Who’s There? Yerkes National Primate Research Center
June 2, 2012 • Posted in
Below is a listing of 121 chimpanzees originally held at the Yerkes National Primate Research Center. According to 2017 data available from the Lincoln Park Zoo's ChimpCare map, 46 remain.
(Census originally obtained by Stop Experimentation on & Exploitation of Chimpanzees (SEEC) in 2001. Unfortunately, we have not been able to obtain any more recent detailed information on all the chimpanzees at this facility.)Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) inquiries were sent to Yerkes in January 2012 and January 2013 requesting the names and other identifying information for chimpanzees at the facility. Yerkes declined our request.
Based on a May 2011 document from Yerkes, we estimate that Yerkes has around 16 chimpanzees born prior to the 1975 ban on capturing free-living chimpanzees in Africa – indicating that some may have been captured from the wild as infants, around 4 chimpanzees born after the 1995 voluntary federal breeding moratorium, and 24 elder females and 7 elder males.
Chimpanzees are considered elderly beginning at 25 years for males (DOB 1987 or earlier) and 30 years for females (DOB 1982 or earlier).*
If you have current or historic information on the chimpanzees held at this facility, please contact us.
| NAME | ID # | GENDER | BIRTH DATE | NOTES | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wenka | C0170 | F | 21-May-54 | Alert: One of the oldest chimpanzes held for research. |
| 2 | Cheeta | C0438 | F | 1-Jan-57 | Alert: One of the oldest chimpanzees held for research. |
| 3 | Lulu | C0476 | F | 1-Jan-57 | Alert: One of the oldest chimpanzees held for research. |
| 4 | Maxine | C0338 | F | 1-Feb-57 | Alert: One of the oldest chimpanzees held for research. |
| 5 | Jenda | C0188 | F | 14-Feb-58 | Deceased. |
| 6 | Reba | C0190 | F | 3-Nov-58 | Deceased. |
| 7 | Boka | C0200 | F | 11-Nov-59 | Deceased. |
| 8 | Martha | C0204 | F | 7-Jul-60 | |
| 9 | Mary | C0202 | F | 7-Jul-60 | |
| 10 | Beleka | C0380 | F | 1-Jan-62 | |
| 11 | Iyk | C0317 | M | 1-Aug-62 | Possibly deceased. |
| 12 | Borie | C0454 | F | 1-Jan-64 | |
| 13 | Mai | C0456 | F | 1-Jan-64 | |
| 14 | Tai | C0492 | F | 1-Jan-67 | |
| 15 | Duncan | C0295 | M | 16-Sep-67 | |
| 16 | Foxy | C0382 | F | 10-Dec-67 | |
| 17 | Peony | C0522 | F | 1-Jan-68 | |
| 18 | Bo | C0490 | F | 1-Jan-69 | |
| 19 | Jeanie | C0494 | F | 1-Jan-69 | |
| 20 | Lil' One | C0488 | F | 1-Jan-69 | |
| 21 | Rogger | C0389 | M | 1-Jan-69 | |
| 22 | Heppie | C0400 | F | 8-May-69 | |
| 23 | Leslie | C0538 | F | 1-Jan-70 | |
| 24 | Boisfeuillet | C0369 | M | 14-Dec-71 | Possibly deceased. |
| 25 | Barbara | C0462 | F | 16-Dec-72 | |
| 26 | Marietta | C0472 | F | 3-Aug-73 | |
| 27 | Ericka | C0500 | F | 20-Oct-73 | |
| 28 | Vivienne | C0498 | F | 27-Jul-74 | |
| 29 | Les | C0407 | M | 8-Sep-75 | Released to Chimp Haven. |
| 30 | Suzanna | C0514 | F | 25-Feb-76 | Released to Chimp Haven. |
| 31 | Lena | C0516 | F | 29-Feb-76 | |
| 32 | Barbi | C0518 | F | 14-Jun-76 | |
| 33 | Artifee | C0520 | F | 24-Jul-76 | |
| 34 | Jacqueline | C0524 | F | 16-Oct-76 | |
| 35 | Ossabaw | C0421 | M | 17-Nov-76 | |
| 36 | Cissie | C0526 | F | 28-Nov-76 | |
