Nigeria’s ex-president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, has given his chimpanzee named Patience to conservation organisation, Pandrillus Foundation.
The Cable reports that the founders of the animal centre, Liza Gadsby and Peter Jenkins, said that the ex-president decided to put the three-year-old animal in the care of Pandrillus because he understood the special care needs of chimpanzees.
On the generous gesture from the former leader, the management of Pandrillus released a statement:
“As President of Nigeria, he visited Drill Ranch in 2001, and made a follow up visit in 2011. President Obasanjo recognises the special care needs of chimpanzees and therefore decided to place three-year-old Patience with Pandrillus so she can grow up in the forest as part of the large chimpanzee group at Drill Ranch Afi Mountain. Thank you, Mr. President!
“Patience is a fantastic chimpanzee who has been well cared for by the staff of the OOPL Wildlife Park. Once she has completed her medical screening in Calabar, she will join the group at the newly completed Nigerian Chimpanzee Centre – located at Drill Ranch Afi Mountain in Boki LGA of Cross River State.”
