Giving Tuesday: Connections That Make Us Special

By Marissa Pena

If there was just one word to describe the chimpanzees now living at Project Chimps, it would probably be “unique.”

Project Chimps provides sanctuary care to 95 chimpanzees, all of whom have their own likes, dislikes, and personality quirks—even favorite colors! Here, getting to know each chimp as an individual is one of the most rewarding parts of ensuring their continued care. 

This Giving Tuesday, we’re sharing Lucky’s story in celebration of the similarities and differences that make us special. While our species may differ, today we hope you’ll be part of their stories by giving them a new reason to hope.

Meet Lucky: One of a Kind

Lucky is one of the most recognizable chimps at the sanctuary, and she wouldn’t have it any other way! She’s the only chimpanzee at Project Chimps with vitiligo, an autoimmune condition in which the immune system attacks color-producing cells called melanocytes, causing some areas of her skin to appear lighter in color.

Learning to identify each chimp is one of the most important tasks for new staff at the sanctuary. Just like us, even twin chimpanzees have unique physical features that allow us to identify each other and coexist, and Lucky is no different! Her caregivers say watching her navigate the social dynamics in her group is endlessly entertaining. She loves spending time with the other members of her group and exploring the outdoor habitat.

Lucky is known to make choices that get her chased around by her groupmates, but according to her caregivers, the chance to flex her dramatic muscles seems to be part of the fun for her! While her first and truest love has always been food, she puts equal effort into strengthening her relationships with her groupmates.

Together in Sanctuary

Lucky’s closest friend at the sanctuary is Chloe, another female chimp in her group. They often spend time exploring the habitat or grooming and resting together inside. Because Chloe can be slow to shift locations for meals, Lucky helps her out, ensuring they both get their breakfast sooner. Seeing them care for each other is a reminder of the unique bonds chimps form—just like us, they create friendships that make life a little sweeter.

While these two have been close throughout their time in sanctuary, their friendship began even earlier. Lucky and Chloe were two of many chimps born and raised in laboratories for biomedical research. They lived in the same lab until one month after Lucky’s 15th birthday, when together, they arrived at their new home.

At Project Chimps, our mission is to provide each resident with a forever home where they can thrive. Here, chimps like Lucky finally have the freedom to explore, play, and live alongside both male and female peers without having to participate in research studies.

Connections We Share

Although many people might mistake vitiligo for a uniquely human condition, recognizing it in other species can remind us how we’re all connected.

Like us, chimpanzees use facial expressions to show emotion, live in communities, and construct tools to solve problems. Just as humans and chimps are capable of competition and greed, we’re also just as capable of empathy, altruism, and compassion.

At Project Chimps, your donations provide the chimps fresh food, medical care, and new experiences that enrich their daily lives. For these chimps, they also mean new outdoor spaces and places to explore, like the new 2-acre habitat that was constructed earlier this year! Our hope is to create even more safe, open spaces for them to roam, explore, and play, but we need your help to get there.

Support Former Research Chimps this Giving Tuesday

This Giving Tuesday, you can be part of Lucky’s story by supporting her and the 94 other unique former research chimps who call the sanctuary home. They all deserve the best we can give them, and by donating today you can offer them a future filled with joy, excitement, and the freedom to decide their own paths after years spent in research.

Please help give these chimps the lifelong care they deserve… because it’s their time to live!

Make your Giving Tuesday donation here, or donate an item for Lucky from our wishlist here!