Enhancing the Lives of Chimpanzees through Research, Education, and Enrichment
Young chimpanzee, Lolitta, at Gombe National Park, Tanzania.
© Russel Amy
Founded in 1984, ChimpanZoo is the Jane Goodall Institute’s international research program dedicated to the study of captive chimpanzees and to the improvement of their lives through research, education, and enrichment. Currently, 20 zoos and sanctuaries around the world participate in the program.
ChimpanZoo was established as a collective effort by JGI, zoos, and universities. It applies uniform research methods to learn more about the behavior, psychology, and most especially the needs of captive chimpanzees.
Recent studies have addressed the heritability of personality traits and the challenge and possibility of rating chimpanzee happiness. Personality testing provides an extraordinary tool to help zoos choose chimpanzees with compatible personalities to share living quarters. ChimpanZoo findings also help caregivers create enrichment activities and enhanced environments that relieve the boredom and physical stress of captivity.