With wide eyes and cautious curiosity, Aco is already showing signs of a thoughtful and resilient nature. Born around March 2025, this young chimpanzee has taken his first steps toward a brighter future at the Tchimpounga Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Center, where he is safe, loved, and just beginning to settle into his new life. 😍
Aco was rescued in Bata, Equatorial Guinea, after a local resident who had been caring for him reached out for help. She had received him from her employer, who is believed to have rescued him. Though his origin and the fate of his mother remain unknown, Aco arrived in surprisingly good health, with only mild respiratory symptoms and a sore arm.
Aco is currently in quarantine, cared for by Christelle, who is serving as his adoptive human mother while he acclimates to his new home. He’s cautious but friendly, showing only normal signs of fear as he begins to trust this new environment. In a few months, he’ll be introduced to young chimpanzees like Ada and Kala in one of the sanctuary’s nursery groups, where he’ll start learning all he needs to know to thrive as a wild chimpanzee would—from climbing and foraging to forming lifelong friendships.
Aco’s rescue is also historic—one of the first in Equatorial Guinea and the first time the country has worked hand-in-hand with the Republic of the Congo on a chimpanzee transfer. The successful outcome was made possible thanks to a chain of international cooperation: the initial alert came to JGI Spain, who reached out to JGI Republic of the Congo; support from the Guinean and Congolese governments enabled the transfer; and the Pan African Sanctuary Alliance (PASA) sponsored the caregiving team’s travel, and Project Drill helped throughout the whole rescue.
Thanks to this network of compassion and action, Aco now has a second chance—and a whole lifetime ahead of him. 💚
Aco with Christelle and Rebeca Atencia - pictures from JGI/Fernando Turmo