Join Us On World Chimpanzee Day

There are certain days that stand out at Lincoln Park Zoo. One is tomorrow when our largest annual fundraiser—Zoo Ball, hosted by the Women's Board of Lincoln Park Zoo—brings together civic and philanthropic leaders who generously support the zoo's capital projects. This gathering has raised millions over the years to help ensure we continue to connect guests with the wonders of wildlife and nature through animal exhibits, gardens, and many other amenities that enhance our visitors’ experiences—for free, 365 days a year.

Saturday, July 14, is another swinging occasion in support of wildlife: the first-ever World Chimpanzee Day. Learn more at www.worldchimpanzeeday.org.

Anyone who spends time on social media knows there are lots of animal appreciation days—and we’re happy to help spread the word. But we’re hard-pressed to think of any closer to our work than this one.

The goals are threefold: celebrate our closest cousin in the animal kingdom; raise awareness of threats this endangered species faces in the wild, including habitat loss, susceptibility to human disease, and wildlife trafficking; and promote their proper care at zoos and sanctuaries.

Why July 14? July 14, 1960, was the day Dr. Jane Goodall first stepped foot in Tanzania’s Gombe Stream National Park to begin her pioneering study of wild chimpanzees—research Lincoln Park Zoo has supported and which continues through the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI).

JGI is among the consortium of global partners behind World Chimpanzee Day. This esteemed group also includes the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA), the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Primate Specialist Group, and sanctuary organizations such as the North American Primate Sanctuary Alliance (NAPSA). By combining their resources and reach, these organizations are empowering communities to help facilitate a secure future for this amazing species.

On Saturday at the zoo’s Regenstein Center for African Apes, an interpretive team will greet visitors at our chimpanzee troop’s exhibit to share details of our care and conservation work at the zoo and in the field. We also encourage you to explore and share resources on www.worldchimpanzeeday.org through your social media accounts with the hashtag #WorldChimpanzeeDay.

Steve Ross, Ph.D., director of the zoo’s Lester E. Fisher for the Study and Conservation of Apes, has played a key role in organizing this initiative. Join Steve during our Facebook Live broadcast on Friday, July 13, at 3 p.m. to learn more about this collaboration, the zoo’s work on behalf of chimpanzees, and how you can help make a difference.

Steve helms the zoo’s Project ChimpCARE, which has been a leader in driving policy change to help chimpanzees from all sorts of circumstances, including those owned as pets and entertainment. We’ve helped curtail the use of chimpanzees for entertainment in advertisements, movies, and TV—inaccurate portrayals which negatively impact their care far beyond those instances.

In 2015, Project ChimpCARE’s research data contributed to a decision by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to list both captive and wild chimpanzees as endangered under the Endangered Species Act. Previously, only wild chimpanzees were afforded the protections that designation enforces.

Ross also chairs the board of directors at Chimp Haven, the Louisiana-based national sanctuary for chimpanzees which cares for more than 250 chimpanzees retired from biomedical research. In 2016, Lincoln Park Zoo and Chimp Haven teamed up in an unprecedented zoo-sanctuary partnership to advance care for chimpanzees at both institutions and beyond.

Fisher Center scientists also conduct behavioral and conservation research with chimpanzees in the remote forests of the Republic of Congo through the Goualougo Triangle Ape Project. Lincoln Park Zoo research fellow Dave Morgan, Ph.D., has cultivated an unprecedented data-sharing relationship with a logging company that adheres to Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification practices, which minimize impacts on ape habitats. Buying FSC-certified, sustainable wood products is something we all can do to support this important conservation work.

You can also learn more in the spring 2018 and summer 2018 issues of Lincoln Park Zoo magazine about the zoo’s leadership in using science to advance ape care and conservation.

We’ll see you online and at the zoo on World Chimpanzee Day!

Kevin Bell
President and CEO
Lincoln Park Zoo