Addressing delegates at the conference, the founder and director of Tacugama Sanctuary Bala Amara Sekaran said: “The Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary is the only sanctuary established for the protection of chimpanzees and other wildlife in Sierra Leone.”
He further explained that the country has lost almost all of its original rain forests and primates through encroachment, deforestation and game hunting. Bala Amara Sekaran stressed that there are many challenges the sanctuary is facing like poachers hunting the primates and other wildlife in addition to ongoing encroachment of the Tacugama dams and also the paying of staff. He called on the New Direction Government to give more support in protecting the environment and primates.
The Executive Director of Pan African Sanctuary Alliance Gregg Tully said: “PASA supports and capacitates member states to learn new skills on wildlife protection and provides financial support to make these sanctuaries stronger.”
He expressed his appreciation for the great work the staff of Tacugama Sanctuary is doing to make the environment safe for all species.
The conference was sponsored by Sierra Leone Brewery Limited. The delegation called on Sierra Leoneans to visit the Tacugama Sanctuary so that they can learn more about how to protect wildlife.
