
More confirmation that Uganda is the of Africa came after the rank of Ngamba Chimpanzee Sanctuary Island by Jane Goodall which is the United Nations ambassador of peace. A powerhouse primatologist, ethologist, and anthropologist, Goodall is also the founder of the Jane Goodall Institute.
She says she based her ranking on the kind of attention and care according to the primates, which are highly threatened by extinction. In Africa, there are 29 chimpanzee sanctuaries of which, two were founded by Goodall under her Jane Goodall Institute. She has been supporting the other 27 through funding. Some of the African countries with chimp sanctuaries include Uganda, Sudan, Kenya, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Rwanda.
Speaking at her 80th birthday which was held at Lake Victoria Island, Goodall said she observed that the 47 chimpanzees on Ngamba Island were loved and treated with so much care like no other on the planet. Goodall says the chimpanzees at Ngamba are well taken care of like no other in Africa.
Goodall added that for the last couple of years; he has visited each sanctuary across the continent, but concluded that Ngamba is by far than any other. “They have fully acknowledged the fact that chimpanzees are man’s closest relatives and treat them with so much love and attention. I am overwhelmed,” she the delighted octogenarian.
The sanctuary’s top ranking is seen as a potential pull for the local tourism industry. According to Lilly Ajarova, the sanctuary’s executive director, Goodall’s recognition of Ngamba as the top sanctuary in the continent could be a positive turning point, which could attract more tourists.
“Owing to the fact that Goodall is an inspirational figure who commands over 10 million followers worldwide inclusive of tourists and conservationists, her credit of Ngamba is destined to fire up its annual tourist turn-up from its annual 4000 to 5000 to nothing short of an impressive influx,” she says.
It should be noted that the Ngamba chimpanzee sanctuary is located on Ngamba Island found on Lake Victoria. The trip to this sanctuary starts from Entebbe at the Nakiwogo landing site and it is an approximately 45 minutes cruise on a special boat. This makes it easily accessible to tourists from different parts of the world. This is because Entebbe international airport is nearly accessible for international visitors.