Chimpanzees are our closest living relatives with profound cognitive and social needs that make their captive management both ethically critical and exceptionally demanding.
Chimpanzee welfare represents one of the highest moral obligations in captive animal management. Their cognitive sophistication means they are capable of experiencing suffering across social, emotional and intellectual dimensions. Adequate chimpanzee welfare requires large, complex social groups, extensive enrichment, meaningful agency and freedom from the profound isolation that characterised many research and entertainment contexts. The legacy of past research and entertainment use continues to challenge sanctuary managers responsible for deeply traumatised individuals.