Situated within the beautiful 1,000-hectare Umhloti Nature Reserve, just 15 kilometres outside Nelspruit, the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI) South Africa Chimpanzee Sanctuary – known as Chimp Eden – provides a safe haven for chimpanzees displaced from their natural habitats across Africa. Established in 2006, it remains the first and only chimpanzee sanctuary in South Africa.
Twice a year, staff and students from the Faculty of Veterinary Science visit Chimp Eden to perform essential health checks on its residents.
The most recent visit took place from 16 to 18 September 2025, when the team conducted thorough examinations on 17 of the sanctuary’s 33 chimpanzees.
The chimps are divided into three family groups; each housed in night rooms with access to large semi-wild outdoor enclosures.
Chimpanzees suffer from many of the same diseases as humans, making regular health assessments crucial for monitoring conditions such as diabetes and heart disease—both common in captive chimps.
During the three-day visit, the veterinary team, comprising Prof Gerhard Steenkamp (veterinary specialist in dentistry and maxillofacial surgery), Prof Katja Koeppel (veterinary wildlife specialist and current HOD: Production Animal Studies), Dr Jennie Hewlett (veterinary wildlife specialist), Sr Celine Lamprecht (anaesthesiology), and students Casper Venter, Jennifer Webb, Phila Malinga, and Tom Saunders, conducted a range of procedures.
Under safe immobilisation, the chimps underwent blood glucose and urine analyses, tuberculosis screening, radiographs where needed, and dental care. The team also monitored each animal’s weight and body condition, and treated injuries, including suturing a deep cut on a male chimp’s left foot sustained in a fight.
This collaborative effort reflects the Faculty’s ongoing and proud partnership with the Jane Goodall Institute.
The sanctuary continues the mission and vision of Dr Jane Goodall, DBE (3 April 1934 – 1 October 2025), whose pioneering research transformed our understanding of chimpanzees and our connection to the natural world.
Fittingly, the JGI Chimp Eden website’s mantra reads: “Dr Jane Goodall blazed the trail. The next steps are up to us.”
Chimp Eden’s goal is to rescue and rehabilitate chimpanzees that have survived the bushmeat trade, been orphaned, exploited in the illegal pet trade, or traumatised through use in circuses, nightclubs, and other forms of entertainment. Through education and eco-tourism, the sanctuary also works to bring the world of chimpanzees closer to humanity and inspire compassion for their plight.
The chimps of Chimp Eden are among the fortunate few—able to live out their lives in safety while receiving the care and attention needed to recover from past trauma. They thrive in semi-wild enclosures, displaying natural social and behavioural patterns within their family groups.
Listed as “Endangered” under the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List and included in Appendix I of CITES, the chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) faces a critical threat in the wild. Without significant conservation efforts, the species may face extinction within the next two decades.
For more information about Chimp Eden and the Jane Goodall Institute, global leaders in the conservation of endangered species and habitats, visit
www.chimpeden.com
To learn more about Dr Jane Goodall’s life and legacy, go to the
Dr. Jane Goodall Facebook page.
Rest in peace, Dr Jane Goodall.
Additional Sources: Chimp Eden │ Jane Goodall Institute
The team that visited Chimp Eden in September 2025.
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