Sanctuaries providing retirement care for great apes from research, entertainment, and illegal trade face complex welfare challenges in meeting species-specific needs.
Great apes in sanctuaries benefit from improved conditions compared to research or entertainment settings, but their complex social and cognitive needs remain challenging to meet. Former research or entertainment apes may have behavioral problems from past experiences that affect their welfare and social integration. High-quality sanctuaries provide the best available welfare for apes who cannot be released to the wild.