January 22nd, 2018: Punia, Pweki and Zuri are about to enter in a new era of their lives. On this Tuesday, January 23rd, the chimpanzees (father, mother and daughter) are going to be transferred from the zoo of La Plata, in Argentina, to the Great Apes Sanctuary of ANAMI Institute, in Paraná, south of Brazil, which is affiliated to GAP Project.

This transfer reinforces the partnership among the two countries aiming to improve the welfare and quality of life of chimpanzees who live in zoos with their introduction in sanctuaries, where they would have the chance to enjoy larger and proper space with the company of other chimpanzees and free of the public exhibition stress.

The last transference of a chimpanzee from Argentina to Brazil happened in April 2017, when Cecilia was released from the zoo of Mendoza to the Great Apes Sanctuary of Sorocaba. The case was a turning point because Cecília was the first chimpanzee in the world who gained the right to live in a sanctuary granted through a Habeas Corpus, an exclusively human legal instrument until then.

The transference of Punia, Pweke and Zuri to the Brazilian sanctuary shows a trend of reviewing the hole of zoos, the need of being more critical towards the welfare of animals and to better captivity conditions. In July 2017, the zoo of La Plata had announced its conversion to an eco park and, in 2016, Buenos Aires government decided to close the city zoo for visitation.

Jaqueline B. Ramos

Communications Manager – GAP Project International

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