Bo’s journey begins in the heart of the Cantanhez Forest National Park in Guinea-Bissau, where young Bo was left orphaned after her mother fell victim to the bushmeat trade. It seemed like it was all over for two-year-old Bo who was taken from the park by a man intending to sell her for bushmeat; fortunately, fate intervened, and in April 2015, Bo was seized by the Guinea-Bissau authorities. 

Now safe, Bo found herself under the care of the Instituto da Biodiversidade e das Áreas Protegidas (IBAP), the national organization responsible for safeguarding Guinea-Bissau’s protected areas. Her new home became the tranquil Cufada Lagoon National Park offices in Buba, where she was given a chance to heal. Here she bonded with the park office staff and started to let her guard down around humans again and blossomed into a chatty and comfortable young chimpanzee. Bo’s story would have taken a completely different path if it wasn’t for the dedicated efforts of the authorities at Cufada Lagoon National Park. Staff there tirelessly sought a sanctuary where Bo could experience the joys of a life free from harm and the threat of exploitation; Their determination led them to reach out to us here at Sweetwaters Sanctuary.  

On April 26th, 2018 Bo arrived at Sweetwaters Sanctuary. Today, Bo is thriving in her new home, surrounded by lush vegetation, fellow chimpanzee friends, and a dedicated team of vets and carers that ensure her well-being.   

The chimpanzees at Sweetwaters unfortunately cannot be reintroduced to the wild and therefore need ongoing support. It costs us US$5,000 a year to look after one chimpanzee!