Center for Great Apes

Center for Great Apes Welcome to the official page of the Center for Orangutan and Chimpanzee Conservation, Inc.

The Center for Great Apes’ mission is to provide a permanent sanctuary for orangutans and chimpanzees who have been retired from the entertainment industry, from research, or who are no longer wanted as pets. The Center provides care with dignity in a safe, healthy, and enriching environment for great apes in need of lifetime care.

Everyone needs an Auntie Keagan. 🧡Cahaya and Keagan have shared a special bond from the beginning, and this sweet moment...
09/05/2026

Everyone needs an Auntie Keagan. 🧡

Cahaya and Keagan have shared a special bond from the beginning, and this sweet moment says it all.

Today, on National Wildlife Day, our thoughts are with the wildlife facing a very real and growing threat in Indonesia.W...
09/04/2026

Today, on National Wildlife Day, our thoughts are with the wildlife facing a very real and growing threat in Indonesia.

Wildfires are burning across parts of Borneo and Sumatra, which is home to some of the last remaining natural habitat for orangutans. More than 200,000 hectares have already burned this year, with fires and thick smoke threatening both people and wildlife.

Orangutans have been found weak, dehydrated, and suffering from respiratory illness, while others have been displaced from the forest in search of food and safety. And they are far from the only ones affected. Sun bears, gibbons, hornbills, and countless other species depend on these forests, too.

The orangutans at the Center for Great Apes are safely sheltered here in Florida, but their wild relatives depend on healthy, protected forests for their future.

This National Wildlife Day, we encourage you to learn more about and support reputable organizations working directly to protect wildlife and habitat in Indonesia, include Orangutan Outreach, BOS Foundation, Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme (SOCP), and International Animal Rescue.

The forests may be thousands of miles away, but there are still ways to help from here at home.

📷: orangutan Popi

🛒 Wish List Wednesday 🛒 This week, we’re asking for a few everyday grocery items that make a BIG difference in keeping e...
09/02/2026

🛒 Wish List Wednesday 🛒

This week, we’re asking for a few everyday grocery items that make a BIG difference in keeping enrichment interesting and engaging for the orangutans and chimpanzees in our care:

🥫 Condiments — Ketchup, mustard, BBQ sauce, and relish can be spread on enrichment devices, tucked into puzzle feeders, or used in small amounts to encourage foraging and problem-solving.

🥣 Non-sugary cereals — Cereals are great for scattering, hiding, and adding to puzzles, giving the apes opportunities to search and forage for individual pieces.

🌾 Oats — Dry or prepared, oats can be incorporated into puzzle feeders, Kong toys, smear boards, and other enrichment activities.

With 70 great apes receiving enrichment every day, we go through supplies quickly, and right now, we could really use your help restocking these staples.

If you’re able to send an item (or two!) from our Wish List, our Nutrition Team and caregivers will put it to good use creating enriching activities that encourage natural behaviors, problem-solving, exploration, and choice.

Every jar, box, and container helps. Thank you for keeping our enrichment shelves stocked!

🧡 Shop our wish list here: bit.ly/CGA_Wishlist_Wednesday

You can also mail items directly to us at: 5843 Van Simmons Rd | Wauchula, FL 33873

📷: chimpanzees Toby and Brooks

Today is also International Primate Day!Primates are an incredibly diverse group of animals that includes lemurs, monkey...
09/01/2026

Today is also International Primate Day!

Primates are an incredibly diverse group of animals that includes lemurs, monkeys, apes, and humans. While primates can be found across the world, many species face serious threats from habitat loss, the illegal wildlife trade, hunting, and exploitation.

Our work focuses on two primate species: orangutans and chimpanzees. The apes in our care came to sanctuary from the entertainment industry, the exotic pet trade, and research facilities where they could no longer remain.

International Primate Day is an opportunity to learn more about primates, the challenges they face, and the importance of protecting and respecting them—both in the wild and in human care.

For us, that means continuing to provide lifelong, individualized care for every orangutan and chimpanzee who calls the sanctuary home.

📷: orangutan Kiki and chimpanzee Natsu

Hello, September! 🍂Here’s to welcoming the “ber” months and all that comes with them!📷: chimpanzee Candy
09/01/2026

Hello, September! 🍂

Here’s to welcoming the “ber” months and all that comes with them!

📷: chimpanzee Candy

Archie is always prepared for the rain! ☔️🦧In the wild, orangutans have been observed using large leaves and other veget...
08/31/2026

Archie is always prepared for the rain! ☔️🦧

In the wild, orangutans have been observed using large leaves and other vegetation to cover themselves when it rains. At the sanctuary, many of the orangutans do the same with whatever happens to be nearby—blankets, cardboard, browse...or, in Archie’s case, a perfectly sized tub!

There’s nothing better than a pool party on a summer weekend! 💦☀️Happy Saturday!📷: orangutans BamBam and Tango
08/29/2026

There’s nothing better than a pool party on a summer weekend! 💦☀️

Happy Saturday!

📷: orangutans BamBam and Tango

Chimpanzee social dynamics can be complicated!Every chimpanzee in a group holds a place within its social hierarchy, but...
08/28/2026

Chimpanzee social dynamics can be complicated!

Every chimpanzee in a group holds a place within its social hierarchy, but those relationships aren’t always as simple as one dominant male at the top. Personality, friendships, family bonds, and alliances can all play a role. Every group is a little different.

Jeeter’s group is a great example. All five chimpanzees came from backgrounds outside of typical chimpanzee social groups, including entertainment, the private pet trade, and roadside attractions.

Today, the females run the show! Maggie (pictured on the right) is generally considered the most dominant, with Bella (pictured on the left) and Ellie close behind. Jeeter and Larry often choose to back away when the ladies make their wishes known.

Even friendships can be tested by group alliances. Larry and Bella are good friends, but when disagreements arise, Bella will usually support her sister Maggie and fellow female Ellie before siding with Larry.

Most of the time, the five get along very well, but the occasional noisy disagreement is a normal part of chimpanzee communication. Once everyone has made their point, the group usually settles right back into its familiar rhythm.

We heard it’s National Cherry Popsicle Day… 🍒🧊All of the orangutans and chimpanzees enjoy plenty of whole fruits as part...
08/26/2026

We heard it’s National Cherry Popsicle Day… 🍒🧊

All of the orangutans and chimpanzees enjoy plenty of whole fruits as part of their diets, but sometimes those fruity favorites take on a different form!

Homemade frozen treats prepared in our Nutrition Center are one way caregivers can add variety to enrichment, using different ingredients, flavors, and presentations... especially during the hot Florida summer.

Chimpanzees Brooks and Kenya certainly seem to approve of this batch.

👀 Can you spy Sandra?Hint: She’s got a pretty good pine needle disguise.
08/25/2026

👀 Can you spy Sandra?

Hint: She’s got a pretty good pine needle disguise.

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Wauchula, FL

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+18637678903

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