Project Chimps Blog

Pete Cutter finds it easy to volunteer at a non-profit like this one. Perhaps the most ‘creative’ in his volunteering of anyone on campus, Pete thinks out of the box for the chimps.

Studying chimps in her textbooks, India ultimately discovered, does not compare to meeting them in real life. She remembers her first day at Project Chimps clearly, because on this day she came face to face with a chimp for the first time.

Project Chimps announces exciting final plans to bring every chimpanzee from the New Iberia Research Center (NIRC) in Louisiana to its Blue Ridge, GA sanctuary.

By Kayla Adgate Have you ever noticed that female chimpanzees seem to have a saggy bottom? That’s called a swelling and it’s an important part of their anatomy. Swelling, Health, and Fertility Although there is some conjecture regarding its exact function, scientists agree that chimp tumescence, or the process of swelling, and menstruation are physical…

When chimps come to sanctuary, they may be interacting with other chimps (or chimps of the opposite sex) for the first time. They may fail to understand social norms, and feel awkward, unsure, or anxious around other chimps. These interactions can be tricky because the chimps haven’t learned lessons that mom usually instills during childhood.

Traci Holliday climbs up the trail, explaining all its different features and who in the community at Project Chimps helped make them happen. no path through this wilderness.

Treating ex lab chimps—who have undergone countless procedures before retiring at sanctuary—is complicated. Staff at Project Chimps are highly sensitive to chimp residents who are averse to needles, mistrusting of humans, or have other hold-ups stemming from their traumatic past.

If it’s at Project Chimps, there’s a good chance Candy Retter has contributed to it. The 69- year-old has been here at the sanctuary for some of its most incredible moments and helps make it the special place it is. But how did she get here?

Jenny isn’t one of our most famous residents, but we wanted to bring her into the spotlight. If you read on, you’ll find out why we consider Jenny a chimp hero!

Chimps have drama. They have police officers policing the drama. And, apparently, the police officers have “motorcycles.”

By Amber Camacho Winter is officially here and the staff have winterized the chimps’ villas to be ready for Old Man Winter to come knocking. It Takes a Villa I had the opportunity to be a small help with creating our new winterization material, as we test the chimp-durability of a high-grade marine plastic in…

Neal uses chimp play as a tool to derail conflict and calm situations. He inserts play into disagreements, which diffuses such high-tension moments. His playfulness importantly serves to distract chimps from their arguing.

Our recent interviews with Erika Fleury of NAPSA and Dr. Stephen Ross from Project ChimpCARE taught us how inappropriate portrayal of chimps in entertainment can have big consequences for how the public views chimpanzees.

Erika Fleury of NAPSA (North American Primate Sanctuary Alliance) sat down with us to talk about how Project Chimps helped NAPSA to transport some chimps in need of emergency relocation to their new homes. She also talked about how you can help other chimps still awaiting their lifelong homes.

With the crisp air and falling leaves, it’s clearly fall around here. Bundled up in our Project Chimps hoodies and clump-clumping along in our boots, we trek out to water the babies. I don’t mean the chimps but our well cared-for seedlings in Project Harvest (and sometimes the bees too) in the fall garden.