When Wounda arrived at the Jane Goodall Institute’s Tchimpounga Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Centre (TCRC) she was basically on her death bed.
That’s how she got her name, which means “close to death.” She had a terrible illness when she was found and lost so much weight that she looked like a skeleton.
“This is unbelievable,” said Jane Goodall after looking at a photo of Wounda in her emaciated state.
After bringing her back to health, Wounda was finally well enough to be released on Tchindzoulous Island on June 20, 2013. Wounda was the fifteenth chimpanzee to be released onto the island.
“Now we want to give her paradise on the island,” Tchimpounga Manager and JFI-Congo Executive Director Dr. Rebeca Atencia said.
Goodall rode in the truck to bring Wounda to the island and blew kisses to the chimp while she was in her temporary case prompting the chimp to sweetly put her hand through the bars to hold Goodall’s hand.
“This is a really exciting moment for me being here With Wounda,” Goodall said. “She nearly died but thanks to Rebeca she came back from the dead. I mean I saw her looking dead almost. She has a will to live and here she is about to come into this paradise. She’s the 15th chimpanzee to get her freedom here.”
Wounda’s release, which was captured on video, was a heartwarming one. As soon as she is released from her cage, Wounda stops to take a look at her surroundings before giving Goodall a great big hug.
It was almost as if she knew Goodall was responsible for her second chance at life and newfound freedom.
Wounda was one of more than 160 chimps to be living at the rehabilitation center.
“Thanks to the expert care provided at Tchimpounga, Wounda overcame significant adversity and illness and was recently relocated to Tchindzoulou Island, one of three islands that are part of the newly expanded sanctuary,” the caption of the video of Wounda’s release states.
It was Goodall’s hope that one day all of the rehabilitated chimpanzees at her sanctuary would be brought to Tchindzoulous Island to enjoy their freedom and live a peaceful life.
The video of Wounda’s release has gotten more than 1.4 million views on YouTube and was an inspiration to those who watched it.
“I want a chimp hug now,” said one viewer.
“I wish one day I can work with the environment and actually be able to save animals on the daily,” another said. “It would make my life complete.”
You can watch the moving video below.
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