The common phrase “sharing is caring” doesn’t always ring true.
Those of us who work with wildlife in any capacity have to be cautious about the ways in which we publicize our work. In the modern age of consumerism and social media, organizations need to share compelling content to generate financial support and advocate for their respective causes. Although they can inspire people to take action, pieces of visual media can easily be taken out of context and may contribute to the suffering and exploitation of nonhuman animals elsewhere. This is one of the greatest challenges facing organizations like ours as we advance further into the 21st century.
A new piece co-authored by a diverse group of esteemed scientists and conservationists is making waves for attempting to address this issue. The commentary, published last month in the American Journal of Primatology, urges researchers to be selective and judicious when sharing images and locations of the nonhuman individuals that they study.
This piece was spurred by emerging findings that irresponsible or inaccurate representations of nonhuman primates provide fuel for the wildlife trade. For example, Dr. Anna Nekaris and the Little Fireface Project have found strong links between viral videos featuring endangered slow lorises and the popularity of that species in the global wildlife trade. Contemporary organizations around the world have also uncovered similar links between social media content and the trafficking of wild primates. Notably, images featuring celebrities posing with primates (like this one of pop star Rihanna) wrongfully propagate their perceived value as pets. It seems likely that a selfie taken by a common researcher or tourist with a wild animal would have a smaller but similar effect. With so many of these images being circulated by well-meaning individuals and organizations, it is difficult to quantify just how big of an impact they have. Given that so many of the world’s primate species are at risk of extinction due to human activity, it is critical that those who study and protect wild primates do not accidentally create additional demand for their exploitation.
For those of us who advocate and care for captive primates, however, the relationships between shared images and potential outcomes are not as clear. Within the community of North American primate sanctuaries and zoos, sharing visuals that showcase the value of our work is part of our strategic plan. For example, our team at Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest inspires compassion for chimpanzees by writing and sharing daily blog posts that portray the lives of the chimpanzee residents. The goal is to highlight their emotions, intelligence, and social relationships. This collection of images and stories has, over time, amassed a tremendous community of supporters that directly benefits the chimpanzees.
However, we simultaneously take care to only share content that positively impacts primate individuals, populations, and species. Social media is truly a double-edged sword, and those who wield it carelessly may cause more harm than good. A video of Foxie playing with dolls, for example, could be woefully misunderstood if the provided contextual details are removed or ignored. An uninformed viewer may begin to wonder: Is she a trained performer? Does she have access to the outdoors? Does she have other chimps to play with? Is she privately owned and being bred for human entertainment? In the absence of critical information, such misconceptions may become widespread attitudes and beliefs.
As a true sanctuary, we attempt to combat harmful misinformation. One of our objectives is to demonstrate that chimpanzees, as individuals and as a species, suffer immeasurably from exploitation. This claim sharply contrasts how nonhuman apes have been utilized and portrayed in recent decades. Thousands of chimps were housed in menageries, shot into outer space, dressed up as human children, infected with diseases and coerced to perform for our amusement. Thankfully, this pattern of abuse seems to be ending. With public opinion now favoring chimps, the last chimpanzee actor, an adolescent male named Eli, recently retired and will soon be transferred to an accredited facility. (Eli is the subject of an upcoming documentary.)
Even though the era of chimpanzees on the big screen seems to be over, the myth that chimpanzees belong in captivity is likely to perpetuate as long as people see chimpanzees in captivity. For example, seeing performing chimps on greeting cards, in commercials, or interacting closely with humans can shape how the public perceives them. Researchers affiliated with North American zoological parks have even found evidence that viewing images of nonhuman primates in humanized settings can influence how people interpret their conservation status, suitability as pets, and well-being. From this evident pattern emerges a multi-faceted dilemma.
The most difficult of these questions, in my opinion, is whether we can accurately tell the stories of captive chimpanzees without showing the less natural aspects of their daily lives. Should we use Photoshop to remove the electrified barriers on Young’s Hill, which are necessary to keep humans and chimpanzees safe? Should we hide that the chimpanzees prefer to nest with blankets or sleep on cement floors because that’s all they had access to during the decades that they spent in laboratories? Should we ignore that Jamie has fascinations with cowboy boots and various human accessories, likely shaped by her background as a performer? Sure, we attempt to focus or crop out the steel caging because it ruins our photographs, but should we be avoiding the same metal bars because they send the wrong message about chimps? On the other hand, if we only show photos of chimps frolicking outside in a green meadow, will people start to believe that keeping chimps in captivity is good for them? Are we on the verge of whitewashing the history of our relationship with chimpanzees?
