Project Chimps Blog

He may not be captain of a starship, but alpha Kirk’s a leader all the same! We’re honored to celebrate his 39th birthday at Project Chimps.

Once one of the smallest, most insecure chimps in his group, now Danner is one of the largest! He’s come a long way from the awkward chimp with enormous hands, but we still know him by his “Danner Bananer” nickname all the same! 

Today we will be talking about how we use donated water bottles for some of these enrichment activities, and how you can donate your used water bottles to help.

In honor of World Chimpanzee Day we would like to showcase Dawn, one of our most resilient chimps.

July is a special month for mother and son duo Veronica and Jacob here at Project Chimps. They both share the same birthday month!

Everyone in the world has their own favorite color. Chimps have their own favorite colors too! When it comes to toys, Jabari absolutely adores the color blue. His favorite choice of toy? A set of chewy keys, each a different color. His favorite key? It’s the blue one of course!

Muttie’s caregivers have been working on building her courage using positive reinforcement. With their support, Muttie has made it all the way into the tunnel that connects Chateau to the habitat!  

Today, July 2nd, we’re celebrating another milestone birthday as Tristen turns 15 years old. This year also marks her 5th birthday at Project Chimps since she arrived from the lab! 

At just 14 years old, Jacob is one of the youngest chimps living at the sanctuary. He was reunited with his mother Veronica when he arrived at Project Chimps in 2018.

Latricia is one of the highest-ranking females in her group at Cedar Tree Villa. She marches to the beat of her own drum and has her own style of regulating fights and group dynamics.

Playing with chimpanzees can often prove to be dangerous. Both humans and chimpanzees are at risk of harming each other, even if they don’t always mean to. Despite this, Haylee has found a safe way to have fun with caregivers. Her secret? A winning personality and some creative tool use.

It isn’t exactly known why some of the females in harmony display motherly behaviors with their plush toys. None of them have had experience mothering young. Maybe it’s their natural instincts? Or maybe it’s just their way of having fun! Even the group alpha, Kareem gets in on the fun!

“Cool guy” Taz is one of the higher-ranking males in his group, and it isn’t hard to see why! We’re thrilled to celebrate his 29th birthday by sharing a little about what makes him so unique.

Zana is a very sweet and patient chimp who has taken on very motherly role within the group. However, that’s not to say she isn’t sassy, too!

The construction of the Annex ensures a family group has an enlarged habitat, allowing for increased stimulation, room for discovery, and overall better days. The Annex, concluded in May 2024, includes a sky bridge and a 360 view with a fence posted all around the perimeter. Not only can we see the chimps, but most importantly, they can also see us!