Center for Great Apes

{{Infobox zoo

| zoo_name = Center for Great Apes

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| date_opened = 1993

| location = Wauchula, Florida

| num_animals =71

| num_species = 27 Orangutans
44 Chimpanzees

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| website = {{URL|https://www.centerforgreatapes.org/}}

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{{Infobox organization

| name = Center for Orangutan and Chimpanzee Conservation, Inc.

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| tax_id = 65-0444725{{cite web|title=CENTER FOR ORANGUTAN AND CHIMPANZEE CONSERVATION INC Form 990 2015|url=https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/650444725|publisher=ProPublica|accessdate=18 September 2017}}

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| revenue = $1,956,713

| revenue_year = 2015

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The Center for Great Apes is an animal sanctuary for great apes located east of Wauchula, Florida. Founded as a nonprofit organization in 1993, the sanctuary has about 70 orangutans and chimpanzees who were formerly used in entertainment, scientific research, or the exotic pet trade.{{Cite web |date=August 29, 2024 |title=About |url=https://centerforgreatapes.org/about/ |access-date=August 29, 2024 |website=The Center for Great Apes}} The sanctuary sits on 100 acres of land in rural Florida, southwest of Orlando.

The sanctuary is a founding member of North American Primate Sanctuary Alliance (NAPSA){{Cite web |title=FAQ - Primate Sanctuaries |url=https://primatesanctuaries.org/about/faq/ |access-date=2023-06-16 |website=Primate Sanctuaries |language=en-US}} and is accredited by the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries. As such, it is not open to the general public as an attraction or zoo.

The backstory of six of the chimpanzees at the Center for Great Apes was featured in the TV documentary series Chimp Crazy. As a result of a People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals lawsuit, they were removed from a facility in Missouri and sent to the sanctuary in 2021.{{Cite web |date=July 29, 2021 |title=Victory! After Years of Dedicated Effort, PETA Secures a New Life for Exploited Chimpanzees |url=https://www.peta.org/blog/chimpanzees-rescued-missouri-primate-foundation/ |access-date=August 29, 2024 |website=People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals}}

The Center for Great Apes is the only accredited orangutan sanctuary in the United States.{{Cite web |date=August 29, 2024 |title=Homepage |url=https://centerforgreatapes.org |access-date=August 29, 2024 |website=The Center for Great Apes}}

