By Ragan M. Conteh

Tourism campaigners have asked to protect Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary which is Sierra Leone’s number one tourism destination.

For over 30 years, it has been under the dedicated care of an environmental conservationist, Bala Amarasekaran, who has been working tirelessly to preserve the country’s forest and to protect Sierra Leone’s national chimpanzee.

Tacugama is famous for its daily guided tours (10:30 a.m. & 4:00 p.m., booking required), eco-lodge stay options (treehouses and roundhouses), and activities such as hiking, birdwatching, and waterfall visits.

Its mission is clear rescue, rehabilitate, research, educate, and conserve.

Today, the sanctuary faces a crisis.On 26th May 2025, management announced its closure to the public due to illegal encroachment in and around the protected area.

While Tacugama still cares for its 123 chimpanzees, the forest is under attack from land grabbers and it is  deforested.

Tacugama has two dams: the Congo Dam and the Tacugama Dam. The Congo Dam is in good condition — thanks to afforestation efforts. However, the Tacugama Dam is struggling due to deforestation and encroachment by people.

This poses a serious threat not just to wildlife but also to the communities that depend on the dams for water.

When journalists visited it on 9th August 2025, rangers guided them through the sanctuary. They saw the well-maintained Congo Dam, ongoing hiking trails, the under-construction Innovation Center (with sports facilities, offices, and leisure areas), a modern car park, and the future site of a breathtaking 360-meter canopy walkway funded by the UNDP.

But alongside these developments was the grim reality of illegal logging and settlement of people which are factors affecting the forest.

The potential consequences include: loss of chimpanzee habitat, threatening their survival.

Disruption of the sanctuary’s biodiversity and ecosystem.

Decline in tourism revenue. Increased soil erosion and dam sedimentation. Reduced water quality and availability for Peninsular communities.

Bala Amarasekaran warns:

“In the last three to four years, encroachment and land grabbing around Tacugama have become rampant.

They put fire all around the sanctuary.

If these fires burn our electric fences, 120 chimpanzees could escape  creating a huge human-wildlife conflict. Then everybody will blame the government for not acting up to correct the situation.”

Tacugama draws over 500- 600 visitors monthly, with Sierra Leoneans paying NLe 100 and foreigners NLe 300. The sanctuary’s closure means a massive economic loss for the tourism sector. Instead of increasing visitors to over a thousand per month, we are closing our doors because of environmental destruction.

Many countries like Kenya, Costa Rica, Botswana, Nepal, Australia, and Rwanda protect their wildlife and forests because they understand that eco-tourism equals revenue. Tourists spend on lodging, food, tours, transportation, and crafts, boosting jobs and government revenue. Sierra Leone should be no different.

Tacugama is not just a sanctuary; it is a national service provider. It employs nearly 50 people on-site and hires up to 200 community members for projects. It supports 40 schools, with three secondary schools built within two years (with a fourth on the way), and supplies water to 21 communities in Mountain area.

Bala stresses: “This is a national interest issue. We are protecting water sources for hundreds of thousands of people.

Yet the Tacugama Dam is filling with silt, dirt, and leaves because of deforestation. What is the point of building water tanks if we destroy the source?.”

President Julius Maada Bio instructed the demolition of illegal structures around Tacugama, but the exercise has stalled. The Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Environment, NPPA, EPA, Ministry of Lands, and Ministry of Water Resources must collaborate to enforce forest protection.

Bala Amarasekaran has done his part for over three decades. It is now up to the authorities and all of us to ensure that Sierra Leone does not lose this national treasure. Without urgent action, we risk losing not only our iconic chimpanzees but also vital water resources, tourism income, and global environmental credibility.

If the President has given orders to law enforcement agencies to stop the encroachment and save Tacugama, then why are they not enforcing his orders? Why is taxpayers’ money being poured into these agencies when they lack the commitment or will to protect our national parks, water catchments, and other protected areas?

In Bala’s words: “We cannot sit back and watch a few unpatriotic individuals destroy what belongs to the nation. We have a responsibility to our children and grandchildren to protect Tacugama for them, for the chimps, and for the country.”

Save Tacugama, protect tourism, and preserve vital water catchment areas.

Safeguard funds to strengthen our economy and secure a sustainable future. By protecting our natural heritage, we ensure wildlife thrives, communities benefit, and future generations enjoy the beauty and resources that sustain life and drive economic growth in Sierra Leone.