Meet Penny, one of IPPL's
Sanctuary Gibbons
IPPL Treasurer Diane Walters (center) with (from left) Sheri Speede,
Anne Russon, Lynn Baker and Rosalind Alp
Photo: Noel Rowe
Paula Kahumbu
Photo: Noel Rowe
Eddie Lama
Photo: Noel Rowe
Over 100 members and speakers attended IPPL's biennial Members' Meeting. The meeting was held at IPPL Headquarters in Summerville from 3-5 April 1998. Because 1998 is IPPL's 25th birthday, it was a very special occasion. Messages came in from all over the world, including one from IPPL's good friend Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.
IPPL members flew in from many countries: Kenya, the Netherlands, Spain, Germany, Canada and England. Our colleagues at Stichting AAP in the Netherlands generously used donated airline miles to bring in several speakers from Europe.
Shirley McGreal welcomed members and introduced our officers and overseas guests. Diane Walters, IPPL Treasurer, briefed members on IPPL's finances. Dianne Taylor-Snow and Shirley presented a brief history of IPPL, narrating humorous, dramatic and sad events and telling of past victories and challenges ahead.
After a break for homemade snacks, Paula Kahumbu of Kenya talked about her work building bridges over a busy beach highway in Kenya. Not "people bridges," but "monkey bridges!"
Paula's work has saved the lives of many colobus and other monkeys.
Paula's visit was made possible by special donations
from IPPL members, some of whom coul>
Transfer interrupted!
re the success of the meeting. Thanks to all who helped bring this wonderful young woman to the United States!
Paula was followed by Lynne Baker, who told about CERCOPAN's work helping the guenon monkeys of Nigeria.
After a lunch break, veterinarian Sheri Speede discussed her primate rescue work in Cameroon. Dr. Viktor Reinhardt, also a veterinarian, discussed the need for, and implementation of, group and pair housing for monkeys unfortunate enough to live in laboratory situations.
Anne Russon told members about orangutan rehabilitation in East Kalimantan and Lee McGlashan spoke about his work with gibbons at the Krabook Koo Rescue Center in Thailand. The program continued on Sunday with talks by Tina Kaske of the Madison, USA, Alliance for Animals, who discussed the Wisconsin Primate Center/Vilas Park Zoo monkey situation. Tina shared her time with Rick Bogle who told us about his protests at all the US primate centers. Rosalind Hanson-Alp described the plight of the Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary in Sierra Leone during that nation's civil war.
After our mid-morning break we allocated an hour and a half for reports and statements by IPPL representatives and any members who wanted to speak.
Among our speakers were Melanie Brett of IPPL-UK; David Van Gennep, IPPL's Representative in the Netherlands; Janey Reynolds of People Against Chimpanzee Experiments, a UK-based group; and Bob Ingersoll of Oklahoma, USA, who told us about his work with retired laboratory chimpanzees.
Rachel Weiss told us touchingly about taking care of Jerom, the first chimpanzee to die of lab-induced AIDS, and the delightful Eddie Lama told us about his dynamic pro-animal educational work in the streets of New York.
Then it was good-bye till our next meeting in the year 2000!
Meet Penny, one of IPPL's
Sanctuary Gibbons