relive the release!

yay! i just got some photos from the release that i'll be posting over the next week! they really tell the story of how excited everyone is.

Here are the bonobos getting loaded onto the plane

our vets, Marie laure and Michel (left and right) and in the middle, Florent, our videographer

michel and Marie Laure doing some veterinary type stuff

and checking on their precious cargo!

And here is a letter from our vet Marie Laure dated june 13!

It's here! After three months of watching the clock, we had a rendez vous with Air Kasaï at the airport for the last details of the flight - we have finally arrived at the release day!

Everything seemed under control - the vets helping us were Dr Nick de Souza, the regional director of WSPA, Dr Michel Halbwax and Dr Fanny Miehl - volunteer vets to boost up the team...

Everything was ready for our dear bonobos - at 9am sharp, the alarm sounded - Tatango had escaped!

ready for combat, I ran to the vet block...

but wait - Keza has also escaped! So have Kalina and her baby, Malaika!

Imagine, at Lola, just before their big flight, 3 grown bonobos running around! Thanks to the Mamas, who are extremely important in these moments (since they took care of the bonobos when they were babies) Keza and Kalina were brought back in. Kalina rummaged through the drawers and found a tin of powdered milk, which Malaika happily shared!

Keza was also tempted back inside with treats - there was only Tatango, the big male who remained outside. While taking a walk around outside, Dr Nick successfully darted him and everything was back under control

The equipment for the health check and anaesthesia was assembled and the bonobos who were going to the release were gathered together.

Night fell at Lola - everything was ready before the big rush!