×
App Icon
The Standard e-Paper
Join Thousands Daily
★★★★ - on Play Store
Read on the App

One man's 30 years of toil to save Sierra Leone's orphaned chimps

Founder and director Bala Amarasekaran at the Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary in Freetown, on April 24, 2025. [AFP]

Bala Amarasekaran has never felt like running his world-renowned sanctuary for orphaned chimpanzees in Sierra Leone was truly work, having come to his calling only after several unexpected twists of fate.

Standing in his Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary not far from the capital Freetown, he tenderly patted a young ape's nose and stroked its cheek, whispering a few words of encouragement into its ear.

Get Full Access for Ksh299/Week
Fact‑first reporting that puts you at the heart of the newsroom. Subscribe for full access.
  • Unlimited access to all premium content
  • Uninterrupted ad-free browsing experience
  • Mobile-optimized reading experience
  • Weekly Newsletters
  • MPesa, Airtel Money and Cards accepted
Already a subscriber? Log in