Documentary: Research Into Ideas

In preparation for a pitch meeting, I decided to do some more research into my initial idea, the chimpanzee project at Wingham Wildlife Park. After an intense googling session, this is what I found.

Additional Research

• The chimps are being donated by the Yerkes National Primate Research Center in the US.
• The research center had to give up the chimps due to a change in American law, meaning that chimps couldn't be used for research anymore.
• Wingham has built a new 12,700 sq ft enclosure to house the chimps and let them enjoy a happy retirement.
• The US Fish and Wildlife Service have postponed the issuing of a vital exportation permit that will allow the center to ship the chimps to the UK. They claim the permit needs to show the move will benefit the chimps.
• After the permit application was posted online, it received a lot of negative feedback. The executive director of the Primate Rescue Center said that "it is hard to understand why Yerkes tries to push this [donation] because after all, the WWP [Wingham Wildlife Park] is an unaccredited facility".
• Conservation groups in the US, and one in the UK, have argued that the transfer does not suit the best interests of the eight chimpanzees, their children or their ability to survival in the wild.
• Many have suggested that Yerkes should just work with one of the many accredited US sanctuaries who are happy to rehome the chimps.
• Yerkes say on their website that their employees had thoroughly evaluated the facilities and expertise of WWP animal care staff, reviewed regulatory reports and conducted a comprehensive review that does not substantiate the issues raised by the animal activists.
• The bosses of Wingham have appealed for the public to support the park, as a new consultation was launched.
• Wingham had originally chosen to put arrangements in place to support conservation projects, but after the first comment period, those plans were changed.
• Currently Wingham are still waiting to hear if the chimps will arriving at their zoo anytime soon.

From my additional research I can see that this is a much bigger story than I originally thought, which might be a problem. I have contacted Wingham, and am awaiting an answer.