PIZARRO'S RESCUE: A baby chimpanzee survival story

Pizarro is one of the lucky baby chimpanzees that Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary rescued from what could have been certain death in days from a horrific infection swelling in his arm - a wound suffered from a poachers snare.
This segment was filmed at Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary in Sierra Leone. Visit bit.ly/tacugama to learn more about their amazing work rescuing, saving, and caring for critically endangered Western chimpanzees.
LEARN MORE about apes and primates and everything else we do at nonprofit GLOBIO at GLOBIO.org/programs
All footage for this video was obtained through reputable, ethically-run
wildlife sanctuaries dedicated to caring for their rescued primates, while
protecting their wild counterparts. Apes Like Us (under GLOBIO) and our
partner programs in no way support the exploitation or trade of primates
in any capacity (whether legal or illegal).
The sanctuary caretakers shown in this video are experts at caring for
these vulnerable, orphaned apes until they are strong enough to join
larger primate families at these sanctuaries. Any human contact with these
infants is for the babies' physical and mental benefit only.
Special Thanks to Tacugama Staff for photos, videos, and interviews.
Videography/Editing
Gerry Ellis
Programs Director
Meg Stark
Music: Under Artlist.io license
Apes Like Us is an educational project of nonprofit GLOBIO.
Copyright @GLOBIO 2020

[@TheKatarinaGiselle]

Poor baby, thank you for saving him!! When it comes to baby chimps, orangutans and gorillas, oh I get so emotional...other animals too of course, but that’s what I’m into watching right now and they all get me so emotional!

[@Pill-Cosby]

I didn't realize this comment was 2 years ago till now 😂

[@Bonobo3D]

A relief to see the rescue and treatment of this little chimp's wounds. Thank you to all who work to rescue these orphans and protect chimpanzee territories.

[@daddysgirl1935]

Chimps are beautiful animals and deserve to be treated with kindness and love. ALL animals deserve to be treated with LOVE. They give me so much joy and happiness. I don’t know what the world is coming to. People hurting children and the abuse they go through. I wish I could rescue them ALL. God Bless them and protect them. They all deserve to live!!!

[@pparker768]

When grown they are aggressive, brutal ugly beasts.

[@AnarinaTV]

This made me cry. Sorry little guy. You are now safe.

[@MrDanyelhope]

Baby chimps always melt my heart ❤️

[@drob517]

I know. They are so cute to me and human like. How can anyone mistreat them. It’s no different to me treating a human baby like that.

[@cindyholcomb7700]

Pazarro and all the rescues are precious creatures. Thank you for helping them.

[@lizimpey6338]

Mankind should be looking after these precious little babies. I just don’t know how people can hurt them. Try not to skip the adds on these animal rescue channels as the channel will get a little money if they are watched all the way through 👍🤗🤗

[@lizimpey6338]

@@425HP I understand how you feel. I’m very careful which animal rescue channels I watch because I think there are those who are disingenuous and use animals for their gain.

[@majesticworld255]

@@lizimpey6338, I couldn't agree more, seen too many of them, unfortunately.

[@lizimpey6338]

@@majesticworld255 I’m so glad that you feel the same👏😁👍

[@lizimpey6338]

Sorry I missed your comment. It’s good to know that people feel the same 🙂👍🤗

[@marshallmiller4515]

This is absolutely awe inspiring

[@nurseprac.nikki513]

Aww, God Bless those who saved this little guy! ❤️ 🐒 🐘🦍🦧

[@simolav1365]

I would love to see more about Pizarro development. Thanks for all your hard work.

[@ApesLikeUs]

As our GLOBIO Programs Partner in West Africa ( globio.org/about-globio/where-we-work/program-partnership-tacugama-chimpanzee-sanctuary/ ) Tacugama is in touch with us weekly, we will keep track of Pizarro through their vet team and Mama Po (the greatest surrogate mom a little ailing chimp could ever have) and post an update story in the near future.

[@bspaet]

@@ApesLikeUs Yes I've seen the love and care Mama P gives to the little guys. She is so important to their recovery.

[@megstark9940]

@@bspaet She's an angel for the little ones!

[@hollykane4000]

Thank you team for everything you do.

[@jennybrownlee8342]

Omg, look at that precious little life😥😥. Damn humans are the worst predators.

