Wilder International director and veterinarian Matyas Liptovszky, visited Chimfunshi Wildlife Orphanage Trust, which was hosting international dental specialists to facilitate the treatment of several of the sanctuary’s chimpanzees. Mat supported the team in anaesthetizing several chimpanzees whilst the dental specialists worked to improve their oral health. This was also a great opportunity to provide further training for sanctuary vets from across Africa.
Chimfunshi is one of the world’s largest chimpanzee sanctuaries, located on 10,000 hectares of land in the heart of Zambia, which houses over 150 chimpanzees in large forest enclosures. Chimfunshi rescues and rehabilitates chimpanzees who have been confiscated from around the world. As a non-native species to Zambia the chimpanzees cannot be released back into the wild so the dedicated team at Chimfunshi ensures they can live out the remainder of their lives in comfort and safety. But the sanctuary doesn’t stop there, as a wildlife trust they also work hand in hand with local communities to promote sustainable development and environmental conservation.
Zambia sits along a key route in the international wildlife trade. CWOT also rescue, rehabilitate and release native wildlife wherever they can. Already known as hotspot for native birds, the land is now home to many other incredible species. In 2025 the sanctuary was also accredited as an official tree pangolin rescue centre through an official partnership with the Zambian government to safeguard this species for future generations.
Wilder International also provided the team with binoculars and camera traps to facilitate their biodiversity conservation work as well as have the tools available to monitor any released individuals and the welfare of chimpanzees within the sanctuary itself.
