Did you know about the wonder chimp that lately existed and was being taken care of at the Uganda Wildlife Education Center in Entebbe? Zakayo, the oldest and most famous chimpanzee in Uganda, was last week commemorated at the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre (UWEC).
Following her demise on April 26 2019 at age 54, Zakayo’s memories still live at Uwec . To vividly remember and commemorate the chimp’s life time, the ‘Zakayo legacy day’, was lately officially launched and will henceforward be November 1.
At a colorful event hosted by Uwec, , the UWEC chief executive officer (CEO) Dr James Musinguzi threw praises to the fallen chimp, saying it was indeed iconic, and one of a kind. “He represented primates, was social and followed hierarchy. He would only eat after the young ones had eaten,” he said.
Mr Musinguzi further added that Zakayo’s legacy was really indispensable, given his contribution to the country’s tourism sector. “Zakayo brought in a lot of money and tourists to Uganda. And it was only prudent of us to celebrate him,” he said.
Guests to the event included an audience comprising environmental conservationists, officials from the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities (MTWA), Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), Makerere Tourism Association, the new UWEC ambassador, Ms Marion Nakku, and UWEC staff, and others who were hosted at the beach side of the center.
Earlier on, the guests were taken through a mini-tour guide of UWEC where they witnessed feeding sessions of chimps, newly advancements inhousing of the animals, accommodation of the various animals, as well as Zakayo’s grave yard.
About Zakayo
Zakayo is a local Ugandan name reflecting on the biblical short Zaccheus who had to climb the tree to have a glimpse of Jesus. Zakayo the chimp was the oldest known captive Chimpanzee in Uganda. He was the non-human primate, who was the champion or idol of conservation, not only at Uganda Wildlife Education Centre, but in Uganda in general.
He was captured from Semliki National Park, and later found his way to a new owner (expatriate) on June 10, 1964. The expatriate claimed to have confiscated Zakayo from people who had illegally held him.
At 13 years, the expatriate surrendered him to Entebbe Zoo on June 19, 1976, given he had become so aggressive to be kept as a pet. Records suggest that Zakayo succumbed to chronic ‘Gastroenteritis’ due to his old age and he was highly susceptible to opportunistic infections. He had also become senile given his past history and lived at UWEC for 42 years, leaving behind two wives, in Amina and Ruth, as well as a toddler.
Zakayo was popular among fellow chimpanzees for having been caring and a lover of peace and harmony. His body has since been preserved at the zoo for tourism purposes and only his intestines were buried. Statistics indicate that Chimpanzees have a life span of 60 years in captivity, and 45 in the wild, meaning that Zakayo in fact surpassed their normal lifespan.
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