File:Aerial trailways at Center for Great Apes.jpg

Notable residents

Bubbles, former companion of Michael Jackson.{{Cite news|url=https://www.browardpalmbeach.com/music/michael-jacksons-pet-chimp-is-living-out-his-twilight-years-in-florida-7554952|title=Michael Jackson's Pet Chimp is Living Out His Twilight Years in Florida|last=Furness|first=Dyllan|date=February 2, 2016|work=New Times Broward-Palm Beach|access-date=November 8, 2019|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170706235753/https://www.browardpalmbeach.com/music/michael-jacksons-pet-chimp-is-living-out-his-twilight-years-in-florida-7554952|archive-date=July 6, 2017}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/59pmj5/michael-jackson-famous-chimp-bubbles-selling-paintings|title=Michael Jackson's Famous Chimp, Bubbles, Is Selling Paintings to Get By|last=Mufson|first=Beckett|date=June 28, 2017|website=Vice|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190602065109/https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/59pmj5/michael-jackson-famous-chimp-bubbles-selling-paintings|archive-date=June 2, 2019|access-date=November 8, 2019}}
Bella,{{Cite web |title=Bella |url=https://centerforgreatapes.org/chimpanzee/bella/ |access-date=2023-06-16 |website=Center for Great Apes |language=en-US}} star of the CareerBuilder 2004 Super Bowl XL campaign.{{Cite news|url=https://www.csmonitor.com/Commentary/Opinion/2011/0207/Super-Bowl-commercials-What-happens-to-those-CareerBuilder-chimps|title=Super Bowl commercials: What happens to those CareerBuilder chimps?|last=Ragan|first=Patti|date=February 7, 2011|work=The Christian Science Monitor|access-date=November 8, 2019|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130508184502/https://www.csmonitor.com/Commentary/Opinion/2011/0207/Super-Bowl-commercials-What-happens-to-those-CareerBuilder-chimps|archive-date=May 8, 2013|type=Opinion}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/apes-in-advertising_b_822404|title=For CareerBuilder Chimps, Sadly, the Joke Is On Them|last=Royce|first=Brenda Scott|date=February 13, 2011|work=The Huffington Post|access-date=November 8, 2019|url-status=live|archive-url=https://archive.today/20191108190210/https://www.huffpost.com/entry/apes-in-advertising_b_822404|archive-date=November 8, 2019}}
Sam "Sammy"{{Cite web |title=Sammy |url=https://centerforgreatapes.org/orangutan/sammy/ |access-date=2023-06-16 |website=Center for Great Apes |language=en-US}} starred in the movie Dunston Checks In.{{Cite web|url=https://www.vice.com/en_uk/article/qbx44d/these-1990s-movie-animals-are-all-dead-999|title=All the Animals From Your Favorite Childhood Movies Are Dead|last=Sokol|first=Zach|date=April 22, 2015|website=Vice|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190729144854/https://www.vice.com/en_uk/article/qbx44d/these-1990s-movie-animals-are-all-dead-999|archive-date=July 29, 2019|access-date=November 8, 2019}}
Sandra was declared a "non-human person" in Argentina after spending 20 years at Buenos Aires Zoo.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/nov/07/sandra-orangutan-florida-argentina-buenos-aires|title=Orangutan Sandra granted personhood settles into new Florida home|date=November 7, 2019|work=The Guardian|access-date=November 8, 2019|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191108092235/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/nov/07/sandra-orangutan-florida-argentina-buenos-aires|archive-date=November 8, 2019}}
Sunshine{{Cite web |title=Sunshine |url=https://centerforgreatapes.org/orangutan/sunshine/ |access-date=2023-06-16 |website=Center for Great Apes |language=en-US}} was born in England where her mother was owned by singer Tom Jones’ manager.
Bo{{Cite web |title=Bo |url=https://centerforgreatapes.org/chimpanzee/bo/ |access-date=2023-06-16 |website=Center for Great Apes |language=en-US}} and Joe,{{Cite web |title=Joe |url=https://centerforgreatapes.org/chimpanzee/joe/ |access-date=2023-06-16 |website=Center for Great Apes |language=en-US}} formerly at CW Exotics facility featured in the Netflix series Tiger King.
Marco{{Cite web |title=Marco |url=https://centerforgreatapes.org/chimpanzee/marco/ |access-date=2023-06-16 |website=Center for Great Apes |language=en-US}} is the oldest and smallest chimpanzee at the Center for Great Apes.
Jonah{{Cite web |title=Jonah |url=https://centerforgreatapes.org/chimpanzee/jonah/ |access-date=2023-06-16 |website=Center for Great Apes |language=en-US}} and Jacob{{Cite web |title=Jacob |url=https://centerforgreatapes.org/chimpanzee/jacob/ |access-date=2023-06-16 |website=Center for Great Apes |language=en-US}} are twins. Jonah starred with Mark Wahlberg in the 2001 film Planet of the Apes and with his twin brother worked in the original “Trunk Monkey” commercials.
Mari{{Cite web |title=Mari |url=https://centerforgreatapes.org/orangutan/mari/ |access-date=2023-06-16 |website=Center for Great Apes |language=en-US}} the orangutan, is one of several apes taken care of by the Center for Great Apes who have special needs. Mari lost both arms as an infant before arriving at the sanctuary.
Knuckles,{{Cite web |title=Knuckles |url=https://centerforgreatapes.org/chimpanzee/knuckles-2/ |access-date=2023-06-16 |website=Center for Great Apes |language=en-US}} a chimpanzee, had cerebral palsy.
Allie{{Cite web |title=Allie |url=https://centerforgreatapes.org/orangutan/allie/ |access-date=2023-06-16 |website=Center for Great Apes |language=en-US}} has Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy (CIDP), a condition that, in Allie's case, prevents the use of her legs or feet. File:Jonah the chimpanzee at the Center for Great Apes.jpg

File:Cahaya and family at Center for Great Apes.png

File:Marco the chimpanzee at the Center for Great Apes.jpg

File:Mari the orangutan at Center for Great Apes.jpg

Center for Great Apes

Notable residents

References

Further reading