 |
Over
the years Chipembele
has become a wildlife
refuge for orphaned
and injured animals.
With full authority
from the Zambian
Wildlife Authority
(ZAWA) animals
are reared and
then rehabilitated
to the wild as
soon they are
ready. None are
ever kept as pets.
Animals
that have been
successfully reared
or nursed and
rehabilitated
at Chipembele
include: warthogs,
vervet monkeys,
yellow baboons,
bushbucks, squirrels,
scrub hares, a
Sharpe’s
grysbok, a hyena,
a pangolin, a
serval and an
Egyptian goose.The
most successful
animals to have
been reared at
Chipembele have
without doubt
been warthogs.
Although they
return to the
wild very easily
they also return
regularly most
days for a mud
bath or drink
of water and the
females bring
their latest babies.
Roxy, a warthog
who was raised
from a 2 week
old baby in 2004,
went on to have
3 litters in consecutive
years, but was
very sadly illegally
shot on Christmas
Day 2008. Her
daughter Ruby
from 2 years ago
took on Roxy's
tiny orphans in
addition to her
own 2 babies.
A reminder that
life in Africa
can be tough,
harsh and unjust
as well as joyous.
|