The Sanctuary

Located in the Western Area Peninsula National Park (WAPNP), a 30-minute drive from Freetown, Tacugama is the only chimpanzee sanctuary in Sierra Leone. Launched in 1995, the institution has survived a civil war and outbreaks of Ebola, and continues to provide a safe space for the country’s critically endangered population of western chimpanzees.

I wanted to illustrate the vital work undertaken by the sanctuary, using photography, video and drone footage to document various stages of the rescue and rehabilitation process – from rangers intercepting an illegal pet trade within the community, to the care and training given by foster mothers.

Although several chimps are ready to be rewilded, Tacugama is still searching for a viable release site.