Several hundred great apes — chimpanzees, orangutans, gorillas — live in sanctuaries after rescue from research, entertainment, and the illegal pet trade, requiring specialized lifetime care.
Great ape sanctuary care represents the moral obligation owed to animals used and harmed by human activities. Chimpanzees retired from research bear physical and psychological scars from decades of procedures and confinement. Rehabilitation is possible — former research chimps can form social bonds, explore enriched environments, and develop preferences and routines — but it requires time, skilled staff, and resources. Sanctuary welfare standards focus on social group stability, environmental complexity, veterinary access, and respect for individual personality. These animals cannot be released to the wild; lifetime sanctuary care is their only welfare option after human use.