Never in my life did I think I would ever be saying this, but on 6th May 2020 I will be completing a tandem skydive for charity! My biggest fear in life is heights, so much so that even high ropes makes me feel physically sick! So to do this is an extremely huge thing for me. But Jim and Jenny From the Liberia Chimpanzee Rescue and Protection have given me the motivation to do so. They have recently been on the BBC in their programme ‘Baby Chimp Rescue’.

Jim and Jenny relocated their lives to Liberia to dedicate everything they have to saving baby chimpanzees, 36 babies to be exact! Looking after baby chimpanzees are just like looking after human babies, so you can imagine how difficult looking after 36 little chimpanzees would be.

Unfortunately the stories as to why these babies are in the hands of these two amazing people is very upsetting. In Liberia, chimpanzees are endangered due to the bush meat trade and deforestation. Chimpanzees are hunted and killed for their meat, most of the time brutally killed in front of their young. Chimpanzees solely rely on their mothers to survive for many years, yet they will be ripped from them to then be sold in the illegal pet or entertainment trade. Chimps are extremely emotional, just like humans, and can feel pain and mourn, so they can become very traumatised as to what they have gone through.

These babies do not stay small for long, and chimpanzee adults are extremely strong and dangerous. Therefore these babies will grow to end up being killed or live their whole lives chained up with heavy metal that cause open wounds on their necks. They may even have their teeth extracted. They get beaten, fed food that can be dangerous to them and given alcohol.

However their lives don’t always end this way and that’s thanks to the amazing work Jimmy and Jenny do. These guys provide food, water, shelter, enrichment, medications and a loving home for these baby chimpanzees, acting as the mothers they once lost. They give the chimps another chance in life, teaching them the life stills from foraging to nest building, recognising the dangers chimpanzees face and learning how to live in the wild on their own.

Chimpanzees share almost 99% of the DNA us humans have, yet humans are the reason our closest relatives are rapidly dying out and it’s absolutely heartbreaking.

Jimmy and Jenny are fundraising to raise enough money to build a state of the art sanctuary for these chimpanzees. Due to the increasing numbers of babies that are coming into their care, they are struggling to keep up with the costs and space to give them the life they need. This includes a Vet Centre, new accommodation, more food, shelter, vehicles and ensuring the chimpanzees have a natural forest for them to explore every day.

All we can do it do our bit, and this is why I am facing my biggest fear to give all I can to this inspiration of a couple. Every donation counts, literally anything! Please help me on my way to provide what we can whilst these two people give their whole lives to keep this incredible species alive ❤️