
If you’re interested in conducting research on chimpanzees, gorillas, bonobos, or monkeys at a PASA member wildlife center:
Please contact the sanctuaries directly, as far in advance as possible. Some are only able to check their email once every week or so.
•Your specific plan: timeframe, # of researchers, etc.
•What you want them to provide
•How your work will impact the staff and animals
•Potential benefits of your research for the center/animals
•Potential benefits of your research for the species


Ask the wildlife center:
•If they have a policy about researchers
•If they charge research fees
•If you will need a permit
•If other researchers will be there and their capacity
•If anything may affect your research while you’re there
•Their expectations of you, and what you should expect

Your plan, timeframe, # of researchers
What you hope to have provided
Impact on staff and animals at the center
Research benefits for the center and its animals
Research benefits for the species

Ask the wildlife center:
Is there a policy about researchers
If anything may affect your research
If they charge research fees/require a permit
If other researchers will be there
What is the center’s capacity
Their expectations and what you should expect
You may want to ask the wildlife center if other people are doing (or have recently done) research that is similar to yours, to avoid inadvertently duplicating someone else’s work.
If invasive procedures such as blood sampling are allowed, they are typically only permitted opportunistically when primates are being examined by a veterinarian for another purpose such as annual health exams. If you want to take blood samples, be prepared to arrange your schedule around the sanctuary’s scheduled health exams.
Invasive procedures are typically only permitted if the research is expected to benefit the animals at the wildlife center and/or the conservation of the species, and are not permitted if they are potentially dangerous or harmful to the animals.
After making arrangements to conduct research at a wildlife center in Africa, please contact them occasionally to reconfirm as appropriate, because their situations often change in unpredictable ways and they may not have time to update you about unplanned changes that can impact your research. For example, if your work depends on collecting blood samples, periodically reconfirm that animals will be anesthetized during the time that you plan to be there.