Rehabilitation of captive chimpanzees

Abstract

As wild populations of primates continue to decline, we have become more aware of the importance of proper management of captive populations (Fritz and Nash, 1983; Seal, 1986; Foose et al., 1987). In some cases this awareness has led to attempts to release captive primates into their natural environment. However, critics (e.g. MacKinnon, 1977; Soave, 1982) have questioned the justification of such projects in the light of presumed, more-pressing needs to channel time, effort and money into preserving remaining habitats and populations of wild primates. We submit that these two approaches need not be thought of as being in competition, and that if primates can successfully adapt to a new environment, this has important implications for primate conservation (McGrew, 1983).