Lincoln Park Zoo

There are an estimated 2,200 chimpanzees living in the United States today, more than three times the number estimated in their home range country of Tanzania in East Africa. Unlike other great apes in the United States, chimpanzees are housed in wide variety of facilities including zoos, research centers, sanctuaries and as pets and performers under private ownership.

As a result, a patchwork of state and federal policy regulates the care and management of this species and it is difficult to establish accurate assessments of population numbers and care standards.

The problem is further complicated by the convoluted ways that the public views this species. Because of their common usage in popular media and advertisements, many people do not realize the danger presented by chimpanzees (they are wild animals, after all, and physically powerful). Additionally, research conducted by Lincoln Park Zoo scientists found that people are less likely to think chimpanzees are endangered because of their prevalence in popular media.

Project ChimpCARE (Communication, Advocacy, Research, and Education) is an important new initiative aimed at assessing the status of chimpanzees living in the United States with the goal of developing a strategic vision for this population: sustainable housing with appropriate care for all chimpanzees.

This vision is built upon the foundation of collaboration and information-sharing; working with those from a variety of backgrounds who are willing to share their experiences and expertise to create a better future for chimpanzees.

http://www.chimpcare.org/

Project ChimpCARE is generously funded by the Arcus Foundation.