Mawa the Chimp of Ngamba Uganda

One of the Island of Lake Victoria, known as Ngamba Island is a habitat to many orphan chimpanzees in Uganda. Once the young chimpanzee loses it parent, it transferred to the island to be cared for. They are first held in reserve in a holding house so as to get used to the environment and later join the others in the forest.

Last year, a juvenile chimpanzee called Mawa was transfered to the island. Like in all animal communities, there is a leader. While in the holding house, Mawa became a leader of the young chimpanzees that had newly come to the island. He settled the fights and conflicts amount the chimpanzees in the house, had the most comfortable place in the house where he would sleep and also ate before the other when food was brought.

When the got used to the environment at Ngamba Island, the caretakers allowed then to walk into the forest to join the other chimpanzees. They were welcomed by the elder primates and these young chimpanzees were delighted because they could eat wild fruits, swing on the branches and had unlimited playing space.

However, Mawa was not very pleased because the old ones did not take him as a leader, and would not allow for him to eat first at meals. When they had conflicts, he would interfere and help to solve them and therefore wanted them to give him respect as the young chimpanzees had done before in the holding house.

With this, the older chimpanzees were not pleased with Mawa’s idea since he was younger then. Maki, the then leader hated Mawa even more because he wanted to over throw him. The begun mistreating him, scratched him with their long nail and beating him every time the met him.

Mawa became so miserable, love the forest no more and tried to find means of going back to the holding house but was not easy for him. There is an electric fence separating the part of the island with the holding house from the forest. He got shocked while trying to climb the fence and failed so he had to find other means in order to leave the forest.

He climbing to the top of a tall tree and at a high speed swung and fell on the other side of the island and went into the holding house happy that he had left the forest.

At the house, the caretakers were not happy with him and took him back. Though he was not bullied any more, he felt insecure and feld back to the holding house.

Currently, the care takers are planning to raise the fence higher, and the take him to the forest. He has learnt his lesson and will always respect his elders.

You can book now for a safari to Ngamba Island and see Mawa, Maki and other chimpanzees in the forest like young Rambo, Oketch, Surprise, Katie and many more. For schools in Uganda, a visit to the island is free if you go as a school group.

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