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| Becci Crowe's Journey to the Congo with Dr. Jane Goodall |
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Observing wildlife in the wild and bearing witness to their challenges not only inspires the art Becci Crowe creates but enables her to tell their story as well. Networking with experts in the field forges opportunities for Crowe to join them in the remote places they work… and just two weeks ago she spent 10 days with Dr. Jane Goodall in the Tchimpounga Nature Reserve to bear witness to the plight of the chimpanzees and the efforts to save them.
Tchimpounga Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Center in the Republic of Congo was established by Jane Goodall and is currently the largest chimpanzee sanctuary in Africa. It was created to provide care for orphans of the bushmeat trade. In addition to habitat loss, the illegal commercial bushmeat trade is now one of the most serious threats to chimpanzees. Crowe joined Dr. Goodall who was returning after two years to witness the expansion of the sanctuary and progress in releasing chimpanzees to new forest island homes.
Says Crowe, "My days at Tchimpounga with Dr. Goodall were full of 4-wheel driving through rough roads hacked through the jungle, camping in the forest, and boat trips up the Ngongo and Kouilou rivers to see the new mandrill and orphan chimpanzee release sites. I had the rare privilege to participate in the release of an orphan chimpanzee with Dr. Goodall and was given the key I used to unlock the door releasing the orphan to it's new island home as a symbol of hope for all chimpanzees."
Chimpanzees are listed as endangered by the IUCN and their numbers continue to decline. Becci Crowe, now back in her studio, works to raise awareness through her art, presentations, and participation in Artists For Conservation. Adds Crowe, "Over the next several months I will be creating a new series from my incredible experience with Jane Goodall and planning future expeditions. A heartfelt thanks to Dr. Jane Goodall, the Jane Goodall Institute, and the Wildlife Conservation Network."
To read more about Becci Crowe's Congo experience with Dr. Goodall check out her featured blog on AFC's website. |
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