Primates

Stop the Show: Lousingo’s Story

April 01, 2026 — Eight years ago, a small box arrived at Tchimpounga. When the caretakers opened the box they found a small creature dressed up in baby clothes. This was in fact no baby, but instead, an infant chimpanzee kept in this box for transport. This frightened little one was found forcibly dressed in trousers and a striped […]

Finding Maurice: Karin Konoval in ‘War for the Planet of the Apes’

April 01, 2026 — Finding Maurice by Karin Konoval In 2010 I was cast as “Maurice” in the film Rise of the Planet of the Apes. The challenge: how do I portray, with physical and psychological integrity, a mature male orangutan? It was the most unique and strenuous preparation for a role I’ve ever undertaken. I began with every […]

Exploring Evolution and Spirituality in Chimpanzees and Humans

April 01, 2026 — Last January, I traveled to Tanzania with National Geographic presenter Justin Hall to shoot a segment for Explorer about the spiritual nature of chimpanzees and the blurry line between the emotional capacities of non-human animals and humans. In the pieces’ introduction, author and scientist Barbara King notes that “We see examples of empathy, imagination, and […]

Resolution at Last for New York Blood Center Chimps in Liberia

April 01, 2026 — In a landscape of impassioned people fighting battles everyday for what is right, this week we can accept victory. The Humane Society of the United States has, after two years of dedication along with a coalition of dedicated individuals and organizations, come to a multi-million-dollar agreement with the New York Blood Center (NYBC) in the care […]

Stop the Show: Motambo’s Story

April 01, 2026 — One seemingly ordinary day in 2012 in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo, an employee of local NGO PALF received a tip off that soon a boat would be arriving holding smuggled cargo. Sure enough, a few days later, authorities boarded the suspect boat. What they found was a special kind of cargo: a small, sick chimpanzee. […]

The Show Stops Now: Chimps Aren’t Entertainment

April 01, 2026 — Internationally, chimpanzees and other great apes are used as props in television, film, circuses, roadside attractions, as pets and as social media share-able content. This cruel business removes chimps from their mothers at an early age, puts them into torturous training programs, asks them to perform unnatural acts, and eventually tosses these beautiful, highly social […]

JGI Jungle Journals: Notes From Gombe, Tanzania IV

April 01, 2026 — Dr. Jane Goodall had a single dream: to study wildlife in Africa. When she was 26 years old, she was given an opportunity, by a innovative scientist named Louis Leakey, to achieve this dream in a place called Gombe. Gombe, Tanzania, has since Dr. Goodall’s studies been the home of ongoing behavioral, biological, conservation and […]

Human Primates Working Together to Protect All Primates

April 01, 2026 — Across the continent of Africa, wildlife sanctuaries are working hard to better the lives of their native animals. From improving electrical lines to protect monkeys from accidental electrocution to educating communities about the misconceptions of traditional medicine using ape bones, the responsibilities of a sanctuary extend well beyond helping injured and orphaned animals. While each […]

So You Think You Know Everything About Chimps? Think Again.

April 01, 2026 — For decades, chimpanzees have been put in the spotlight for their renowned intelligence and close genetics that nearly match our own (we share a common ancestor). Since it was discovered in 1960 by Dr. Jane Goodall that chimpanzees can make and use tools (read more about Dr. Goodall’s discoveries here), our understanding of them has revolutionized […]

The Hope for Primate Conservation

April 01, 2026 — News has seemed pretty gloomy for our fellow primates. A recent report found that over half of the world’s primates are nearing extinction. Impacted by deforestation, illegal trafficking, and hunting for the bushmeat and pet trades, primate species are quickly disappearing. While primates are our closest relatives, they can also be keystone species. This means […]

Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE (1934-2025)

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Stop the Show: Lousingo’s Story

Finding Maurice: Karin Konoval in ‘War for the Planet of the Apes’

Exploring Evolution and Spirituality in Chimpanzees and Humans

Resolution at Last for New York Blood Center Chimps in Liberia

Stop the Show: Motambo’s Story

The Show Stops Now: Chimps Aren’t Entertainment

JGI Jungle Journals: Notes From Gombe, Tanzania IV

Human Primates Working Together to Protect All Primates

So You Think You Know Everything About Chimps? Think Again.

The Hope for Primate Conservation