Accredited great ape sanctuaries provide long-term care for chimpanzees, bonobos, gorillas, and orangutans rescued from the pet trade, entertainment, and bushmeat hunting, offering a welfare-centred alternative to conventional zoo display.
The great ape sanctuary model prioritises individual animal welfare over public display and breeding for conservation. This distinction matters: zoo great ape facilities must balance welfare with visitor access and institutional breeding goals, while sanctuaries can focus single-mindedly on meeting the complex needs of individual residents. For traumatised animals whose psychological damage means they will never be releasable to the wild, the sanctuary model provides the most welfare-conscious outcome available: social groups appropriate to the individual, large naturalistic spaces, expert care, and freedom from the commercial pressures that compromise welfare in zoo settings.