There are no easy answers.
Organizations are each free to respond to these new challenges in their own way. To lessen the risk of misinterpretation, we try our best to create content that prioritizes education and empathy over aesthetics and humor. We’ve found that most of our followers are invested in the chimpanzees’ well-being and, fortunately, thoroughly read and understand our captions. This gives us confidence that we can maintain transparency, and even occasionally be brutally honest, regarding the challenges of providing sanctuary care for chimpanzees. We caregivers remain impressed by how aware and understanding our supporters have been despite our sanctuary’s recent growing pains. Rather than just respond with emojis and ‘likes,’ our followers weigh in on the management of our social groups, suggest new enrichment ideas, and comment on the health of the individual chimps. This degree of engagement and awareness tells us that it is possible to share revealing content without necessarily spreading the wrong ideas.
That does not mean that we are all blameless. I recently went through my personal Facebook profile and erased many photos of me interacting with captive wildlife (including some of orphaned spider and howler monkeys using me as a climbing structure). It’s not that my actions were inherently irresponsible; in most cases, I was serving as a trained caregiver and the interactions were a necessary aspect of each individual’s rehabilitation and development. The real problem is that these photos are difficult to explain and the chances of them sending the wrong message are too high. If someone was scrolling too fast to read my captions, all they would see is a naive white backpacker holding a baby monkey. Some would even comment that they wanted me to bring one home so they could play with it. I have gladly hidden these photos No amount of attention is worth putting an animal or human in danger.
With this new paradigm in mind, please continue to enjoy and share our frequent and intimate portraits of the chimpanzee residents. We hope that they inspire you to care about and act on behalf of disadvantaged nonhuman primates. They need advocates, now, more than ever.
However, never forget that all chimpanzees are strong, intelligent, emotional, and adapted for their ancestral homes and complex societies. They do not belong in captivity and they do not thrive here. Sanctuaries like this one were created to mitigate the errors of the past and provide a better alternative for retired chimps, but they are not designed to exist indefinitely. All chimpanzees are unique individuals and valuable members of an endangered species that may be gone within the next century, and their exploitation takes more away from them than it gives to us.
Please share responsibly.
Sherry P says
Thank you, Anthony, for a very thoughtful and timely blog-post.
Marcie says
Thank you Anthony perhaps as we learn more and open ourselves to empathize with the plight of animals and those less fortunate than ourselves, we can all make changes on our planet. As a nurse I saw some of the benefits of the contributions of medical (ethical medical research we call it) advances provided by subjecting animals to years abusive and invasive procedures. We are a smart species and maybe one day we can figure out how to advance medicinal care without hurting other living beings. Eliminating the
entrainment use of animals is an easier fix but removing that selfish need of ours is probably not, just as social media shows us daily. And maybe someday the Honey B and Jaimie’s of the world will go nameless because sanctuaries won’t be needed. In the meantime we have people like yourself who care, provide support and a voice for nonhuman individuals.
Beth M says
A simply outstanding post! I continue to be incredibly impressed not only with your ability to share the stories of the chimpanzees in your care (along with the challenges of providing that care), but also in acknowledging the bigger picture issues!
Thank you for bringing this awareness to the public!
Janet says
Love your post it’s spot on.
Jo Arroyo says
Well said. It’s a difficult subject that I battle with as a biologist running a crew. I say to them don’t post on FB, while the crew wants to post everything on FB. Wanting to share their cool job, like mousing owls. Unfortunately it only takes one that perceives something totally different than what we’re actually doing. It’s a tricky balance, one I personally think chimp Sanctuary does well. It’s up to all of us to help people understand why the chimp Sanctuary exist and why a chimp carries dolls around if we share your pictures or post. So yes we all have to be mindful of what we share and post about animals in captivity and be good stewards of explaining why animals are captive in our care and not sharing things that might negativity be assumed.
CeeCee says
Thanks for this post Anthony, This is the kind of thing I worry about all the time.
We don’t live in a perfect world where all beings are free to be their true selves, in their true environment. Unfortunately we can’t change the past, but hopefully we can learn from it and make the present, and the future better.
