Sanctuary Blog
Keep up with the current events, news, and all things primate by following our blog. We share our blogs on our social media pages and welcome your comments and observations there.
Think that GIF of the smoking chimp is funny? The chimp wasn’t laughing
You might think it’s cute to text a GIF of a chimpanzee in overalls walking a dog, but behind this seemingly adorable image is a grim truth: “Those animals were beaten and abused into submission to act that way,” says Debbie Metzler, associate director of captive animal law enforcement for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).
Orangutan drawings change with season and mood
She may not be Rembrandt or Pablo Picasso, but Molly the orangutan drew more than 1000 pictures over her lifetime. Now, one of the largest studies of nonhuman primate drawings to date—including hundreds of works by Molly and her ape companions at a Japanese zoo-reveal distinct individual differences in styles and ability. Some of the pictures appeared to change with the season, perhaps indicative of an orangutan’s mood.
Opinion: Hugging is common and meaningful in the animal kingdom
It's tempting to see all the hugs, rubs and lip smacks among animals as something they share with us humans. But there's a critical difference: The animals mean it.
Chimpmas Time is Here!
It’s that time again… The apes and monkeys have been good all year and are hoping that their Chimpmas wishes will come true! Everyone thought long and hard about what they would love most this year and we have put together their list here. Many of the items they...
The Social Primate
In general, primates are social animals. There are many benefits for being a part of a social system, one being protection. Of course, there are some exceptions to this general principle, for instance, the male orangutan, perhaps for the purpose of restraining the number of members competing for the same recourses, but this is not a common theme among the primate order.
Jake and Japanese Macaques
My name is Alister Brown. I interned at the Primate Rescue Center from May to September in 2021. During my time, I was able to grow close to all of the primates on the property. Since I lived in the same building as the chimpanzees, I grew especially close to all...
20+ Years of Sanctuary Club
The Primate Rescue Center rescued its first monkey, Gizmo, in 1987 and began a journey which has now spanned 34 years and given refuge to hundreds of primates along the way.
Two bonobos adopted infants outside their group, marking a first for great apes
Attentive parenting appears across the animal world, but adoption is rarer, especially when youngsters taken in aren’t kin. Now researchers have witnessed bonobos adopting infants from outside of their own communities.