[@markstench4470]

Doing amazing work, thank you

[@TheRealBaxterslideralus]

amazing you saved his hand, thank you for helping this little soul, God bless you all

[@ApesLikeUs]

Thank you so much for watching our videos and we're glad you enjoyed it

[@peterwallace9764]

An unbelievable rescue & surgery effort. That hand looked like it was nearly off. I in fact thought he would lose his hand. A tremendous effort. 🐒🐒🐒🐒🐒👍🏻🇦🇺👍🏻

[@ApesLikeUs]

That was certainly a fear on Tacugama's behalf as well, it's amazing that these little chimps are so resilient- he's made quite the comeback! :)

[@hollykane4000]

These need to be played in schools

[@melaniemagno7412]

thank you for taking care of this animals god bless you guys

[@brendamanning5235]

Thanks for all the great work U do!

[@michellejolly7325]

Poor baby! Thank you so very much beautiful souls for saving him ❤️🙏

[@mroase4273]

Love these stories... Would love to see more of the great rescue stores and your the process that goes into helping these chimps..

[@sianiparriris1075]

Thank you for safing Pizaro. God bless your program

[@simonsmith8387]

well done guys... i dont think it was a dramatic rescue as suggested in the video but surely you saved that life and this is always great when happens. Thank you!

[@OU812..]

You guys are amazing thank you he is so cute.

[@Trial212]

Wonderful work in the operating room!!! That was a bad wound. Well done!!

[@ApesLikeUs]

Yes it was! Thanks for your support :)

[@TheRealBaxterslideralus]

I cant believe you saved his arm, that was a severe cut, well done. God bless

[@Jay-vw6hn]

Baby chimps are the most adorable cutest in the world.

[@andreacastanl1472]

Gracias x esta hermosa labor Dios los bendiga y gracias muchas gracias 😢

[@dennissmith5042]

Great job beautiful little chimp

[@lightfollower5717]

He has a sweet cute little face. Beautiful little chimp. ❤

[@sue-yf4nk]

Aw he's just a baby, thank God for good people

[@stephenhassol6960]

Great job 👍

[@teresahall7469]

Thank you for your timely rescue of little Pizarro and for saving his arm with all of your hard work! Education is the key to saving chimpanzees, where the indigenous peoples could learn that it is more profitable for them to work with the authorities to protect trees and allow wildlife to flourish then to destroy the ecosystem around them.

[@ApesLikeUs]

You're absolutely right - Education is such a key component to their protection but it's often expensive and difficult to create good education programs. Tacugama's Kids Environmental Education Program (TKEEP) is an example of a really well-crafted and run EE program in Sierra Leone, you can learn more about it here: bit.ly/TacugamaEducation Fun Fact, it's actually currently headed up by a woman who graduated from TKEEP herself when she was younger :)

[@teresahall7469]

@@ApesLikeUs So glad to see your education program including field trips to Tacugama Chimpanzee and Wildlife Center so the children can see first hand how endearing and important Chimpanzees can be so that they will want to save them and other wildlife.

[@christianduka9286]

Thank you

[@brandonphipps4755]

I pray to god that I am able to work with chimps and help save these abused and tortured lives.

[@MariaMaria-wr6yp]

Gracias gracias gracias extraordinarios seres humanos dios os cuide y aguarde x siempre.ojala tuviese yo 30años menos xke prometo k me uniria a vosotros junto a esos bellos y angeles animalitos

[@magicmoney9653]

I say shoot it before it can breed. Chimps are the most vile, disgusting creatures Satan ever spawned on the earth . I wonder how many sick and starving children they drove past on their way to rescue this useless ape.

[@user-sw3qs7rq4x]

BLESS YOU ALL

[@anniemarie1965]

Thank you lord, thank you and God bless the recuers

[@angelpunk111]

poor sweet baby :( thankyou for helping hîm

[@christianduka9286]

Protect them because they have life too need take care of them

[@maggieharris3721]

God bless you all 🙏💜🙏💜

[@slice-o-life]

Very lucky monkey to get our human treatment. I can’t imagine other animals who do not get help all the time.

[@camiloestebanescobarmunoz1592]

Ustedes son nuestros héroes sigan adelante y salven más chimpancés ke son muy hermosos les deseo lo mejor bien estar y salud un abrazo enorme de un chileno

[@rockchalkmarie]

Thank you for the beautiful video. Is there a way we can donate to this sanctuary if they are in need of support?

[@ApesLikeUs]

Yes! Absolutely, you can donate through several different means here: bit.ly/TacugamaDonate Thanks for your support! The Lockdown has been difficult for all primate sanctuaries and they appreciate every dime to help maintain their high standard of care :)

[@jaemunns5180]

HUMAN at worst!!! 🤬How can they can do this !! 😢😪And HUMAN at best.🙏💕🙏

[@michellebohn2434]

I agree...These are so innocent and to hurt them to this degree. These babies are so sweet and I love them 💟...I'm so glad he survived!!! Humans can be the worse of all predators.

