It is with deep sadness that we bid farewell to our friend
Jeremie Capon. His contributions to the Goualougo Triangle Ape
Project have been tremendous and inspiring. Jeremie showed us
how passion for a cause can inspire others to action.
Jeremie heard about the launch of the GTAP website through the
gorilla keeper's network. After visiting the website, he
immediately launched a Facebook cause. By the time that we heard
about his initiative, Jeremie had already recruited 37 friends!
We know that he was proud of the success of the cause which he
created, which now has more than 1,700 members and still
growing.
Jeremie had the special gifts of being able to effortlessly make
new friends and bring out the joy in others. His family and
friends have shared some photos which show how much he enjoyed
his life and loved the people around him. Jeremie was a cool
guy, who was not afraid to joke around or express his passion
about a cause. These combined qualities made him a natural
leader.
Jeremie was the head primate keeper at the Beauval Zoological
Park in France. He cared for 9 gorillas and more than 100 other
primates. He created a wonderful photo album of primates called
"Mes animaux (enfin mes...)." Looking through his album, one can
easily see how deeply he cared for the gorillas and other
primates in his charge. He then found a way to reach out and
extend this compassion to thousands of great apes in northern
Congo.
Although Jeremie had not yet had the chance to visit his ape
friends in the forests of the Goualougo Triangle in northern
Republic of Congo, we would like to have a special memorial for
him in the Ndoki forest. This will serve as a constant reminder
of his friendship and commitment to great ape conservation.
This photo
was taken while Jeremie was on the island of the
Lion-tailed Macaques at the Beauval Zoological Park. He
climbed to the top of the exhibit to arrange structures
that would enrich the lives of the primates.
Jeremie cared
for 9 gorillas and more than 100 other primates at the
Beauval Zoological Park in France. He was active in
promoting communication among zoo keepers and getting
involved in conservation efforts for great apes in
Africa.
Jeremie
presenting at the French ZooKeepers Association (AFSA).
He was an active member and encouraged communication
among great ape keepers by forming a communication
network.
This photo
was taken while Jeremie was conducting a training
session at another zoo in France.
This photo
was shared at Jeremie's memorial in France. His family
and friends have said that it shows his duality: a
serious and handsome man, who was always enjoying life
Jeremie's
brother, Nicolas, took this picture in March 2009. It
reminds us of his beautiful blue eyes, which saw so much
potential in the world and acted on these insights
without hesitation!
This photo
was taken soon after Jeremie's arrival at the Beauval
Zoological Park in spring 2006. It is clear that this
red-ruffed lemur quickly made a new friend!
Jeremie was
so expressive. This smile shows his caring and joy.
