Debbie Cox is one of the greatest field primatologists in the world. She was founder of PASA – Pan African Sanctuaries Alliance – in the year 2000. Nowadays she is Executive Director of Jane Goodall Institute in Uganda, where she lives for a decade. She is 48 years old and has been working in Africa with chimpanzees in areas considered to be dangerous. In 1998 she built the chimpanzees sanctuary in Ngamba Island, where today 45 orphan chimpanzees live.

On January 26th, Australian authorities awarded Debbie for her extraordinary work of protection, defense and rescue of great primates in Africa.
 
Doug Cress, PASA Executive Director, declared: "PASA family is very thankful and pride of the recognition offered to Debbie". And added: "Debbie has been playing a very important role in the union of African sanctuaries with PASA and continues to be an inspiration for all of us for her sacrifice, loyalty and dedication to our fight."
 
After she thanked for the award, Debbie Cox declared to Australian newspapers: "I do this work because I believe in them (the chimpanzees) and love them."