The chimpanzee is human's closest living relative sharing 98% of the same DNA and they can mainly be found in the Congo jungle, however, due to forestation in particular and an illegal "pet" trade, their very existence is under threat having already disappeared from four African countries and nearing extinction in many others. Currently Uganda is home to around 5,000 chimpanzees and 1,500 of them live in Kibale Forest. They also live in a further twenty African countries where scientists estimate between 170,000 and 300,000 live in the wild.
You can get a unique insight into the chimpanzee at the Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary in Uganda which was established in 1998 a few miles offshore from Entebbe; a project overseen by the NGO Chimpanzee Sanctuary and Wildlife Conservation Trust set within 95 acres of forest providing a superb and very safe habitat.
The project cares for a number of orphaned chimpanzees and offers the
opportunity for visitors to interact with them in what is probably a unique environment. Whilst a tourist attraction, the project's primary duty is to care for the chimpanzees so be keen to dig deep to assist in supporting their work financially ~ for example for a few £'s extra you can feed the chimps.
You can access Ngamba Island by plane, however a better option for those on a budget is by boat which takes 30-40 minutes depending on sea conditions. You can either go to meet the chimpanzees on a day trip or overnight excursion. The project also offers long-term volunteer stays described by one recent volunteer as "one of the most magical experiences of my life". You can even adopt one the chimps.
