Claudine Andre is the founder of the Loya ya Bonobo sanctuary. Years ago, she saved an orphaned infant bonobo from death's door after it's parents were killed by poachers in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). After being treated for pneumonia, the little Maya grew up to be one of the leaders of the family group at the sanctuary. She is now 11 years old, and stays busy by keeping an eye on the others and helping newcomers adjust to life at Loya ya Bonobo.

Late last year, when Maya came down with a throat infection that didn't respond to antibiotics, Claudine called on WSPA veterinarian and field officer Dr. Nick de Souza for help. Two years earlier, Nick had operated on Maya's laryngeal pouch, or air sac, in her throat by removing a blockage. Now, it seemed the best option for Maya was to remove the air sac completely, an operation that had never before been attempted on a bonobo.

The laryngeal pouch is located near the vocal cords and it was unknown how the surgery might affect Maya's ability to vocalize. However, Maya's general health had deteriorated badly from the infection, there simply was no choice: the surgery had to be risked.

"Toxins were seeping out of Maya's laryngeal pouch, affecting her vital organs," Nick explains. "She felt sick and depressed, had lost a lot of weight and her coat was in bad condition."

"The operation took an hour and a half - much longer than we had expected. It was a meticulous procedure, as I wanted to keep the sac whole so that the infection remained inside."

Just half an hour after the surgery, Maya regained consciousness and immediately began calling to the other bonobos. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that her ability to communicate had not been affected. Maya was kept under observation for two days and then allowed to once again roam the forest sanctuary with her bonobo family. She continues to thrive.

WSPA has been supporting the Loya ya Bonobo sanctuary for several years, providing veterinary support as well as funding and assisting with the creation of a large forested sanctuary for the bonobos. Our project staff will return to the Congo in the coming months to help the sanctuary rescue several bonobos now kept at a zoo and at an abandoned research facility. Additionally, WSPA is helping to build new night quarters and tunnels for new residents at the sanctuary. Perhaps most importantly, the sanctuary is also engaged in educating the next generation of Congolese about the need to protect bonobos and their environment.