Our Mission

To provide and promote the best care of sanctuary chimpanzees and inspire action for the species worldwide.

The Sanctuary

Chimp Haven is located 22 miles southwest of Shreveport, on 200 forested acres in the Eddie D. Jones Nature Park in Keithville, La. (Map)

About Chimp Haven:

Outside Shreveport, Louisiana, on 200 acres of beautiful, forested sanctuary, more than 300 chimpanzees, many of whom were used in biomedical research, are living the good life — or, as we like to call it, the Chimp Life.

At Chimp Haven, chimps retired from research experience the joys they would have enjoyed in the wild: climbing trees, living in large, bonded social groups, eating their favorite fruits, running, playing, exploring, and — best of all — choosing how they spend their days.

We believe we’re not that different, humans and chimpanzees. As our closest living relatives, chimps share more than 98 percent of our genetic blueprint, and upon visiting the sanctuary it doesn’t take long to see that they have all the personalities, emotions, relationships, dramas and joys that we do.

We believe they all deserve a chance to live the Chimp Life. On behalf of the more than 300 chimps currently enjoying retirement at Chimp Haven, and those still to come, thank you for your support!

Background:

Chimp Haven was founded in 1995 to meet the need for long-term chimpanzee care. In 2000, Congress passed the Chimpanzee Health Improvement Maintenance and Protection (CHIMP) Act, establishing a federal sanctuary system to provide lifetime care for chimpanzees retired from medical research. The federal government chose Chimp Haven to fill the role.

In November 2015, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) officially ended all research on chimpanzees. Over the past few years, Chimp Haven has welcomed hundreds of chimpanzees to sanctuary, and more than 300 chimps live at the sanctuary now.

About the Chimpanzees:

Chimpanzees are a lot like us. They are our closest biological relative, and because of that they were once considered a good medical model for research on illnesses and diseases that affect people, from HIV to hepatitis and more. Chimpanzees have contributed to hundreds of medical studies.

At Chimp Haven, each chimp is integrated into dynamic, natural social groups where they are able to interact with other chimpanzees while enjoying an enriching environment. Retirees get to choose how they spend their time and who they spend it with, whether that’s hanging out in their indoor bedrooms, or outdoors in one of the property’s multi-acre forests or other large habitats.

Sanctuary provides not just a safe and natural environment for chimps, but also an enriching one, full of opportunities to play, explore and climb just as chimps do in the wild. The Chimp Haven team creates amazing challenges and activities to ensure chimps here are mentally stimulated and engaged.

The chimps at Chimp Haven vary in age from five to 62 years old, with an average age of 34.

Cost of Care

It costs about $24,000 per chimpanzee annually to provide care at sanctuary. This includes their food, medical care, enrichment and all of the basic necessities for these extraordinary individuals.

Funding

Chimp Haven is a private, nonprofit organization that depends significantly on the generosity of individuals to help cover the cost of chimpanzee care. Chimp Haven receives government funding (75 percent) to support the care of federally-owned chimpanzees, and must raise the remaining 25 percent of funds for the chimpanzees’ care through private support.

Additionally, Chimp Haven does not receive any government funding to improve, expand, or add more chimpanzee habitats or veterinary suites to provide care for additional chimpanzees. Without the generous support from individuals, corporations, foundations, and organizations Chimp Haven could not provide the chimpanzees with the retirement they deserve. To learn about donation opportunities, please visit our support page and consider making a donation today.