Friends of Jack Primate Sanctuary

Friends of JACK Primate Sanctuary is a 501(c)(3) US nonprofit organization that raises awareness of the plight of primates and other endemic wildlife affected by the illegal wildlife trade in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

As the official US partner to JACK Primate Sanctuary in the DRC, we provide funding to help rescue primates and other wildlife from the illegal wildlife trade and fund projects to support the care and welfare of rescued animals at the sanctuary. 

JACK Primate Sanctuary is an independent, self-funded NGO founded in April 2006 in Lubumbashi (DRC). Run by  Franck CHANTEREAU and his wife Roxane, J.A.C.K. is a  Sanctuary for primates and chimpanzees confiscated by law by the DRC Ministry of the Environment. They are now working more with the interior of the country where, thanks to its partnership with APPACOL-PRN, are not only raising awareness but also confiscating primates with the local environmental authorities, in order to complete the legal process following arrest.

They have a triple mission: (1) to stop the illegal trade of apes and primates throughout the country by enforcing laws on wildlife, (2) to give the confiscated orphans a safe refuge with all the needed love and care before (3) releasing them back in their natural habitat.

THE PROBLEM:

The Democratic Republic of the Congo is home to a  great variety of endangered wildlife. Yet, poaching, wildlife trafficking and bushmeat are the threats it faces daily.  In 1960, there was an estimated one million chimpanzees in Africa. Today, hardly 172,000 to 300,00 are said to be left, and about 40% of this remaining population lives in the DRC.

Also, the Democratic Republic of Congo is the third country in the world with the highest diversity of primates and the first in Africa. Moreover, the DR Congo is among the four countries in the world (together with Brazil, Madagascar and Indonesia) to have 65% of all primate species. Unfortunately, 2/3 of the primates living in these countries are facing extinction. Some endemic and fully protected monkey species are increasingly vulnerable and their populations are disappearing rapidly due to the bushmeat trade and the trafficking of exotic pets.

Today, it is clear that very few actions are taken in this central African country to protect them. Thousands of big and small primates are being poached, eaten, and sold daily in the greatest silence. Many species are soon to become extinct if laws aren’t enforced and if awareness is not advocated to stop the trade!

In an effort to put a stop to the increase in bushmeat trafficking and the illegal demand for exotic pets in Central Africa, the J.A.C.K.  has organized a coalition of different NGOs to address this issue. Congolese non-governmental organizations, the DRC Wildlife Authorities (ICCN) and the PAN AFRICAN SANCTUARY ALLIANCE (PASA) are part of this dynamic.  This is how J.A.C.K. has been partnering with APPACOL-PRN since May 2022. Without this agreement, many primates would still be sold freely on the streets, even though their possession is illegal. Therefore, this partnership agreement applies and reinforces the laws of nature conservation in force in our country.

These joint efforts also lead to arrests and legal proceedings against offenders. The task of reinforcing the law is not an easy one, and DR Congo remains a complex country. However, J.A.C.K. and APPACOL-PRN are leading some victories in this area, including the recent judgment of a pangolin scale trafficker who was arrested and put in prison for two years. This action was not possible without the help of the TIKKI HYWOOD FOUNDATION.

Finally, through this agreement, the confiscated/recovered primates have the chance to be transferred and rehabilitated at the Lubumbashi sanctuary with the hope of being released back into the wild. From May 2022 to May 2023, thanks to this partnership and the generous support of JACK great donors, sponsors and partners, 45 primates have been confiscated, rescued and transferred to the Lubumbashi-based sanctuary for a better life.

A SANCTUARY TO FACILITATE WILDLIFE CONFISCATIONS

In an effort to put a stop to the increase in bushmeat trafficking and the illegal demand for exotic pets in Central Africa, the J.A.C.K.  has organized a coalition of different NGOs to address this issue. Congolese non-governmental organizations, the DRC Wildlife Authorities (ICCN) and the PAN AFRICAN SANCTUARY ALLIANCE (PASA) are part of this dynamic.

This is how J.A.C.K. has been partnering with APPACOL-PRN since May 2022. Without this agreement, many primates would still be sold freely on the streets, even though their possession is illegal. Therefore, this partnership agreement applies and reinforces the laws of nature conservation in force in our country.