Chimfunshi Wildlife Orphanage

The Chimfunshi Wildlife Orphanage in Central Zambia is a non-profit refuge that cares for a wide iety of sick, wounded or unwanted animals, but the primary residents are over 100 orphaned chimpanzees. It is located on the headwaters of the Kafue River, sixty kilometers west of Chingola. Aside from Chimpanzee, it does have a host of other animals benefiting from the care of David and Sheila Siddle.

Chimfunshi was founded in 1983 when a game ranger brought a badly wounded infant chimpanzee to the cattle ranch of David and Sheila Siddle, a British couple who had lived in along the Zambian copperbelt since the 1950s. The Siddles nursed that chimp nicknamed "Pal" back to health, thereby establishing a tradition of care and respect that forms the legacy of the sanctuary. The sanctuary pioneered the use of spacious, free-range enclosures, and has created almost 1,500 acres of wild space for its chimpanzees, and Chimfunshi literally accepted chimpanzees from around the world including Chile, Cote dIvoire, Qatar, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, among others before adopting an Africa-only policy. The Siddles have been honored for their work, including receiving MBEs from Queen Elizabeth II in 2001 for their service to wildlife conservation.

On offer to visitors at Chimfunshi are camping, lodging and conference facilities. There are five chalets cottages that take twelve beds and have piped water supplied from a borehole. The lounge can seat up to 60 clients.