It all began with Nemley Junior, a baby chimpanzee who fell victim to wildlife trafficking and was rescued by Interpol in dramatic conditions. Unfortunately, in the absence of a suitable rehabilitation centre in Côte d'Ivoire, he died six months after his rescue.

This heart-breaking and shocking story highlights a crucial problem in this country, which has become a strategic hub for the illegal trafficking of wildlife and endangered species in West Africa.

Faced with this unjust and dramatic situation for the future of our planet, Estelle Raballand and Sarah Crawford, our two co-founders, took an unprecedented decision: to create the first two sanctuaries in Côte d'Ivoire for primates. And so, in 2017, Akatia was born, the first and, to date, only structure offering a vital refuge for primates and local biodiversity.

Since then, we've been doing everything we can to make sure there's never another Nemley Junior.