WHO WE ARE
J.A.C.K. (Jeunes Animaux Confisqués au Katanga ) was established in 2006 in Lubumbashi, DRC. At first, the sanctuary was aimed to take in the chimpanzees confiscated by law and, since 2021, J.A.C.K. has become a multi-primate- species rehabilitation center to offer a safe place to the so many confiscated primates in need of love and a safe place to stay.
The Centre was created by two primate lovers, Franck & Roxane CHANTEREAU, who still run the refuge as volunteers in addition to their professional life.
The founders
Franck is a French man. He grew up in France and Spain and, since his very young age, he wanted to save gorillas and chimpanzees.
Roxane is Belgian and she was born in the DRCongo formely called Zaïre. Her family settled in this part of Africa in 1898. Franck and Roxane's children are the fifth generation of her family living in the South of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The team
Several keepers, head of site, people in charge of the kitchen, surrogate moms and dads... A team motivated to give the best to all these orphans, with a distinction between the great ape team and the small primate team, who don't mix for reasons of hygiene and zoonosis.
A veterinarian
A veterinarian is responsible for the day-to-day health of each J.A.C.K. resident. Not only does he provide the necessary veterinary care, but he also monitors the diet of each group of primates and carries out basic laboratory analyses.
The Rangers
J.A.C.K. being an I.C.C.N. partner since 2008 and after the Founders faced arsons and different threats, it was decided in 2013 that 2 (sometimes 3!) armed I.C.C.N. Rangers would secure the complex day and night.
WHO DO WE WORK WITH?
Based at the Lubumbashi ZOO, J.A.C.K. Sanctuary doesn’t work alone. Two Congolese institutions help J.A.C.K. in its duty: the Ministry of Environment and I.C.C.N. (Congolese Wildlife Authorities).
The Ministry of the Environment legally seizes the primates; these are brought to the Sanctuary which jointly works with Congolese National Parks (ICCN) for the future reintroduction of all these orphans into the wild.
WHAT DO WE DO AND WHY?
The Sanctuary exists to facilitate wildlife confiscations by the authorities through providing a safe place for the orphans to live for the time being. Along with the DRC Wildlife Authorities, a pre-release program is scheduled before releasing the orhans back to the wild. If nothing is done to protect chimpanzees and other endangered primates, they will have totally disappeared from the wild by 2050!