Center for Great Apes

Center for Great Apes
Map
Date opened1993
LocationWauchula, Florida
No. of animals71
No. of species27 Orangutans
44 Chimpanzees
Websitewww.centerforgreatapes.org
Center for Orangutan and Chimpanzee Conservation, Inc.
65-0444725[1]
Revenue (2015)
$1,956,713

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.[2] 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)[3] 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.[4]

The Center for Great Apes is the only accredited orangutan sanctuary in the United States.[5]

The Center for Great Apes has about 2 miles of aerial trailways.
The Center for Great Apes includes about 2 miles (3.2 km) of aerial trailways, allowing chimpanzees an orangutans to explore the sanctuary.
  1. ^ "CENTER FOR ORANGUTAN AND CHIMPANZEE CONSERVATION INC Form 990 2015". ProPublica. Retrieved 18 September 2017.
  2. ^ "About". The Center for Great Apes. August 29, 2024. Retrieved August 29, 2024.
  3. ^ "FAQ - Primate Sanctuaries". Primate Sanctuaries. Retrieved 2023-06-16.
  4. ^ "Victory! After Years of Dedicated Effort, PETA Secures a New Life for Exploited Chimpanzees". People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. July 29, 2021. Retrieved August 29, 2024.
  5. ^ "Homepage". The Center for Great Apes. August 29, 2024. Retrieved August 29, 2024.