Project Chimps
This is a story about Project Chimps, a sanctuary for retired research chimpanzees in Morganton, Georgia. Based on my experience there and conversations with the staff, Project Chimps embodies the definition of sanctuary — a place of refuge and safety.
Project Chimps was founded in 2014 by a group of animal welfare advocates who fought to get captive chimpanzees included in the Endangered Species Act. Until 2015, only wild chimpanzees were considered endangered. According to Holly Lickteig, manager of husbandry, the distinction between wild and captive chimpanzees was a loophole that research facilities used to justify testing and experimenting on chimpanzees. On Sept. 14, 2015, captive chimpanzees were included in the Endangered Species Act.
The inclusion of chimpanzees in the ESA was only the beginning. Lickteig said, “So chimps were no longer allowed to be used in biomedical research. So then all these labs have chimps that they can't experiment on. They can't euthanize. So they have to just keep providing care for something they can't experiment on.” Project Chimps entered into an agreement with the New Iberia Research Center to relocate all of its chimpanzees to the sanctuary in north Georgia. The sanctuary currently houses 95 chimps, but it is committed to moving all of the chimps from NIRC, which would be more than 200.
Project Chimps’ mission to give former research chimpanzees a life closer to the wild echoes through their five villas, each crafted to foster social bonds and exploration. The villas house the sanctuary’s social groups: Chimps Ahoy, The Dorothy Jo and Tilly, Cedar Tree, Chateau (A and B) and Harmony. The Chateau is about twice the size of the other villas. The average population of each villa is 14.
Captive-bred animals don’t have the necessary skills to survive in the wild. However, Project Chimps is a place that resembles the wild much more than a research facility. Lickteig said, “They're getting to do so many things that they never got to do before…never touched grass, never experienced social groups with both male and female chimps, and when they go out into the habitat and look up, it's the first time they’ve ever just looked up without caging.” According to Lickteig, we are responsible for righting this wrong. Giving these animals a chance to experience life as much like the wild as they can is the least we can do.
I had the opportunity to speak with one of the volunteers, Steve Mango, who works every Wednesday with the facilities and operations department. Mango said, “Well, the good news is there's really no typical day in facilities because I can do plumbing, electrical, carpentry and grounds work, all in the same shift sometimes…there's an added dimension working near the chimps, because [they] are checking me out, very curious as to what I'm doing, they want to help.”
There are seven sanctuaries in the U.S. and one in Canada that form the North American Primate Sanctuary Alliance. Through this alliance, these sanctuaries strive to provide an escape for captive primates and give them the means to live a normal life.
The biggest battle for Project Chimps is funding. To stay true to its mission, it can only operate within its means. They want to bring in every retired chimp, but without the necessary infrastructure, it’s not yet possible. To support Project Chimps in creating a safe haven for more retired research chimpanzees, consider donating through their website.
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