A Mother’s Love: Celebrating Boma This Mother’s Day

This Mother’s Day weekend, we want to shine a light on a very special chimpanzee mother who is often quietly overlooked—despite the incredible love, resilience, and joy she brings to her family every single day.

Meet Boma.

Born in 1986, Boma’s early years were spent in the entertainment world, where she followed a path much like her mother, Oopsie. But today, Boma is part of a family of chimpanzees living with choice, care, and companionship here at the sanctuary.

Boma became a mother in Hollywood when her only offspring, Knuckles, was born with cerebral palsy. Because of his condition, she was unable to care for Knuckles, so he was sent to the Center for Great Apes in 2002 for special needs care. Three years later, Boma and 15 other chimpanzees from the entertainment industry (including her mother, Oopsie, her sister Jessie, and Jessie’s two infant babies) arrived at our sanctuary when their trainer made the decision to stop working great apes in entertainment.

Today, Boma lives surrounded by family, including her 52-year-old mother, Oopsie, her niece and nephew Kodua and Stryker (now in their 20s), and her longtime companion Bubbles. Even though Boma was not able to raise Knuckles, she became a beloved “auntie” to Kodua and Stryker. 

She may not be the highest-ranking member of her group, but she is undoubtedly the social heart of it. Boma is playful, loyal, musical, vocal, and friends with everyone she lives with. In fact, caregivers say she’s the only member of her group who regularly plays with every single chimpanzee.

And every morning, before caregivers have even had their coffee, Boma is already greeting them with soft, breathy pants from overhead in the aerial trailways—usually sporting what staff lovingly describe as “excellent bed head.”

Boma is also one of the easiest chimpanzees to enrich because she genuinely loves everything. Give her forage scatter? She’s thrilled. A fishing enrichment activity? She’s all in. Snacks? Absolutely. Boma is a true foodie at heart and never turns down something tasty to eat. And if she needs help reaching something or solving a puzzle, she’s not shy about asking her caregivers for assistance.

She’s the kind of chimpanzee who quietly makes every day brighter.

Yet despite her wonderful personality and her important place in our sanctuary family, Boma remains one of our least adopted apes.

That’s why, ahead of this summer’s Adopt-a-Palooza celebration, we wanted to feature Boma first.

When you symbolically adopt an ape through the Center for Great Apes, you help provide lifelong care, nutritious meals, enrichment, veterinary support, and safe habitats for chimpanzees and orangutans like Boma. And if you adopt Boma before Adopt-a-Palooza in July, you’ll still receive one of our special ape-painted Adopt-a-Palooza postcards as part of the celebration.

An adoption in Boma’s honor also makes a meaningful Mother’s Day gift for the animal lover in your life—a way to celebrate the strength, devotion, and enduring bond of motherhood through the story of an extraordinary chimpanzee mom.

This Mother’s Day, we hope you’ll help us show Boma just how loved she truly is.

Put Compassion Into Action with Roots and Shoots

We invite you to join us for our next Roots & Shoots meeting on Sunday, May 17th at 2:00 PM at the sanctuary. This special gathering will include an opportunity to meet and learn about one of our resident orangutans, followed by a short business meeting and discussion about our upcoming project.

It’s a wonderful way to get involved, meet others who share your passion for animals, and be part of something meaningful right here at the sanctuary.

If you have been looking for a way to make a difference—this is it. We would love to have you join our growing Roots & Shoots community. Reach out to learn more and reserve your spot for the May meeting by emailing rootsandshoots@centerforgreatapes.org

Save the Date: Bid for Their Future — A Wildly Important June

Father’s Day at the Sanctuary

Celebrate Father’s Day in a meaningful and memorable way at the sanctuary during Drinks and Ape Dads on June 20, 2026. This special event offers a relaxed visit with refreshing beverages, light bites, and a guided sanctuary experience as you learn about ape fathers, family bonds, and the important role dominant males play in chimpanzee and orangutan social groups. Founding Director Patti Ragan will also share stories and insights from the sanctuary’s early days.



Only a few tickets remain, so reserve your spot soon for this one-of-a-kind Father’s Day experience.

Employment Opportunities

We are seeking passionate individuals who share our commitment to the well-being of these remarkable great apes. We are currently seeking:

• Caregiver
• Caregiver Assistant

If you possess the skills and experience we are looking for (or know someone who does), we encourage you to apply today! You can visit our employment page on the website for more details on these positions and the application process.

Other Ways To Help

Thank you for supporting the Center for Great Apes!