Chimpanzee sanctuaries house hundreds of animals who survived biomedical research, the entertainment industry, or the illegal pet trade. Providing for their complex social and psychological needs is a profound welfare challenge.
Chimpanzees who have survived years of isolation in research cages or small enclosures in entertainment facilities often arrive at sanctuaries with deep psychological trauma. They may show stereotypic rocking, self-injury, fear of open space, and inability to form normal social bonds — the legacy of social deprivation during critical developmental periods. Sanctuary welfare programmes focus on gradual social reintegration: introducing compatible individuals slowly, allowing stable hierarchies to form, and providing complex environments that offer agency and choice. Dietary diversity, foraging enrichment, and opportunities for play and grooming are central to psychological recovery. The lifetime cost of caring for a single chimpanzee may exceed $500,000 — a figure that underscores the long-term responsibility created by using these animals in research or entertainment.