Three baby chimpanzees were kidnapped from an animal sanctuary in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), according to CNN. The kidnappers have demanded a ransom payment. “This is the first time in the world that baby apes have been kidnapped for ransom,” the sanctuary’s founder, Franck Chantereau, told CNN on Friday.
According to Chantereau, kidnappers broke into the Young Animals Confiscated in Katanga sanctuary (also known as JACK in French) around 3 a.m. on September 9. They abducted three of the five baby chimps rescued this year. The other two were discovered in the kitchen. César, Hussein, and Monga are the names of the kidnapped chimps.
They intended to kidnap the couple’s children, but instead took the chimps
Chantereau’s wife received three messages and a video of the abducted chimps from the kidnappers. They apparently intended to kidnap the couple’s children, but instead took the chimps.
“They told us that they had planned to kidnap my children because they were supposed to come here on vacation. But they didn’t come so the kidnappers took these three babies hostage and demanded a large amount of ransom from us,” Chantereau said.
According to Michel Koyakpa, media adviser to the DRC’s environment minister, the act was “inhumane and unnatural,” and they will not comply with the kidnappers’ demands.
Meanwhile, Chantereau stated that he cannot afford to pay the ransom and that even if they do agree, they may do it again in a few months.
The sanctuary has previously been targeted on two occasions
“There are 23 sanctuaries across the continent doing this. If we pay the ransom, it could set a precedent and it could give ideas to others, so we must be extremely vigilant,” he said.
The case is being investigated in order to identify the kidnappers.
The sanctuary has previously been targeted on two occasions. First, in 2006, a group of people broke into the baby chimps‘ sleeping area at night and set fire to it, killing two out of five. The sanctuary’s education center was set on fire in September 2013, but no one was hurt, according to Chantereau.