Also, in my experience, some people just don’t get it, and never will. I’m thinking of a family member of mine, who asked me, “Why do you take in these foster animals? Does someone pay you?”
like I was doing it as a money making endeavor.
there has to be a point where you do what you think is the right thing, and try not to worry about what some of those people think.
This CSN blog has been great at informing all of us fans about your daily sanctuary activities, some happy, some sad, and then people chime in, and we all think about this stuff more.
Keep up the good work !
Francoise says
A difficult and provocative dilemma. For me, as an example, I came in having studied a very tiny bit about primatology as part of other classes. But I have nonetheless learned a LOT following this crew. Something as simple as “smiles” on greeting cards. Someone put smiling chimp magnets on the fridge at work and when asked why I removed them, I was glad to explain. There have been many chances to educate others and all of these moments help. But it is a double-edged sword. When I saw a video of some endangered animal, don’t remember which, on what was clearly a house kitchen floor, I called them on it only to learn that it was a vet tech who took a patient home as part of 24-hour recovery. But what would someone else see? “Cool! I can have one at home.”
I despair at humans’ treatment of wildlife more and more everyday. I don’t think I will ever be able to resolve it in my heart. In the meantime, I try to educate people. I hope I have and we can’t ask for more. Love you all and you clearly examine every choice you make.
Karen says
Anthony, what a thought provoking post. Until I read your blog, I never thought about the issue of continued exploration of chimps and other animals through visual representation, with the exception of celebrities. This was an educational eye-opener. You are an important addition to the sanctuary. Thank you for the time, effort and research you did to write this outstanding piece.
Mary says
What an educational post. My heart goes out to any animal that is caged up. I have loved going to a zoo since I was little but now much older find it difficult to see these beautiful creatures in cages. I have followed CSN since just about it’s start and have always felt the love and care you give the chimps. And the love of the donors is amazing. Thanks for the post and all you do.
Diane DePoe says
Very thoughtful and informative blog! Thank you to all of you for caring and providing a safe place for these wonderful chimpanzees that were so mistreated in the past! We are blessed to have your sanctuary in our world!
Kathleen says
Excellent food for thought Anthony. Preach. And this post has me thinking back to why I was so drawn to CSNW in the beginning. While I read about and look into many nonhuman primate organizations, I believe I became deeply involved with CSNW because the organization has always been open, honest, transparent, educational, and exemplary at expressing the message of the day in your blog posts. CSNW even takes time to answer questions we post to ensure we understand the reality of sanctuary life as well as the relationships within/between your chimpanzee family. Yes, I absolutely support CSNW because I honestly love the chimpanzees (and cows) for the unique individuals they are. But you brought them to life for me. It is definitely the humane primates who brilliantly market, instruct, and open their hearts up to us so we can see your individual residents for who they have become. I like that I see fencing, I am impressed that you shared the fact that the new chimps were shocked by the electronic fence “multiple times”. The chimpanzees life in captivity. They have choices and freedoms in sanctuary but those freedoms are enclosed with an electronic fence. I guess it’s bitter sweet….
Words matter. Captioning, tone, everything is important when publicizing your work and mission. It is posts like this one that inspire everyone to think. I always feel it isn’t enough for me to just have a place in my heart for the chimpanzees, I have to stand up and be their voice and advocate for them (for all the reasons you mention above). It can feel overwhelming at times, yet another reason I am drawn to CSNW. I can talk for days, suggest books, link people to take action, but I never know if they really hear the message. But when I talk/advocate about CSNW to people, you give me the words, and the photos, and the captions, and the videos to help me educate others. This blog is a powerfully positive tool. You are such a bright spot. Thank you.
Betsy says
Anthony, thank you for this post, you’ve given me a lot to think about. I can see a lot of future blog posts and discussion here, if you were to break it down into individual questions such as: what do people think about showing fencing in photographs? Or is anthropomorphising chimps an asset to funding their sanctuary, or not? Are there alternatives? I have no experience except for what I have learned from following and supporting CSNW and other sanctuaries, but I can give feed-back from out here in supporter-land, and I would love to hear the opinions of the experts. For example, I really don’t mind seeing the fencing, I’m very glad it exists to protect the chimps. They are very precious, and deserve protection. I understand your point that others may interpret things differently, and I know of other sanctuaries that ask that fencing not be shown in photographs, because they want to promote the idea of freedom, not captivity. However, there is no better place to foster understanding than right here, and no better time than right now. Thank you for opening the discussion.
