World Chimpanzee Day

Every year on July 14, chimpanzee lovers around the world celebrate World Chimpanzee Day. The date marks the anniversary of the day Jane Goodall first stepped into Gombe Stream National Park in 1960, beginning the groundbreaking research that forever changed our understanding of chimpanzees.

Dr. Goodall's observations revealed that chimpanzees are intelligent, emotional, and remarkably similar to us in many ways. Her work inspired generations of people to care about the future of great apes and helped spark a global movement to protect them.

At the Center for Great Apes, World Chimpanzee Day is also a reminder that every chimpanzee deserves a safe, loving home where they can be chimpanzees. Our residents have come from the entertainment industry, the pet trade, research, and other situations where they could no longer receive the specialized care they needed. Today, they enjoy the opportunity to climb, explore, socialize, and make their own choices.

As we celebrate these remarkable apes, we invite you to become part of their story through our annual Adopt-a-Palooza. By symbolically adopting one of our chimpanzee residents, you'll help provide nutritious meals, expert veterinary care, enriching activities, and everything they need to thrive in lifelong sanctuary.



This World Chimpanzee Day, honor the legacy of Dr. Jane Goodall by making a difference for the chimpanzees who call the Center home. Your symbolic adoption is a meaningful way to celebrate these extraordinary individuals while helping ensure they continue to receive the compassionate care they deserve.

Two Routines, Two Personalities,

One Shared Purpose

One of the most rewarding parts of Adopt-a-Palooza is discovering that every great ape has their own personality, preferences, and daily routines. Some are known for the way they greet their caregivers. Others have favorite foods, treasured enrichment items, or endearing habits that make them unmistakably themselves.

This week, we're introducing two residents whose days run like clockwork but in wonderfully different ways.

Chimpanzee Jeeter is the sanctuary's unofficial timekeeper. At almost exactly 8:45, 12:15, and 4:30 each day, he begins reminding his caregivers that breakfast, lunch, and dinner should be arriving any minute. His internal clock is remarkably accurate, and his enthusiasm for mealtime is impossible to miss.

Unlike many of the other chimpanzees, Jeeter heads straight for his leafy greens before touching anything else. Then, after enjoying his own meal, he'll often make one last round through the habitat to collect any vegetables or greens his companions have left behind. Lunchtime is perhaps his favorite ritual of all. He carries his bagged lunch to the highest platform in his habitat, carefully spreads everything out beside him like a picnic, and enjoys his meal overlooking the sanctuary before heading off to forage for treats, spend time with his friend Larry, or settle in with one of his favorite magazines.

Meanwhile, across the sanctuary, orangutan Connie has an entirely different schedule in mind.

Long before bedtime, Connie begins preparing for the evening. Around 4:30 each afternoon, she starts gathering hay, pine needles, wood wool, blankets, and other nesting materials, carefully weaving them together until she has created the perfect place to sleep. By about 5:15, her work is done. Over the years, her nests have become so beautifully woven and rounded that caregivers lovingly refer to them as her "bird nests."

When she's not nest building, Connie can often be found with her lifelong companion, Sinbad. Whether they're wrestling through the aerial trailways, playing under blankets, or searching for every last dandelion green or kale leaf scattered throughout their habitat, the pair reminds us that friendships can flourish in the most meaningful ways.

These are the kinds of individual stories we'll be sharing throughout Adopt-a-Palooza all month long as we work toward our goal of welcoming 150 new adoptive parents.

While we're highlighting 31 featured chimpanzees and orangutans during July, every brand-new symbolic adoption counts toward our Adopt-a-Palooza goal, no matter which resident you choose to support. If one of our featured apes captures your heart—or if you've already fallen in love with another sanctuary resident—you'll be helping provide the daily care, nutritious diets, enrichment, veterinary care, and lifelong sanctuary they deserve.

Be sure to visit our Adopt-a-Palooza webpage throughout the month to follow our progress, see how many new adoptive parents each of our 31 featured residents has welcomed, and watch us work toward our goal of 150 new adoptions.

You never know... one simple story might introduce you to your newest family member.

Make a Difference with Roots and Shoots

Looking for a meaningful way to make a difference in your community? Join the Center for Great Apes Roots & Shoots Chapter, part of the global program founded by Jane Goodall that brings people together to help animals, people, and the environment through hands-on community projects. Our chapter is open to all ages—children, teens, adults, and families—and everyone is welcome to be part of creating positive change. Whether you can volunteer occasionally or participate regularly, we'd love to have you join us as we work together to make a difference.



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

Employment Opportunities

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

• Chimpanzee Caregiver

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.

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!