Save the Chimps

Decades of Care, a Lifetime of Compassion

Save the Chimps is home to more than 220 residents rescued from medical research, the entertainment industry, and the pet trade. We are committed to providing exemplary lifetime care for our residents. Did you know that captive chimpanzees have a life expectancy of 50 years or more!? A chimpanzee is considered geriatric at age 35. With 1 in 3 of our residents currently considered elderly, geriatric care is a major and growing focus of our sanctuary. As of September 1, 2022, 81 of our residents are elderly, with an additional three becoming elderly by the end of this year. In just five years, the percentage of elderly chimpanzees we are caring for will increase by 55%. This Giving Day for Apes, help us reach our goal of $60,000 in honor of caring for this special group of chimpanzees and providing all of our residents a dignified retirement.

Your donations in honor of our eldest residents will help us continue to provide everything they need to thrive, including individualized medical care, engaging enrichment, loving daily care, and any extra care that may arise as their needs change with age.

Emily Age: 57 Our eldest resident is Emily the 1st at the estimated age of 57. Emily was born in the wild and captured for use in United States laboratories. In 2001, she was among the first residents to be rescued by Save the Chimps as a member of the 21 chimpanzees rescued from the United States Air Force. It’s a beautiful experience to watch this amazing lady, who has overcome so much in her life, live out her retirement on her island in the sun. Emily is being treated for age-related cardiovascular and musculoskeletal diseases. Thanks to individualized care from our veterinary team and care staff, she is able to live comfortably and keep up with the younger members of her group. The strong bond she has with her family is a beautiful thing to witness.

Gail Age: 50 Gail spent the first thirty years of her life in medical labs. She is the epitome of resilience after her early hardships in life. She’s a great friend to Tammy, Vanna (and therefore often on the receiving end of Vanna’s amazing hugs), and many other members of Ron’s family. Gail turned 50 on the kick-off day for Giving Day for Apes!   Gail is being treated for hypertension, mild cardiac disease, and degenerative joint disease. Although her age has slowed her down physically (she is lovingly referred to as Gail the Snail), it does not hold her back from playing, interacting in social dynamics, or even climbing trees on a rare occasion! Honor her 50th birthday with a gift to the Giving Day for Apes campaign.

The increased care of geriatric chimpanzees poses an increased cost and is one of our most critical needs. Some considerations in elderly care include:

• Our veterinary team monitors and treats the wide range of conditions found in our elderly populat­­­­­ion to restore health, treat acute injuries and chronic illnesses, and keep them comfortable from day to day.
• Our caregiving and behavioral teams carefully monitor our senior residents to ensure their safety, comfort, and social integration. A major focus of our elder behavioral program is to promote movement and exploration to keep our residents mobile and their minds active.
• Rails are added to the buildings and structures which help aging chimpanzees climb. We have to take special attention when designing structures so that our chimps -- especially the older ones -- are able to utilize all of their limbs and not put too much pressure on their hips and lower limbs.
• Our residents are encouraged to participate in their healthcare through the use of Operant Conditioning, encouraging chimps to participate in health monitoring activities such as presenting body parts, placing their fingers on an EKG monitor, taking blood pressure, providing lab samples, and more. This reduces stress and enables Vet staff to diagnose and treat conditions that would otherwise require anesthesia. Operant Conditioning is especially important for our geriatric chimpanzees as they are generally poor candidates for anesthesia.
• Social companionship is an important aspect of mental well-being and our residents live in multi-generational families with natural opportunities to bond, build lasting friendships, play, and groom.

Thank you for helping us provide our residents with everything they need to live happy and healthy lives!

 Save the Chimps 150-acre sanctuary in Fort Pierce, FL

DID YOU KNOW

• Save the Chimps has provided sanctuary to 342 chimpanzees since 2001.