[@tgallagher100]

Humans also rescued him. The people that snatch these precious babies from the mother they just killed are absolutely terrible people. When you say HUMANS as a whole are the worst feel free to include yourself but I’m human and I not only would never do anything like the poachers do but I also donate monthly to a rescue center. I’m sure some people think I’m being dramatic but I get so irritated with the tons of comments saying HUMANS are horrible when there’s a human telling the story about how a group of humans rescued the baby ape or whatever animal the video is about.

[@tgallagher100]

I apologize, I did not see where you put ”humans at best” That was me being at my worst by not reading everything

[@bernitacenteno1326]

Maybe it was an accident the chimp had ?

[@treetop5752]

LOOKED JUST FINE TO ME, TOO COMFORTABLE IF ANYTHING

[@kimnaylor1429]

This poor baby must have been in. So much pain. HOW could anyone do that to a poor baby monkey or any animal. I thought he was going to lose his arm. BUT thankfully the vets and staff helped him. He has such a cute and adorable face how can this be done it's so SAD to see this cruelty going on still in 2020. These people should be ashamed of themselves disgusting so very SAD to watch 😭😭😭 Good Luck you beautiful. Animal 💋💋💋💋

[@kalsangtashi3040]

🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏😍😍😍😍😍😍😍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰👏👏👏👏👏👏👏🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩thank you very much God bless you all

[@brandonphipps4755]

This is disgusting!! Shame on those people regardless of who and or how they are and live. A life is a life. It is unfair and cruel to treat anything living worse then we expect.

[@Nitka022]

Heart breaking to watch but also heart warming...when will ppl wake up to the notion you do not kill abuse and eat endangered animals?...sometimes I truly despair....

[@painful-Jay]

What would you do if you were starving and had nothing? You can’t begin to imagine what some of those people struggle with. These are people hunting to survive, not to kill every chimp. The situation is not black and white.

[@Nitka022]

@@painful-Jay yes...I hear you...complex life problems...there is too many of us and we are wasteful, destroying species....did you know we produce enough food for 11 bil ppl atm?..? 40% is thrown away, not harvested, left to rot...as I said, I despair...scientists been saying for three decades at least, that we are one sneeze or one runny poo away from extinction...and look at Covid19....Mother Nature is taking her revenge....next pandemic may be our last....

[@loriweikel9551]

God Bless You All 🙏😇💙🙏😇💙

[@magicmoney9653]

God Bless them. ? Oh look another naive American. Id like to lock you in a cage with one of these adult chimps overnight and see ( if your still alive) how you'd feel then . I say shoot it before it can breed. Chimps are the most vile, disgusting creatures Satan ever spawned on the earth

[@gloriakadar3288]

Did the people that kept him were arrested?

[@janicebrown5674]

How is little Pizzaro now?

[@sassygirl7817]

I wonder how he got that cut

[@missyd6771]

90 chimps! That’s absolutely heartbreaking

[@bernitacenteno1326]

Wonderful work ! Scared and Afraid mean exactly the same thing known as synonyms.

[@mandylou5813]

No explanation how he was injured????

[@yazino6616]

save them all

[@brendahutcherson42]

Poor Sweet Baby❤

[@ApesLikeUs]

:(

[@magicmoney9653]

I say shoot it before it can breed. Chimps are the most vile, disgusting creatures Satan ever spawned on the earth

[@magicmoney9653]

​@@ApesLikeUs I say shoot it before it can breed. Chimps are the most vile, disgusting creatures Satan ever spawned on the earth

[@magicmoney9653]

​@@ApesLikeUs I say shoot it before it can breed. Chimps are the most vile, disgusting creatures Satan ever spawned on the earth . I wonder how many sick and starving children they drove past on their way to rescue this useless ape.

[@isaks0n]

it's amazing how much good and how much bad mankind is capable of. it's also amazing when someone goes through all of the hard work of veterinary school and instead of setting up an expensive clinic in an upscale neighborhood and charging $1000 to spay and neuter rich people's dogs, they move to somewhere that they're needed desperately and get paid next to nothing, no acclaim, no fortune, just the understanding that we must care for this earth and these animals rather than destroy it and them.

[@pedrorojas3833]

I would like to see poacher being hunt

[@lennarthagen3638]

Many dont get rescued, people need to change.... this is just one chimp out of many more

[@alziratoledo8284]

ESSES VÍDEOS , DEVERIAM TER A TRADUÇÃO EM PORTUGUÊS,,POIS ESTOU OLHANDO,E NÃO ENTENDO NADA ,, OBRIGADA!!!