Andrea Will says
What a beautiful article… containing thoughts well written. In my life’s experience I have found that people will embrace the ideals they wish to embrace, regardless of what anyone else says or does. You can stand in front of a group of people, explain your position perfectly & with much conviction, the entire group can smile & nod in agreement while you speak, and then after you’re done they’ll cast their vote in opposition to everything you’ve said. *sigh* I have been into rescue almost my entire adult life, in some form or another, of some wild but mostly domestic animals. I have preached the spay/neuter message ad nauseum over & over & over again. Sadly enough most times that message falls on deaf ears. To those of us whose ears are open, your message gets across perfectly about the primates you offer sanctuary. To those whose ears & minds are closed, your message would be lost no matter how you conveyed it. Put one foot in front of the other, continue to do what you know is proper & right, and the chimpanzees in your care now…. and the future ones to come…. can’t help but be benefited. Those of us who watch everyday and try to help in some small way are benefited too, more than we can express. xoxo
Ryan says
As a “civilian” (someone who is in no way associated with wild-animal rescue or care) who has recently become a regular reader and watcher of CSNW offerings, I can honestly say that the one thing your organization has done is make me keenly aware of the natural, wild, and sometimes violent side of your/any chimpanzees. From my untutored perspective at least, you are doing things just right and in a balanced, informative and revelatory way.
Arlene and Michael says
Thank you Anthony for this important blog. It is eye opening to me. As I look at the photos from your Sanctuary and others, feeling as though I have some understanding of the background on the Chimps/other animals, I realize it is not the environment they were meant to be in. There is so much that has happened in their history but they are being given a second chance to live out their lives in comfort and with love and care for special needs. However it did not occur to me that pictures from Sanctuaries, and other situations trying to help animals, could give some people the wrong impression. Thank you for this enlightening post and it will help me to be more aware of this as well as help others to realize the challenges with these kinds of photos as well. Well said.
Linda C says
I was thinking of something along these lines this week. 99.5% of the times I’ve shared anything from CSNW, it’s been a direct link to your blog page or video, so that the people I send it to will know exactly what you want them to know.
But in the past,I’ve been guilty of watching things on YouTube, and now, thanks to this blog, even this has mostly gone the way of not buying the cards, etc. I don’t want to give some guy in East Podunk the views, which generate money for him to buy another exotic pet, and so on. So I no longer watch that cute little monkey.
But this week, I broke down and saw one of a tourist attraction in the US (not an accredited sanctuary).
It claims to educate the public about various animals through its shows, and I’m pretty sure most of you have seen their chimps. One commenter posting from Brazil expressed (in Portuguese) the hope that they were licensed. I answered that they were, but that I’ve looked into accreditation and compliance and found out that many of the animals used in their attractions have a habit of “disappearing” when they age out (like Burrito and Jamie). The person thanked me for liking their comment and responding…so now, I wonder…is it better to never view, or to view and (hopefully) gain a few people over to this side?
Tobin says
An excellent, and important, posting. A question: how can the great ape species flourish in their natural habitats, and how can those habitats be preserved and/or restored from entrenchment by humans? Mave, Missy and her daughter, et al, were meant to live — and thrive — in the natural range of chimpanzees. Unfortunately, that historical range has diminished over the past one hundred years, and the likes of Negra and Jody’s troops have been slaughtered by human poachers (how else were both of those chimpanzees captured and brought to North America?). I am grateful for the Gombe preserve, but such reserves are not enough as long as the natural habitations are destroyed and their primate inhabitants (I understand that, at most 2,500 bonobos continue to reside in their native habitat) are being denied the means to live their lives.
Devin McC says
Tobin, I am by no means an expert or even at the level of those that are a part of Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest but one small change I have personally made was just over a decade ago I became a strict Ethical Vegan and then gave up all products containing Palm shortly there after. Palm is sourced in area’s inhabited by Orangutans and Elephants along with countless other species in Borneo and Sumatra as well as other areas and is part of the reason the Amazon is being destroyed, so corporations can use the land to breed cattle for food which takes the habitats away from these wild and beautiful creatures. Keep in mind that even some vegan products contain Palm since it is a plant but the harvesting and farming takes the homes away from other species. Also keep in mind there is no such thing as Sustainable Palm which is a term some companies use to excuse their use.
