Project Chimps

Give the gift of hope to former research chimpanzees.

At Project Chimps, our mission is to provide a forever home to chimpanzees bred for research. Born and raised in laboratories, many never had the chance to climb a tree or play beneath an open sky before. But today, they can.

Project Chimps provides sanctuary care to 95 chimpanzees, the youngest of whom are just 13 years old. If we’re lucky, we’ll be looking after them for 40, possibly 50 more years — but we need your help to give them a future worth looking forward to.

Kivuli, Hercules, and Binah are part of an energetic group of young male chimps affectionately called the "Lost Boys." This Giving Day for Apes, we hope you'll be part of their stories by giving them a new reason to hope.

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Kivuli: The Youngest

Not only is Kivuli the youngest "Lost Boy," he's also the youngest chimp at the sanctuary! He came to Project Chimps in 2018, just 2 months after his 7th birthday.

When his group first arrived, Kivuli was extremely timid. He stayed inside the first time his groupmates explored the outdoor habitat and leaned heavily on his older groupmate Hercules for support. But soon, Kivuli started to branch out.

Today, he's one of the last to come back inside from the habitat and has formed strong bonds with his groupmates! Now 13, Kivuli's grown so much, but his journey isn't over. You can support his care so he can keep learning, growing, and thriving here in sanctuary.

"It's been really cool to see him grow and get bolder. He's come a long way," one caregiver says.

Hercules: The Protector

Although only 11 when he, Kivuli, and fellow "Lost Boys" arrived in sanctuary, Hercules was a chimp on a mission.

Previously, he and groupmate Leo spent 5 years of their young lives entirely indoors in the same New York lab. When they first arrived, Leo displayed abnormal behaviors to self-soothe, sometimes for up to 30-minutes before he could relax. But thanks to Hercules, he wasn’t alone.

Hercules made it his mission to protect every chimp in his group. From reassuring Leo on their first day outdoors to assisting alpha Binah when the girls were introduced, Hercules was even nicknamed “Mama-Herk” for the way he shared his food and let Kivuli hide behind him, just like a mother might. After all he’s been through, he deserves everything we can give and more.

"Hercules just wants to help. Even if it's a situation he can't really help with, that's all he wants to do."

Binah: Budding Alpha

As leader of the “Lost Boys” and youngest ever alpha at Project Chimps, 16-year-old Binah isn't one to run from a challenge.

When he first arrived, he maintained his high-ranking status mainly through his impressive strength and intimidation. By favoring a more authoritative leadership style and with Hercules around for backup, he was able to hold his own and keep the boys in line. But just as Kivuli and the others have grown, so has Binah.

With time, Binah's learned there’s more to being a great leader than strength alone. He’s made great strides building positive relationships through play and grooming and has been practicing more measured responses when intervening in group disputes. He’s made so much progress as a leader, and with such a dynamic group behind him, there’s a special sense of joy and pride.

“He’s challenged every day, but he always gives it his all. He isn't a full alpha yet, but he’s on his way there.”

Every chimp deserves a future they can count on.

Kivuli, alongside fellow "Lost Boys" Hercules, Binah, Oscar, Jacob, Danner, Ray, Kennedy, and Leo still live in the same group, along with 10 older females! Six years ago, they made sanctuary history as the youngest group to arrive at Project Chimps... meaning they've grown into adolescence here too!

As teenagers, this group has a reputation for being a bit wild and rambunctious. There’s always something new going on as they learn who they are and how they fit into the wider group. Just as we need to push boundaries and test limits to learn about ourselves and the world around us, so do young chimps — and they’re doing just that!

While Kivuli and his group may be young, many of the chimps at the sanctuary are old. Others like Leo have special needs from their time in research. They all deserve the best we can give them, and by donating today you have the power to change their lives forever.

Please help give these chimps the lifelong care they deserve… because it’s their time to live!