Uganda Wildlife Education Center has today commissioned a sculpture to celebrate the legacy of fallen Chimpanzee, Zakayo.
While commissioning this sculpture, Minister of Tourism Wildlife and Antiquities Hon. Tom Butime recognized Zakayo as a primate conservation ambassador in Uganda.
Butime also applauded UWEC for their commitment to world life conservation education and urged the institution to now pay attention to breeding species which are at risk of extinction in the wild.
UWEC Executive Director James Musigunzi said that Zakayo was an icon and testimony of UWEC’s conservation programs. He added that the late Zakayo attracted many local and international tourists to UWEC.
At UWEC, Zakayo is remembered for being a great father who protected his young ones and settled family conflicts.
In 2019, UWEC established a Zakayo Legacy day which is the 27th of October every year as a way to honor Uganda’s oldest known Chimpanzee who was a beneficiary of Exsitu conservation for 42 years at the model zoo. Zakayo died due to stomach ulcers at the age of 55.