She is their salvation

Five years living in Angola certainly exposed Halcombe resident Lucinda Dodunski to many eye-opening experiences. Working as a teacher with her husband Richard, the couple taught at an international school in Luanda.

During her stay there she committed a lot of her own time to the rescue of captured and mistreated chimpanzees.

On February 15, a television series Escape to Chimp Eden begins on the Animal Planet Channel. Mrs Dodunski and her chimp-saving efforts, from when she worked with Eugene Cussons from the Jane Goodall Institute in South Africa, feature in the programme.

"I am keen for people to watch the programme and see the plight of these chimpanzees and the efforts the Institute makes in saving them from a terrible life," said Lucinda.

Her connection to chimpanzees came about after seeing three chimps chained up at a local bar. "They weren't being fed properly, and looked sad and uncared for. I started visiting them where I fed them, played and stimulated them three times a week."

The chimps got so attached to Lucinda they would start shrieking and squawking with delight when they heard her car approaching. She even recounts times it was difficult to leave them as they would not let go of her from their embrace.

"Chimpanzees are often brought in from North Angola when their parents have been killed for food or have lost their homes with the destruction of the rain forests. They are very cute when they are little, but as they grow old, people no longer want them."

She said the standard of living in Angola is low so often people do not consider their treatment of chimps as too bad.

There is heavy duty bureaucracy in Angola and it is difficult to remove chimps from the country to sanctuaries around the world. Lucinda had been in contact with groups willing to help, but the Angolan Government would not give approval. Finally they agreed with them being sent to the Jane Goodall Institute in South Africa as long as the Angolan Government retained ownership. "When you have Government officials who eat chimpanzee meat, they naturally do not have too much concern for their welfare."

Sadly one of the original three chimps she visited died in her arms, but the other two were later rescued. She was also involved in the rescue of a further eight chimpanzees working with Eugene Cussons and his team. Some of these efforts are recorded in the television programme.

After their rescue, and sleeping with the chimps in the cargo bay at the airport, Mrs Dodunski admits she was a mess when she had to finally say goodbye. But because of quarantine she was unable to travel with them to their final destination.

She has visited them several times at the sanctuary, and her two oldest chimp-friends remembered her, and proudly showed off their new families.

As well as caring for the chimpanzees, the couple also spent time visiting a local orphanage, worked along with their employers to set up an institute for children with polio and worked with a land mine awareness group.

Mrs Dodunski expects the television series to make her a bit weepy again as it brings back memories.

Life is now enjoyed by the couple on their lifestyle block in Halcombe with their toddler son, Max. Mr Dodunski is teaching at South Makirikiri School.

Mrs Dodunski is also happy to make presentations to schools and groups who may want to hear more about the plight of the chimpanzees.