Daily Times

Each morning, Malaika, an 18-year-old Mandrill monkey in western Cameroon with thick black fur and a distinctive red and blue snout, gets a vitamin to boost her immune system against possible exposure to the coronavirus. But the threat posed by the virus to Malaika, who was rescued by the Limbe Wildlife Centre 15 years ago when someone tried to sell her as a pet, goes well beyond actual infection. The centre, home to hundreds of gorillas, chimpanzees and other primates, has seen half its revenues evaporate in recent months with park visits cancelled and cash-strapped donors in the U.S. and Europe freezing their contributions in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Without a resumption of funding within the next three months, the centre, a partnership between the Cameroonian government and an international foundation, could be forced to close its doors, said Guillaume Le Flohic, the park manager.