“Why can’t the chimps be sent back to Africa?” is a common question we get at Project Chimps. So, let’s explain why that is a complicated and sometimes fatal move. 

Born in 2007, Bobby is the youngest in his group of nine male chimps. He’s the last chimp, so far, to set foot in the sanctuary. If we numbered the chimps by their arrival seniority, Bobby would currently be #99.

Keith, a 19-year-old chimpanzee with a short, stocky build and a distinguished white beard, is easy to enjoy. “He’s a sweet one,” says caregiver Fred Rubio, who holds a masters degree in primate behavior. “Keith’s engaging and playful—with his group mates and with caregivers.” And he’s easy to identify. “Keith’s got a prominent brow ridge that juts out like an Easter Island statue!”

When his group was first given access to the outdoor Peachtree Habitat, It was great to see Lancelot taking full advantage of the opportunity—chest out, head high, eyes wide open, taking in this exciting new world. When he climbed the fire-hose ladder leading high up into the trees, he looked confident—courageous, even. On top of the world.

When his group was first given access to the outdoor Peachtree Habitat, Scott was among the most adventurous—going deeper and farther into the woods, surveying his vast, new backyard. And Scott was the first to climb up and onto one of the wooden platforms, high in the trees.

When Prince arrived at Project Chimps, in a group of nine young males, 15 to 20 years old, caregivers pegged him as a wallflower. But now they say Prince is emerging as one of the higher ranking, more influential chimps in the group.

Small (at 110 pounds) and shy, Paul is currently one of the lower ranking chimps in his group. “Care staff have witnessed positive interactions between Paul and his group mates, but he seems to prefer his own company for the most part.”

Some of the chimpanzees at Project Chimps are intrigued by humans. They study the actions of their caregivers, rush to the observation windows when tour groups visit, and engage with caregivers through the protective steel mesh. Zack on the other hand, is not into people.

Having a structured and customized animal behavior training program is very important, and that’s what Behavior Coordinator Kris Pritchard is working to develop at Project Chimps.

Kevin, a mid-sized chimp with pale speckles on his chin, seemed nervous when it came time to meet some of the female chimps who lived nearby.

At 150 pounds, 16-year-old Thomas is a large chimp. “He’s got a long, lanky build—more like a bonobo,” says caregiver Fred Rubio,  “and a big patch of gray hair on his back, like a silver back gorilla.” Thomas is emerging as one of the more dominant and respected chimps in his group, says Fred, who holds a Masters in Primate Behavior from Central Washington University.

From the beginning of my internship, we had our eyes on Justin and Rocko as possible enforcer candidates. Justin and Rocko are very dominant chimps that would usually be found around Kirk to show their high rank status.

The Chimps Ahoy group was really fun to watch!  A majority of my time was spent watching a lot of grooming and napping—the two most common affiliative behaviors. This may seem like an uneventful behavior to some, but I got plenty of information on the relationships that the chimps had with each other.

Chimpanzees are complex. Their social group dynamics thrive off the strength of their interconnecting web of relationships known as hierarchy. At Project Chimps, caregivers use three “levels” of hierarchy to help them discuss such a dynamic web: high-ranking, mid-ranking, and low-ranking.

Here at Project Chimps, there is something for everyone who wants to get involved. Nobody knows this better than Jan Russell, 72, who has always wanted to help animals and found an opportunity here.