Long before the global upheaval caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the silent transmission of viral pathogens between humans and non-human primates had been an insidious and persistent threat, challenging conservationists and primate researchers alike. This cross-species viral spillover not only imperils vulnerable primate populations but also exemplifies the intricate and often fragile ecological links between human health and wildlife conservation. A particularly stark instance of this phenomenon unfolded on December 31, 2016, at the Ngogo research site nestled in the dense rainforest of Uganda's Kibale National Park, where a viral outbreak traced back to human origins devastated a significant portion of a carefully studied chimpanzee population.