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 […]

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 […]

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 […]