Charity Calls for Gradual End to Great Ape Captivity in Zoos Amid Distress Concerns

Great apes should no longer be kept in captivity, according to a new report from wildlife charity Born Free, which calls the practice “no longer ethically defensible.”

The report urges an urgent phase-out of great ape captivity in zoos, arguing it causes severe physical and psychological harm. More than 300 apes in zoos across the UK and Channel Islands are reportedly suffering from stress-related illnesses, poor mental health, and traumatic experiences such as infanticide and maternal rejection.

Great apes—gorillas, chimpanzees, orangutans, and bonobos—are highly intelligent and socially complex animals. Born Free’s campaign is backed by conservationists and public figures including Chris Packham, Ian Redmond, and Nicky Campbell.

Chris Lewis from Born Free told ITV News:

“Captivity simply cannot provide for the social structures and intellectual complexity these apes need. It’s an outdated model.”

Born Free argues that zoo-based conservation is ineffective, pointing to the mountain gorilla—one of the few great ape species not kept in zoos—as an example of successful in-situ conservation.

The charity is calling on the public to stop visiting zoos, as well as urging governments and NGOs to support a transition away from captivity.

Durrell, the charity behind Jersey Zoo, which currently houses nine great apes, declined to comment on the report. Born Free says organisations like Durrell must shift their focus toward wild conservation instead.

In response, Dr Jo Judge, CEO of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA), defended modern zoos, stating: “Good zoos provide round-the-clock expert care and engineered habitats. Great apes in human care often live longer than in the wild.”

Dr Judge also highlighted zoos’ role in education and species preservation: “Visitors are inspired by these animals. Our zoos are guardians of the natural world.”