Primarily Primates is unique because it is one of the very few sanctuaries that is routinely able to rescue animals in dire situations—a deep source of pride for us. We take in confiscated primates who suffered because of the exotic pet trade, entertainment industry, roadside zoos, biomedical research, and shuttered sanctuaries. In 2025, we took […]
By Nicole Rivard. Photography BY ©Joel Sartore/Photo Ark On the morning of Aug. 14, 2023, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer at the Calexico, Calif., port of entry discovered an animal carrier that contained three baby spider monkeys hidden behind the rear seat of a van. The driver and passenger of the van, a […]
Mark your calendars for Oct. 7, 2025—it’s Giving Day for Apes, an annual global day of giving to support Primarily Primates and other wildlife sanctuaries protecting apes around the world. Giving Day for Apes is also about you—and the life-changing impact you have on apes in need. Every gift fuels hope: helping sanctuaries rescue, heal […]
Care staff at Primarily Primates recently made a shocking yet heartwarming discovery. Chimpanzees Norma and Selena, who were rescued by the sanctuary in 2019, along with Mighty Fine, from Wildlife Waystation after it closed for financial reasons, are the daughters of Shu Shu, who arrived at PPI in 1996. The revelation was made after a […]
It’s World Chimpanzee Day and we have a lot to celebrate! Did you know that Friends of Animals, the international animal advocacy organization that manages Primarily Primates, also sponsors the most unique chimpanzee sanctuary in the world. In a November 2008 landmark agreement with Janis Carter and the Gambian government, Friends of Animals agreed to help […]
A baby spider monkey found running loose through a San Antonio, Texas neighborhood has been rescued by Primarily Primates. Rest assured he will receive proper, lifelong care, along with our more than 300 residents, including nine other spider monkeys. You can donate towards his care at https://primarilyprimates.org/. PPI received a call from City of San Antonio […]
Thousands of wild horses lose their freedom annually in the U.S. because the Bureau of Land Management rounds them up to placate the meat industry. Primarily Primates rescued three wild horses from BLM’s life of imprisonment. Moxie was just a three-month-old filly when she was orphaned during a BLM roundup in the West Douglas Herd […]
On May 6, Congress reintroduced the Captive Primate Safety Act (CPSA), which would end the cruel and selfish pet primate trade in the United States. Primates suffer enormously when kept as pets. They can also injure or spread disease to the people around them. The bill is sponsored by Reps. Mike Quigley (D-IL), Brian Fitzpatrick […]
In the wild, animals spend much of their time traveling, foraging for food, exploring new habitats and socializing. In a sanctuary setting, it is our job to introduce as much variation as possible for them to keep their brains and bodies active. That’s why the enrichment coordinator job is so essential! Laura Jackson, a San […]