By Joseph Momoh, Staff Reporter
Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary, a key player in Sierra Leone’s conservation landscape, has inaugurated the nation’s inaugural canopy walkway, offering visitors a unique elevated view of the forest and its endangered chimpanzees.
Suspended high among the treetops, the walkway aims to promote eco-tourism while enhancing conservation education. Bala Amarasekaran, the founder of Tacugama, hailed the project as a significant milestone in the sanctuary’s 30-year mission to protect chimpanzees and their habitat.
“This canopy walkway is not just an attraction; it provides Sierra Leoneans and tourists with a fresh perspective on nature,” Amarasekaran stated. Visitors who previewed portions of the walkway described the experience as extraordinary and immersive. “It felt like flying. Sierra Leone was showing us its soul from above,” one visitor shared.
However, Tacugama continues to face several challenges, including encroachment from neighboring communities, habitat destruction, and the hunting of chimpanzees for bushmeat. Amarasekaran cautioned that without robust legal protections, the sanctuary’s conservation achievements could be jeopardized.
While the sanctuary is government-owned, it does not receive any direct state funding and relies on self-financing, grants, and international support. The canopy walkway was funded by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), while the World Bank Group is supporting Tacugama’s Innovation Centre and Botanical Garden through the Sierra Leone Economic Diversification Project.
In addition to safeguarding chimpanzees, Tacugama engages with over 100 communities across the country, impacting more than 10,000 beneficiaries each year. Its initiatives extend to protecting three of Sierra Leone’s four national parks and promoting goals aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, including youth and women empowerment, climate action, and sustainable livelihoods.
In 2019, the government recognized the Western Chimpanzee as Sierra Leone’s national animal and a symbol of tourism, underlining the species’ ecological and cultural significance. With only an estimated 5,500 wild chimpanzees remaining in the country, Tacugama’s mission is more critical than ever.
The new canopy walkway and related facilities aim to harmonize conservation, tourism, and education, raising awareness of the country’s natural heritage. Amarasekaran emphasized that the sanctuary’s success hinges on continued support, legal protections, and community engagement.
“Tacugama is not just saving chimpanzees; it is cultivating a future where Sierra Leoneans can connect with nature and recognize that conservation is vital for survival,” he concluded.
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