Chimpanzee sanctuaries across Africa house hundreds of orphaned and confiscated individuals, with welfare standards varying enormously and posing significant challenges for long-term care.
Chimpanzees in sanctuaries that lack sufficient space, social groups, and environmental complexity suffer significantly despite being rescued from worse situations. Chimpanzees are cognitively complex animals who develop severe psychological problems in impoverished conditions. Well-run sanctuaries provide large forested enclosures, stable social groups with appropriate age and sex compositions, and enrichment programs that engage chimpanzee intelligence and social behavior. Funding constraints are the primary barrier to achieving adequate welfare standards across all African sanctuaries.