The Island is divided into two unequal parts, separated by an electric fence. On one side of the fence, the visitors and staff centre extends over an area of about 1ha and the rest of the island is reserved more-or-less exclusively for the chimps.
Ngamba was chosen as a sanctuary since it was formerly uninhabited and its rain forest is almost identical to that of wild chimpanzees, with more than 50 plant species. There is plenty of room for the chimps to roam, though its area covers foods roughly to the natural range of one chimpanzee-so the chimps are fed a porridge-like mixture for breakfast, and then fruits and vegetables twice during the day. They are fed from a viewing platform, which provides an opportunity for visitors to observe and photograph the chimps.
Since 1998, UWEC has received influx of orphaned chimpanzees, most of which were captured illegally in the forests of the Democratic Republic of Congo and smuggled across Uganda for trade. Workers on the island are constantly involved in helping the newly arrived orphans to integrate into the original community.
Ngamba island is the flagship project of the Chimpanzee sanctuary and Wildlife Conservation Trust, jointly established in 1997 by the Born Free Foundation, then International Fund for Animal Welfare, the Jane Goodall Institute, UWEC and the Zoological Board of New South(Australia). Proceeds from the tourist visits go directly back in the maintenance of the sanctuary and the organization's other chimpanzee-related projects.
Day trips to the island are timed to coincide with the pre-arranged supplementary feeding times, offering an excellent opportunity to observe and photograph one of our closet animal relatives.
**Visits to Ngamba can be arranged and anybody thinking of booking on the Chimpanzee walk with infant chimps through their forest habitat, should make advance contact.
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