Save the Chimps - Arboreality Project
Chimpanzee Retirement Sanctuary, 2020
Fort Pierce, Florida
Ursa was asked to assist Save the Chimps - one of the largest Chimpanzee Sanctuaries in the US. Their facilities sits on about 150 acres and consists of 12, 3-6 acre islands with large moats around each except for individual holding buildings at one edge and used as a management building and shelter during emergency conditions. The landforms on each island consists of an undulating grassy meadow with limited vegetation and wooden climbing decks and shelters. Each island is home to up to 20 individuals and multi-male groups.
The point of the study was to find ways that the Chimps can live an Arboreal lifestyle that maximizes the areas available to the chimps, that offers variety and challenges as well as choice and stimulation to their daily routines. We also wanted to give them a variety of shelters to get out of the extreme heat of the day as well as rain protection on the habitat as opposed to having to come into the management building.
The plan created a series of individual elements that can be assembled on each island based on the various land forms and shapes.
They consist of:
- Community Huts
- Family Huts
- Chimp Huts
- Observation Towers
- Aerial Courses with Nesting towers
- Renovations to the existing Holding Buildings
- New Barrier walls with feeding platforms and service gates
- Transfer chutes to auxiliary prima domes or 'swing yards'
These concepts are preliminary in nature and have been presented to the board of directors for their review. There is much to do once it gets approved for design and construction (though the concept was enthusiastically received), but due to Covid-19, priorities have shifted and this project will need to wait for funding.
