TACUGAMA: 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.
A nearby adolescent, visibly jealous, grabbed at Amarasekaran’s hand, pandering for his attention with an intense gaze.
The chimps are not just Amarasekaran’s life and work, but his family too. Since 1995 he has fought for them, nurtured them and preserved the oasis he created for them against an onslaught of dangers.
“I never feel I come to work because the chimps are a part of my life,” Amarasekaran told AFP. “It’s my passion, I come to see my family.”
