Bristol Zoo's head vet, Sharon Redrobe, has just returned from a 10 day trip to the Cameroon to help at a gorilla and chimp orphanage. Sharon visited MefouNational Park, which is run by the Cameroon Wildlife Aid Fund (CWAF), where she provided veterinary guidance, support and training to staff and volunteers. Among the dozens of primate patients Sharon saw was a one year old female chimp called Samboro (pictured here with Sharon). Samboro is recovering from meningitis but still suffers from related health problems, such as paralysis. Sharon worked with the CWAF team to take blood samples to trace the cause of the meningitis and to review Samboro's treatment. During the visit she anaesthetised 10 young Western Lowland gorillas for health checks and then they were transported to their new spacious accommodation in the forest which had just been constructed. CWAF is a conservation charity, supported by Bristol Zoo, which works to protect apes from the illegal bushmeat and pet trades. Around 90 per cent of the chimpanzee population has already been lost due to hunting, and it is feared that without major conservation work all the apes in Cameroon could soon be wiped out. Cameroon Wildlife Aid Fund (CWAF)

Gorilla ER – a vet's perspective in and out of Africa
(November 26) Sharon will give a lecture about her experiences working with critically endangered western lowland gorillas. The lecture will focus on Sharon’s work with gorillas – both at Bristol Zoo Gardens and at a primate orphanage in the Cameroon.read more