Our work
According to the IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature), almost half (48%) of the 634 primate taxons (species and subspecies) that there are in the world are at risk of extinction. The main causes are the destruction of rainforests, poaching and the illegal trafficking of infants.
SOS Primates is a non-profit organisation founded in 2012 with the aim of educating people about the threats faced by primates and contributing to their protection. We are currently focusing our efforts on raising funds for the Centro de Rehabilitación de Primates de Lwiro, located in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The CRPL, co-directed by the Basque biologist Itsaso Vélez del Burgo and Lorena Aguirre, a psychologist from Madrid, is home to more than 90 chimpanzees and 100 monkeys rescued from poaching and illegal trafficking. Located in an area affected by conflict, the centre represents the only hope for the protection and survival of these animals.
The CRPL currently needs our help to fund food for all of the animals (fruit and vegetables, bought fresh from local farmers) and to offer a fair wage to its 55 local workers. In this way, we can offer support to this rural area of South Kivu.

Lwiro Primate Rehabilitation Centre
Located in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the CRPL is home to more than 90 chimpanzees and 100 monkeys rescued from poaching and illegal trafficking. Located in an area affected by conflict, the centre represents the only hope for the protection and survival of these fascinating animals.
Since 2012 SOS Primates has supported the work of the CRPL and forms part of its advisory board together with other international organisations.


Our activities
We organise conferences about primates, biodiversity and conservation and we participate in courses and training days on both a national and international level. We are also present at congresses and exhibitions with the aim of informing people about the work we do in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, educating about the threats faced by primates and giving supporters the opportunity to help us by ordering merchandise as well as through donations.
In 2018 we started offering workshops at primary and secondary schools.