Devin McC says
Like all the comments before mine, thank you again Anthony for a well said, and well thought out message. I try my best to support all domesticated, farm and wild animals in my own little way. I became an Ethical Vegan 11 years ago and gave up all products containing any form of Palm a couple years ago. I’ve also been fostering Senior and special needs cats through a local non-profit for over a decade. I am looking to eventually open my own Rescue animal Sanctuary for Senior and Disabled Farm and Domesticated animals although not on the beautiful and amazing scale which Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest has which is why I look up to all of you and what you have accomplished in such a short time. Every Non-human species is entitled to the same rights and respect which humans expect and demand for, in my opinion. Another local group to me which has international exposure is the Animal Legal Defense Fund which along with the Nonhuman Rights Project is currently fighting for the release to Sanctuary of “Happy”, the elephant from the Bronx zoo, she has lived there for over 4 decades and spent the last 14 years alone in their zoo prison. Steven Wise who I’m sure you are well aware of, the founder of the Animal Legal Defense Fund and President of the Nonhuman Rights Project is an amazing person who does great things. Those of you who aren’t familiar with him should search his name. He is one to idealize for his unrelenting dedication to the welfare of Non-human species.
Tobin says
Thank you, Devin, for your thoughtful reply as well as your ethical actions. I have been aware that the cultivation of palm oil has been a major culprit in the destruction of the natural habitation of orangutans (and, as you informed me, Asian pachyderms). In wake of the tragedy last week in Germany, I think that it is well past the time to ask if zoos are still necessary in this age? The ordeal of the elephant you mention is disgraceful: certainly there is a sanctuary somewhere which can accommodate her and others of her species (I would like to think).
Ingersoll says
This particular piece is extremely well written and well thought out. I myself have been guilty of posting images that would be inappropriate if not accompanied by an explanation that I always provide. The pictures I have posted are historically accurate and from the distant past. I participated in situations that are now considered inappropriate and I completely agree with that and have been saying so for years and even said it while it was a common practice which at the time was not to my advantage as a student. I also agree that many people do not actually read a post or a string of posts completely which leaves me with a difficult decision to make. How do I accurately educate the public about the history of chimps in captivity while still keeping in mind the damages those images can potentially do? I try and not post those images often in spite of the fact that I have literally hundreds of images that fit into these categories. It is indeed a fine line especially when in my particular case I was acting as a scientist in a situation that was at least at the time completely approved as a legitimate area in a scientific setting. Clearly we have evolved away from that and even as a student I rejected that idea and fought in many cases to my personal detriment against these practices which I believe I played a role in finally ending of those practices. I’m torn by how to approach this issue personally and wonder how to proceed into the future. I have hundreds of people contact me throughout the year asking me various questions when they see the film I appear in and I try as best I can to explain that the things they see in the film are wrong now as they were then we had not evolved then like we have now. Thankfully we have come to that understanding now and I wonder at least in my case since my role in all this especially the change from where we were then to were we are now is widely known. What historical pictures are appropriate? What about historical video? Where is that line drawn? I’d appreciate some guidance as far as these issues which might be better to do privately. I think this is a topic of great importance and I’m glad it’s being discussed in this setting. There are actually several sanctuaries that quite regularly post images that I find very inappropriate and are recent pictures and are not historical but current practices so I’m glad this issue is being formerly discussed here. Bob Ingersoll
Anthony says
Thanks for your insight and thought-provoking questions, Bob! I really appreciate that you jumped into the fray on this topic. There are few people who have witnessed more positive change in the way we interact with and treat chimpanzees than you have, and even fewer who have served as a catalyst for that change. The paradigm continues to shift…
If you’re looking for guidelines regarding how to appropriately portray chimpanzees, both living and dearly departed, I’ve got none. I’m just a passionate nerd who likes to discuss welfare issues and might have a good idea from time to time. I don’t speak for the whole CSNW crew, but I do think that you’re asking the right questions and they have made my brain work a little bit extra this evening.
I agree with your statements regarding historical media. These photos and films should be collected and valued as they can tell stories that would otherwise be forgotten. Their cultural worth is immense, and I believe it would be a tragedy to understate our complicated and troubling treatment of chimpanzees. As you know, chimps have been raised as children in households, beaten as slaves in prisons, and everything in between. People should be aware that all of that crazy sh*t really happened. This is why I asked in my post if perhaps our efforts to promote our sanctuaries may be drifting towards censorship, leading to a “whitewashed” aesthetic that hides the challenges of captivity. I’m honestly not sure.
