Chimpanzees are among the most cognitively sophisticated non-human animals on Earth, and the opportunity to use tools, problem-solve, and engage in cultural traditions is central to their psychological welfare.
The cognitive sophistication of chimpanzees is inseparable from their welfare needs. Their rich inner lives — demonstrated through problem-solving, social politics, cultural learning, and emotional expression — mean that welfare goes far beyond physical health. Wild chimpanzees spend hours in cognitively demanding activities: locating and accessing food using tools, navigating complex social alliances, and engaging in play and grooming that strengthen social bonds. Threats to wild populations disrupt not only individual survival but the cultural continuity of communities that have developed unique traditions over generations. Orphaned chimpanzees, separated from communities by poaching or habitat loss, lose access to the cultural transmission of tool use and social norms that are fundamental to chimpanzee identity. Conservation of intact, large chimpanzee communities preserves both individual welfare and the collective cognitive heritage of the species.