A Legacy That Keeps Families Together

August is National Make-A-Will Month—a thoughtful reminder to make sure the people, animals, and causes closest to your heart are remembered in your future plans.

At the Center for Great Apes, sanctuary is about much more than providing safe habitats, nourishing food, and excellent veterinary care. It is also about giving orangutans and chimpanzees the opportunity to form lasting social bonds.

Bubbles shares his days with Oopsie, Boma, Kodua, and Stryker. Each member of this close-knit chimpanzee group has a distinct personality and an important place within their sanctuary family. They play, groom, communicate, and seek comfort and reassurance from one another. These relationships bring companionship, security, and a sense of belonging, some of the most meaningful gifts sanctuary can offer.



Maintaining these bonds requires a lifelong commitment. The Center must provide carefully designed habitats, attentive caregivers, specialized veterinary care, and thoughtful group management so Bubbles and his companions... as well as all the great apes here, can continue living together safely and comfortably as they grow older.

That is the promise of sanctuary: not simply a safe place for today, but a loving home... and a family, for life.

We understand that not everyone is in a position to make a significant gift today. For many caring supporters, including the Center for Great Apes in a will or estate plan is a meaningful way to ensure that these cherished bonds endure and that every orangutan and chimpanzee at the Center receives exceptional care for years to come.

Learn About Planned Giving

Although legacy gifts may not be received for many years, they are invaluable in helping us prepare for the future. A gift in your will can be made in any amount and does not affect the resources you need during your lifetime. Yet one day, it can help provide food, medicine, enrichment, secure habitats, and the devoted care that keeps sanctuary families together.

If you have already included the Center for Great Apes in your plans, please let us know. We would be honored to thank you and welcome you into our Legacy Society. Sharing your intentions is not legally binding, and any information you provide will be kept confidential.

If you would like to learn more, we would be happy to answer your questions and provide information for you and your professional advisor.

Your compassion can help preserve something truly precious: a place where great apes are not only cared for, but surrounded by companions who know them, understand them, and belong beside them.

With heartfelt gratitude,

Patti Ragan

Founding Director

Orangutan Day

On August 19, we celebrate International Orangutan Day—and at the Center for Great Apes, we have 27 very special reasons to celebrate.

For us, Orangutan Day isn't simply one date on the calendar. Every day is Orangutan Day. It is in the nutritious meals prepared each morning, the enrichment created to keep curious minds busy, the veterinary care provided through every stage of life, and the habitats and aerial trailways that give our orangutans opportunities to climb, explore, rest, and spend time with companions.

And perhaps the best way to celebrate is by sharing a few of their stories.

Christopher has been part of the Center's story almost from the beginning. Born in 1992, he was one of the young orangutans living at a Miami tourist attraction before moving to his permanent sanctuary home in Wauchula. Christopher shares his life with Pebbles and is completely devoted to her—a wonderful example of the important relationships that can develop over a lifetime.

Popi's life took a very different path. Born at a primate research center, she was sold into entertainment and spent years appearing in movies, television, and a Las Vegas show. Her treatment behind the scenes eventually became part of an important animal welfare case involving great apes in entertainment. Today, at 55, her life is much quieter. She enjoys her trailways, enrichment activities, comfortable afternoon nests, bubble baths—and having her beautiful hair brushed by her caregivers.

Sandra came to us after spending decades in a zoo in Argentina. Her story gained worldwide attention when an Argentine court recognized her as a “non-human person,” a landmark decision that ultimately helped pave the way for her move to sanctuary. Since arriving at the Center in 2019, Sandra has settled into a life centered around her companionship with Jethro, preferences, and choices.

And then there is Cahaya, our youngest orangutan and a little ray of sunshine—quite literally, since her name means “light” or “radiant.” Born in February 2020 to Sunshine, Cahaya has grown into an adventurous, confident six-year-old who seems to be everywhere at once. She has a special relationship not only with her mother, but also with her protective aunt Keagan and her gentle father, Archie. Watching Cahaya grow and learn surrounded by her orangutan family has been an extraordinary experience.

From Cahaya at just six years old to elders like Popi, Radcliffe, Sinbad, Connie, Mari, Sunshine, and Sandra, our orangutans represent many different generations and many different journeys, and each arrived with a story all their own.

Today, what matters most is the life they are living now.

They have companions. They have room to climb and explore. They have caregivers who know their personalities and preferences. And most importantly, they have a permanent home where their needs will come first for the rest of their lives.

Make a Difference with Roots and Shoots

Looking for a way to make a positive difference?

Join the Center for Great Apes Roots & Shoots Chapter! Open to all ages, our chapter brings together people who care about animals, people, and the environment through meaningful community projects inspired by Jane Goodall's global Roots & Shoots program.

Our next virtual meeting is next Monday, September 7th at 6:30 PM, and we'd love to have you join us. It's a great opportunity to learn more, meet fellow members, and discover how you can get involved.



To learn more or get involved, email rootsandshoots@centerforgreatapes.org

During the summer months, the sanctuary will be taking a short seasonal break from tours and special events. Our educational tours and events will resume in the fall when cooler temperatures make visits more comfortable for both our guests and the apes. Be sure to keep an eye on our Upcoming Events page and follow us on social media for announcements about new programs, tours, and special opportunities later this year.

Other Ways To Help

Thank you for supporting the Center for Great Apes!