My Story

Kalema (Its dangerous being a Chimp)

When I look back on my life it’s not that I don’t want to remember things exactly as they happened, it’s just that I loathe reality. But the truth of it all is, I was found in Bombo Barracks and at the time I was owned by a soldier who had brought me back from the Democratic Republic of Congo as a war trophy.

This soldier kept me out on a leash outside the comfort of his uni-pot where I experienced all weather changes as they came, including my biggest phobia ‘getting rained on’.  I was fed bananas every passing day—typical Chimpanzees stereotype and sometimes I only got a drink of water.

I was then confiscated from him by a Uganda People’s Defense Force Major General under the pretext that my previous owner wasn’t taking good care of me so he took me to his home.

While there I was reduced to a house pet his children played with. They would put a rope around my waist most evenings and take me around the village like an ordinary goat. This went on for a while and the pulling and tagging turned into a wound around my waist.

But irrespective of that, they kept on putting the rope around the wound and took me around the village daily. When I whimpered in pain they laughed because they found it funny.

Then one day as I was being taken around the village by his houseboy, Dr. Gladys Kalema found me with him and asked the boy to lead her back to my owner. That day I was rescued and spent the night at Uganda Wildlife Education Centre then Uganda Zoo in October 1999.

I was named Kalema on arrival as a noble gesture to recognize the good work DR. Gladys Kalema had done for my kind.

I was then taken to Ngamba Island where I was rehabilitated and reintroduced into the forest with Chimpanzees just like myself. That’s why when asked about my past; I always wish you ask me about my present.

I have always believed my present is much more interesting than my past, so if you ever find time to come to the Island, I would like to tell you more about my present and how I nearly became the alpha male after the death of Mika.

1000 Pant Hoots

Kalema