One year on from the death of Dr. Jane Goodall, a young gorilla named Bili has finally settled into a lasting home, an outcome that pays tribute to the researcher whose efforts helped make it happen.
A few months after being saved from people who were selling her illegally in Nigeria, Bili received life-saving care at the Pandrillus Foundation’s Drill Ranch. Now she calls Tchimpounga home — the largest chimpanzee sanctuary on the African continent, located in the Republic of the Congo.
Bili’s Journey From Traffickers To Sanctuary
In 2023, Bili was brought to the Pandrillus foundation’s Drill Ranch in Nigeria and given early care after being rescued from those who traded her. Her journey then led her to Tchimpounga, a sanctuary established by Goodall in 1992. That move required a 22-hour drive through Nigeria before a cargo flight organized by DHL Express and the United for Wildlife Transport Taskforce. A custom crate and steady attention from her veterinarian and caregiver ensured her safety throughout the trip.
Bili now resides at Tchimpounga, located close to Pointe-Noire in the Republic of the Congo, sharing his space with another rescued gorilla. The sanctuary functions as a crucial refuge for over 150 chimpanzees and other African wildlife that have been saved from the illegal pet and bushmeat trades.
Being a gorilla again is not just a new setting for Bili; it represents a fresh start.
What Goodall Built In Congo
The sanctuary at Pointe-Noire was founded by Goodall in 1992, amid the region’s lush forests, where it now shelters over 150 chimpanzees alongside other wildlife saved from the illegal pet trade and bushmeat markets.
Goodall’s work went far beyond the sanctuary. Born in London in 1934, she made groundbreaking observations at Tanzania’s Gombe Stream Reserve in the 1960s, discovering that chimpanzees make tools and display complex emotional bonds. That shattered long-held scientific beliefs.
She established the Jane Goodall Institute in 1977, along with the global Roots & Shoots youth program in 1991. Throughout her career she traveled widely as a UN Messenger of Peace and served as an unwavering voice of hope.
| Location | Role In Bili’s Story |
|---|---|
| Pandrillus Foundation’s Drill Ranch, Nigeria | Initial care after rescue |
| Tchimpounga, Republic of the Congo | Permanent home and ongoing care |
| Lesio-Louna Gorilla Reserve | Future reintroduction site |
A Global Team Effort
A remarkable worldwide collaboration made the rescue possible. Experts in species preservation, cross-border supply chains, and public officials from several countries all contributed their efforts to achieve the outcome.
Bili’s recovery is being treated as a starting point by specialists, with long-term ambitions to release her back into nature at the Lesio-Louna Gorilla Reserve.
Bili’s playful curiosity and growing confidence are a powerful testament to nature’s resilience when given a safe space to heal. Her story proves that Goodall’s gentle spirit lives on through every life saved inside the sanctuaries she built.
The one-year anniversary of Goodall’s death is being marked through the global “Hike for Hope” from October 1 through October 4, encouraging people everywhere to step into nature.
A Second Chance Worth Celebrating
Bili’s rescue is a happy turn for both the animal and for Dr. Jane Goodall’s lasting work. The international effort that brought her to Tchimpounga shows what can happen when people across borders work together for a single creature.
The tale delivers a plain lesson: nature can mend when a protected place holds it back. Bili is finding her footing within a wild woodland setting, scaling trees, gathering food, and forming bonds with the other creatures brought there for refuge.
This story pays tribute to Goodall’s life of pioneering discovery, chimpanzee advocacy, and unwavering hope. It shows that her legacy keeps spreading, one saved life at a time.
Everything she fought for lives on in the sanctuary named after her, and Bili has become part of that legacy.
Source material: ““Dr. Jane Goodall’s Legacy Lives On”: Saved Gorilla Bili Finds Home After Years Of Recovery,” Bored Panda.
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