[@miluserakasova2685]

Boze muj jaknekdo muze byt tak kruty na nevynych😢

[@JoJo-es7tc]

💕💕💕💕💕💕❤🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@user-hb8ey3dw5b]

Как же ему больно было😢!!!

[@dennisbrooks8566]

What happened to this little guy's troop and mother ? Bushmeat ?

[@ApesLikeUs]

Hi Dennis, it's unclear what happened prior to his rescue, unfortunately. The rescue team was told that he was found trapped in a snare not long before the Tacugama team was able to collect him.

[@dennisbrooks8566]

@@ApesLikeUs So there is no clear answer as to how long he was in the snare ? It's a shame . Those that found didn't report seeing his troop ? Or at least a few adults around ? At least those that found him contacted this rescue group and he's got a chance . Could be worse , he could have been sold or worse .

[@rmote8742]

🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@magicmoney9653]

I say shoot it before it can breed. Chimps are the most vile, disgusting creatures Satan ever spawned on the earth

[@cainmathewson1857]

Show more footage than just the lady talking the whole time.

[@beateheves2035]

🥰🥰🥰💋💋💋

[@Shinobi33]

Doing God's work

[@spudthing1168]

I wonder what they taste like, I’ve seen the natives digging pits and slow cooking them for days. It must be nice if they are still choosing to do it.

[@bspaet]

"It must be nice....."? are you a disgusting jerk or what. go back to your efing cave.

[@spudthing1168]

@@bspaet 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@thegrumpypapa9849]

@@bspaet Bushmeat has been eaten for thousands of years. If it didn't taste good or wasn't needed it wouldn't still be happening.

[@MariaAparecida-dt6dy]

Por favor legenda em português .

[@hazyspirits3177]

Man, it’s crazy that people actually eat these things (referring to poaching for bushmeat). I understand why, but just damn. I’d eat a live bug before cooked chimp idk about you guys.

[@OfficeIcarusLLC]

not a _"Video"_ rather, moving pictures montage w/ intertitles and voiceover - weak

[@laurelbozman6997]

That poor baby

[@dutchcoven4256]

Such high quality production tools, yet you only show still photos of the actual rescue.... what a waste.

[@magicmoney9653]

I say shoot it before it can breed. Chimps are the most vile, disgusting creatures Satan ever spawned on the earth . I wonder how many sick and starving children they drove past on their way to rescue this useless ape.

[@kittykat1985]

The pain that sweet baby has already endured in his short life is tragic, I feel pain for him and the rest of the chimpanzees out there that are in the same predicament. When are humans going to stop destroying their homes, taking those beautiful babies from their mother’s and families for a few dollars. 🤬🤬

[@Spright91]

I feel embarrassed for being part of such a cruel and destructive species. How can we deserve to exist on this planet continuing on this way.

[@jasonjones7451]

The answer to that is...we dont deserve too

[@thegrumpypapa9849]

If this makes anyone feel that the don't deserve to exist they can always leave.

[@nikkizwijacz3001]

Thank the lord but as you may know they eat chimps over there. And that looks like a snare cut😡Thank the sanctuary for saving this living being❤️

[@thegrumpypapa9849]

By saving this animal they took food away from someone. Just doesn't seem right to me.

[@nikkizwijacz3001]

@@thegrumpypapa9849 is BS there is plenty to eat do the math with corruption oppression killing each other please those animals were there first!

[@robpeters5204]

Man and his arrogant behaviours are killing the planet.

[@LLV1915]

If us humans can't be humane to any innocent creature on this earth than how will we survive?

[@ThatMeansHesMad]

It's likely we won't

[@thegrumpypapa9849]

We've been here for thousands of years and we will continue to be in some way or another. Killing and eating these animals won't change that.

[@wwizman]

This would have been more believable if narrated by Pizarro!

[@HerrStaale]

Life in jail for any murder of Chimps

[@anniemarie1965]

These poor people have this monkey to sell for food, this is why they hunt them. And the people lie and say, oh we found him alone, yeah right

[@charlesbates6178]

They should not have wasted the resources on monkeys when so many humans need surgery. They could have just amputated his arm and let him grow up to be bushmeat.

[@ritamccomas9271]

Gee, I bet you're really a lot of fun at parties 🙄

[@donnab7666]

It stuff like this that makes you hate humans. To abuse these babies for no good reason makes me sick. They Kill the mother and steal their babies to abuse. The most important time in their lives when they need their mothers the most humans come in and destroy them and their home. It's sad really how evil we humans truly are

[@treetop5752]

Put lid on barrel and roll it off a mountain

[@Watcher1852]

WHY WOULD U WANT TO EAT PART OF YOUR FAMILY PLEASE STOP

[@user-qq1pd9qb7m]

Gentuza ,los roban o matan a su madre para traficar con ellos y vendérselo al mejor postor ,para luego hacerles cantidad de abuso ,está gente que compra a estos animales ,tendrían que tener cárcel más de 10años ,

[@LittleChena]

I can’t see any emotional comfort for him. Highly professional medical care, yes. Emotional support, no!

