whether she was going to survive.
Just look at how tiny she was!
Doctor Rebecca Atencia said:
“She (Wounda) was in a very difficult situation where she was close to dying. The last time she came to us, she had a very serious illness, and had lost a lot of weight.”
The center named the chimp Wounda, which means close to death. How very fitting!
Luckily, thanks to the expert care provided by the center, Wounda overcame significant injuries and illness and was ready to be released back into the wild.
In the video posted on YouTube, we can see that Wounda is about to be released, and we get to be a part of the emotional day.
Rebecca said:
“Now we are going to take her to paradise.”
Wounda’s cage is placed onto a truck and driven to the coast before the team switches to a boat to take Wounda to a remote area.
It’s a very long journey, but Wounda seems to be excited. In a touching moment, she reaches her hand out of the bars and grasps Jane’s hand.
Jane places her hand on top of the chimp’s to say “It’s going to be okay!”
The boat reaches a lush tropical island. It’s full of greenery and away from civilization, so it makes it the perfect spot for Wounda to start her new life.
The men help to carry Wounda’s cage through the bushes until they reach a clearing and Wounda can finally be released.
Jane said:
“This is a very exciting moment for me. Wounda nearly died, but thanks to Rebecca she came back from the dead almost. Now she has a will to live and here she is about to come out into this paradise.”
Wounda rushes out of her cage and looks around with awe. She had a great big smile on her face, and in a beautiful moment, she runs over to Rebecca and gives her a hug.
She then sits on top of her cage and stares around, as if she can’t quite believe that she’s here.
But Rebecca isn’t the only person who Wounda wants to thank!
In another touching moment, the chimp turns and gives Jane a long hug. It’s like she’s letting her know that she’s truly grateful for everything her team has done.
She then turns and walks off into the wild.
It is quite clear that Wounda feels right at home here. Jane says:
“She (Wounda) is the fifteenth chimp to get here freedom here, and we hope we can raise enough money to bring all the chimps out here.”
We truly hope so too! To donate or read more about Jane’s rehabilitation center, head over to her website.
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