As I understand it, however, certain channels (like Instagram and Facebook, for example) are more challenging because there are thousands of casual viewers. Many users just surf through content all day without fully reading the captions or visiting the connected websites. In these arenas, the tone and content of the actual images and videos seem to shape their message so much more than the words underneath them. In this world, I think rigid sharing guidelines make more sense (e.g., “no chimps wearing clothes”).
To be fair, it seems unlikely that a single photo of a clothed chimpanzee will convince anyone to buy a pet chimp on the spot. When thousands of such photos circulate among millions of people for decades, however, it remains difficult to convince people that those chimps are suffering.
In tandem with better social media practices, I think that more documentaries, books and articles will help to bring chimpanzee stories to audiences who are aiming to educate themselves, discuss connections between past and present, and take positive action. I just read the bestseller -Sapiens- by Yuval Noah Harari, in which he urges historians to not just explore history objectively but also to ask subjective questions that may help us understand how the experiences of individual human beings have changed over time (or not). We should do the same for chimps. To me, a historical perspective is and will continue to be important, and I’m glad to be part of a community that reflects on the past while simultaneously celebrating the present and planning for the future.
I guess that my takeaway message from this discussion, if there is one, is that individuals and organizations should be conscious of what messages they might be sending in addition to those that they intentionally convey. Instead of coming up with standardized rules for what content is appropriate for sharing, I think we all need to be mindful of not just what we share but also how, where, when and why. It seems like you are already doing that and I applaud you for it.
Cheers,
Anthony
Kathleen says
Dear Mr. Bob Ingersall, I am replying to your comment because it was Nim and Nim’s unfortunate life circumstances that drew me into the chimpanzee world. The experimental study of Nim was eye opening for me when I read the book “Nim Chimpsky : The Chimp Who Would Be Human” by Elizabeth Hess (back in 2008). While I grew up during the time Nim was in the news, I paid little attention to the reality of his experiment as I was too young to understand.
From my perspective, you were the only shinning bright light in Nim’s story. I remember finishing the book (I couldn’t put it down!) and Googleing you immediately. It inspired me deeply that you remained a passionate advocate for primates. I have followed your career and I for one am grateful you are out there educating us on the past and the now.
I find we often do not the tell the truth when it comes to historical events (starting with the very first day white europeans set foot on this continent). If we cannot honestly document and educate ourselves on historical facts regarding human events, how in the world do we document, educate, and share events regarding non-human animals? That’s a dilemma I find disconcerting. Words matter. Facts matter. Truth matters. There is no such thing as “alternative facts”. Facts are facts, period. How can we learn from past misconceptions if we don’t recognize the ugly truths?
I work in marketing and design so my mind often runs in “marketing mode”. If you think about it, almost everything is marketing. Social media messaging is now the main marketing tool for organizations. (I cringe as I write this.) I applaud you Bob, and CSNW for being transparent, honest, and for telling the truth and asking the hard questions when it comes to discussing chimpanzees and the past horrors and current realities they face in captivity. Voices like yours raise the bar, inspire, and educate. Truth can be gut wrenching at times but the heart of the matter lies in where we go from here and how we create positive change. You are the change.
The real flaw lies within social media as a whole. It’s unfeasible to simplify and deliver information in a soundbite, a single photo, or in 280 characters. Sadly, attention spans last as long as a blink these days. People do not read in entirety. Until we can find a better way to share factual information, I see us all banging our heads against the information sharing wall.
Thank you Bob for playing a role in opening up a whole new world for me and for helping to position me on my advocacy path for non human primates. I for one will be forever grateful.
Ingersoll says
Thanks Kathleen for confirming that my depiction of historical events with photographs, video and explanations have helped you and I’m betting many others to act. I carefully screened many offers for years before deciding that I would work with Elizabeth Hess to tell Nims and my story. Her book was I think literally groundbreaking. That book and her honest depiction with words and images in it led to the award winning film Project Nim and I think in combination those two works have done a world of good for chimps as well as other primates and even other species held captive in a variety of settings. I take this very seriously and have struggled with how we depict the history that I participated in. I’m grateful to hear that our combined efforts have inspired you and I’m hoping many others. There is a great deal of work still to be done and I think with openness and honesty we can make the future better for the animals in our care that deserve our every effort to do what we can to help them both in captivity and in the wild.
Bob Ingersoll