[@ApesLikeUs]

Hi LittleChena, even though the emotional support may not be evident in the video, the Tacugama team certainly took care of it for little Pizarro, with special care during his first nights. With baby chimps in this scenario - dehydrated, injured, and away from mum, often one of the last things they want is to be close to humans - as the Vet Andrea Pizarro mentions. At that point, it was practically an alien abduction for the little guy. Providing a warm, quiet, comfortable environment and lots of tasty treats (with human supervision from afar) was perhaps the most comforting course of action for Pizarro for his first nights. Luckily, Tacugama's Nursery team, headed up by the celebrated 'Mama Po' is well-practiced in caring for young orphaned chimps, providing the perfect balance of entertaining stimulus, nutritional support, care, and emotional support during the quarantine period. Even with all the care and patience in the world, it can sometimes take the little ones a few days, weeks, even months to being trusting their new carestaff. The team at Tacugama reports that he is now eating well, healing super quickly, and adjusting to his new life:)

[@bspaet]

@@ApesLikeUs Alien abduction indeed. Emotional support from a non-chimp? Give your head a shake LittleChena. How utterly horrified and traumatized to be away from the constant embrace of Mum and to be with these aliens. They do have the resiliency like all animals to recover and find new friends and support.

[@amor797]

Learn that people live 24/7 and few minutes video dont show all this time passing. How can you be so rude and judgemental when you know nothing on what is happening there. im questionning YOU, what are you doing to make this world better?????

[@LittleChena]

@@ApesLikeUs oh, im sure you all did a great job but you have a YT channel and a lot of people like to watch animal rescue videos. A good balance between professional medical care and the support for a baby chimpanzee would even attract more viewers. If that not possible in the first days because of trauma and fear why you don’t explain that? I guess what many want to see is that we humans behaving like a descent human and don’t leave a terrified baby alone in a cage with no blanket or contact to someone. Thank you for taking the time to respond.

[@catloverugaiyah5769]

I hate people abuse d animals..they are sick people😏

[@ruthsimpson8542]

Awful

[@unclesmoke4690]

I hate so how they're so obsessed with putting these people on the camera show us the chimp subject you're speaking about you can narrate without filming yourself Jesus Christ nobody's here to see people

[@Tiki-Magics-World]

I hate knowing people eat these precious animals. Isn't there a grocery store/market anywhere so they don't have to hunt our closest relatives?

[@tbjtbj4786]

Why? They might like the taste of monkey. In some cultures its more of a Fath meal. Are you that cultural intolerant that you would force your ideas of whats exceptible for someone else to eat? And depending on where and what tribe/ nationally no there are no stores at all anywhere around. And why pay for meat when you can hunt it is fresher,healthier, and better than anything store bought.

[@Tiki-Magics-World]

@@tbjtbj4786 no reason to be rude!

[@tbjtbj4786]

@@Tiki-Magics-World there was nothing rude about what I said. What I said is what you did. You might might not think its rude but what you put out was the only thing rude. I have not bought meat in years. What I hunt has had a better life than most meat raised for the store. It doesn't have the chemical in it that store bought meat has. And has less fat,cholesterol, and tastes better.

[@tbjtbj4786]

@@broctheil4744 well wild hogs carry a lot of diseases. From what i remember they thought aids came from a chimp bite. So that's more reason's to get them gone. Depending on where you at the native's might not be able to hunt a antelope or there might not be any antelope. No guns just traps. And/ or they might not have away to keep a large animal like a antelope from going bad. Were a small meal of monkey meat can be eaten in a day and want go to waste. And in some its a religious type meal. And what do you think gives you the right to tell others what they should be eating especially if it has to do with anything religion?

[@tbjtbj4786]

@@broctheil4744 not really how many have already went extinct? Even before man was around.

[@taintneverstopme8639]

1:30 That's seriously messed up, a broken drum, you can't make a better enclosure than that??? MY ASS, that's just being lazy

[@ApesLikeUs]

Sad isn't it? Thank goodness he was rescued.

[@andreacastanl1472]

Gracias x esta hermosa labor Dios los bendiga y gracias muchas gracias 😢

[@andreacastanl1472]

Gracias x esta hermosa labor Dios los bendiga y gracias muchas gracias 😢