Great apes - chimpanzees, gorillas, bonobos, and orangutans - have complex psychological and social needs that are challenging to meet in captivity. Provision of cognitively complex environments and appropriate social groups is essential for their welfare.
Great apes are arguably the animals with the highest cognitive capacity in captivity, and their welfare requirements correspondingly the most demanding. The psychological complexity that makes them fascinating to observe also makes barren or unstimulating captive conditions particularly harmful. Facilities unable to provide appropriate social groups, cognitive challenge, and space sufficient for full range of natural behaviours should not house great apes. The welfare bar for great ape captivity is among the highest for any species.