HSUS/HSI 2020 Staff Fundraiser for SCCRL

Welcome to the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) & Humane Society International (HSI) staff fundraising page for Second Chance Chimpanzee Refuge Liberia! Please join us in supporting this amazing sanctuary, staffed by our hardworking and dedicated colleagues on the ground in Liberia!

This year, the sanctuary’s goal is to raise $10,500 to provide the chimps with one month of fresh and nutritious food, veterinary supplies, and fuel and maintenance for our vehicles and boats. The cost for each of the six islands for one month is $1,750 – and our goal for this fundraiser is to raise that amount for the chimps of Island 1A! Supporters are encouraged to donate early, now through the event on October 13, to help ensure that we reach our goal!  

** If an HSUS/HSI staff member encouraged you to donate, please click “Add a dedication” in the donation form to mention their name!  

Island 1A is home to a group of 12 chimpanzees, many of whom were used for decades in biomedical research in Liberia by a U.S.-based research organization. In the mid-2000s, the lab began phasing out their research and retired the chimps to nearby islands. In 2015, after the organization that ran the laboratory pulled out of Liberia, we took on full responsibility for the lifetime care of the more than 60 chimps that remained on the islands. Despite their heartbreaking past, these chimpanzees are resilient animals who have found the peace and safety they deserve. Island 1A is located on the Little Bassa River and home to a lively and close-knit group that includes Papita, Anita, Finn, Lenya, Brutus, Pacific, Spright, Sidney, Noli, Bassa, Rita, and Lovette. 

Papita rules as alpha on Island 1A. Though there is ongoing competition between the males for the top spot, Papita is supported by his mother, Anita, who is the highest-ranking female and deeply respected by the entire group. Anita is also mother to son Finn, an eight-year-old who was born on the island. 

Spright was born around the same time as Finn in 2012, and though his mother, Noli, is not as high-ranking as Anita, Spright tests the boundaries more than Finn does and is even bold enough to tease some of the older males! Noli is also mother to daughters Sidney, a sweet and gentle 12-year-old, and little Bassa, who is only two years old. Bassa takes after her brother, Spright, and is already quite social for her age, attempting to take fruit from the other chimps at times! 

Rita was born to Anita and Brutus on the island shortly after the group was moved there. Rita is now a proud mom herself to little Lovette, who is almost a year old.* 

Brutus, Lenya, and Pacific can be rambunctious and sometimes conflict arises as they compete with Papita for rank, but Anita is the glue of the group and plays a major role in pacifying and reassuring her friends during disputes. Brutus is the oldest chimp in the group at 43, but nonetheless holds the number two spot in rank next to Papita. 

This wonderful group is confident, intelligent, and closely bonded – they are also unique in that about half of them were born on the island, never experiencing invasive research and instead sharing lifelong family bonds. 

With your help, we are confident that we can reach our goal of $1,750 to cover one month of essential care for the chimps of Island 1A!

Learn more about Second Chance Chimpanzee Refuge Liberia: 

- Facebook: facebook.com/abandonedchimps

- Website: liberiachimps.org

*All births at Second Chance Chimpanzee Refuge are accidental. As a sanctuary, we have a responsibility to do our best to prevent pregnancies. All of the male chimps in our care were given vasectomies (with varying success) when the laboratory retired them to the islands, and all unsterilized females currently receive birth control. Although it has been an ongoing challenge to maintain a foolproof contraception program, we applaud our amazing veterinary and caregiving staff for working hard to improve our birth control methods!