April 13, 2011
Lubutu Uhuru Climbs a Tree
Lubutu Uhuru, our newest orphan, continues to make progress. Nobody knows exactly how long he was held captive by the poachers before arriving to start a new life under our care, but, today, as I happily lay on the floor in the UGADEC garden, watching him swinging and climbing 10 meters up in the trees before making a nest, I couldn't help but wonder just how long has it been since he not only climbed trees, but felt so safe and secure.
Luitzen, our interim manager at GRACE (the Gorilla Rehabilitation and Conservation Education center in the Congo), is still finalizing our travel arrangements but we hope to be back at GRACE by the end of the week! There, Lubutu will be in quarantine for a month before he joins the other young gorilla orphans to enjoy the forest, even better than a garden.
Sandy Jones, Confiscated Gorilla Rehabilitation Manager, GRACE