This is no life for a chimpanzee – there is a chain around her neck, and she is too thin. Her name is Leila, and she was living on a private park called Granja-por-de-Sol, in Huambo, Angola.
John Grobler saw the four-and-a-half-year-old chimp and decided to help her. Grobler, a Namibian Journalist, started asking the local people about Leila.
He found out that Leila had been living at the park since she was a baby.
Many people believe her mother was killed for bushmeat. At first, Leila was living in a cage, but after she had destroyed the cage, she was chained outside to a tree.
Leila had no shelter from the sun except that she can sit under a wooden table nearby.
In one shallow hollow of the tree, Leila made a bed for herself.
Leila is forced to beg for food from visitors to the park. The food she gets isn’t healthy, she is fed fried chicken, fries, pasta, and will often be given whiskey and beer.
After hearing all those horrible things, Grobler wasn’t going to leave Angola until Leila was removed – not matter how long or how much it may cost.
It wasn’t an easy process, Grobler got some help from Wild Heart Wildlife Foundation, they helped Grobler raise the money he needed to rescue Leila.
Grobler brought healthy snacks, and the two share a quick bite!
Leila is now free and living at the home of Dalene Dreyer.
Dreyer is currently raising an orphaned chimpanzee named George. Perhaps one day, Leila (and George) will be released into the wild!
