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.