| 37 | Mortimer | C0423 | M | 20-Dec-76 | Deceased. |
| 38 | Jimmy Carter | C0425 | M | 21-Jan-77 | Deceased. |
| 39 | Phillip | C0429 | M | 30-Apr-77 | |
| 40 | David | C0431 | M | 27-Jun-77 | |
| 41 | Tika | C0534 | F | 3-Oct-78 | Released to Chimp Haven in 2006. |
| 42 | Sabrina | C0536 | F | 16-Oct-78 | |
| 43 | Joye | C0542 | F | 13-Feb-79 | Released to Chimp Haven in 2006. |
| 44 | Arctica | C0544 | F | 19-Feb-79 | Released to Chimp Haven in 2006. |
| 45 | Sara | C0548 | F | 16-May-79 | |
| 46 | Anja | C0554 | F | 9-Jan-80 | |
| 47 | Cynthia | C0558 | F | 7-Jun-80 | |
| 48 | Georgia | C0562 | F | 27-Aug-80 | |
| 49 | Joseph | C0475 | M | 25-Nov-80 | |
| 50 | Rufus | C0479 | M | 20-Jan-81 | |
| 51 | Melissa | C0568 | F | 27-Jun-81 | |
| 52 | Lux | C0485 | M | 16-Aug-81 | |
| 53 | Marc | C0487 | M | 6-Sep-81 | Released to Chimp Haven in 2006. |
| 54 | Amos | C0495 | M | 11-Nov-81 | |
| 55 | Jonah | C0497 | M | 17-Feb-82 | Released to Chimp Haven in 2006. |
| 56 | Waga | C0570 | F | 19-Mar-82 | |
| 57 | Melinda | C0574 | F | 30-Oct-82 | |
| 58 | Carmichael | C0503 | M | 21-Mar-83 | |
| 59 | Gelb | C0505 | M | 18-Apr-83 | |
| 60 | Lee | C0576 | F | 29-Dec-83 | |
| 61 | Brodie | C0580 | F | 10-Jan-84 | |
| 62 | Shirley | C0588 | F | 11-Jan-85 | |
| 63 | Suwanee | C0590 | F | 17-Feb-85 | |
| 64 | Brandy | C0592 | F | 26-Apr-85 | |
| 65 | Carl | C0527 | M | 21-May-86 | |
| 66 | Justin | C0529 | M | 1-Aug-86 | |
| 67 | Winston | C0535 | M | 12-Jan-87 | |
| 68 | Socrates | C0537 | M | 23-Jan-87 | |
| 69 | Scott | C0545 | M | 23-Jun-87 | |
| 70 | Katrina | C0604 | F | 26-Jul-87 | |
| 71 | Jarred | C0549 | M | 21-Sep-87 | |
| 72 | Rita | C0606 | F | 23-Sep-87 | |
| 73 | Ranette | C0610 | F | 17-Dec-87 | |
| 74 | Lamar | C0555 | M | 27-Apr-88 | |
| 75 | Kengee | C0616 | F | 1-Jun-88 | |
| 76 | Dara | C0624 | F | 16-Jun-88 | |
| 77 | Fritz | C0561 | M | 14-Jul-88 | |
| 78 | Bjorn | C0563 | M | 16-Jul-88 | Deceased. |
| 79 | Rowena | C0628 | F | 13-Aug-88 | |
| 80 | Wilma | C0630 | F | 27-Oct-88 | Deceased. |
| 81 | Elvira | C0632 | F | 31-Oct-88 | |
| 82 | Chip | C0567 | M | 30-Mar-89 | |
| 83 | Barney | C0575 | F | 6-May-89 | |
| 84 | Travis | C0583 | M | 2-Aug-89 | |
| 85 | Daisey | C0650 | F | 1-Oct-89 | |
| 86 | Cathy | C0652 | F | 5-Oct-89 | |
| 87 | Luther | C0589 | M | 14-Jan-90 | |
| 88 | Duff | C0591 | M | 8-Feb-90 | |
| 89 | Elwood | C0593 | M | 19-Feb-90 | |
| 90 | Dona | C0658 | F | 3-Apr-90 | |
| 91 | Artemus | C0599 | M | 18-Dec-90 | |
| 92 | Callie | C0676 | F | 18-Feb-91 | |
| 93 | Virginia | C0678 | F | 18-Apr-91 | |
| 94 | Rebecca | C0680 | F | 20-May-91 | |
| 95 | Arthur | C0601 | M | 21-May-91 | |
| 96 | Edwina | C0682 | F | 28-May-91 | |
| 97 | Amanda | C0684 | F | 15-Jun-91 | |
| 98 | Evelyne | C0686 | F | 4-Sep-91 | |
| 99 | Jewelle | C0688 | F | 9-Mar-92 | |
| 100 | Faye | C0694 | F | 22-Jun-92 | |
| 101 | Frannie | C0696 | F | 26-Oct-92 | |
| 102 | Jolson | C0623 | M | 10-Jan-93 | |
| 103 | Agatha | C0700 | F | 21-Jan-93 | |
| 104 | Drew | C0629 | M | 6-Mar-93 | |
| 105 | Lucas | C0631 | M | 22-Mar-93 | |
| 106 | Missy | C0706 | F | 8-Jul-93 | |
| 107 | Patrick | C0639 | M | 14-Jul-93 | |
| 108 | Sylvia | C0708 | F | 19-Jul-93 | |
| 109 | Steward | C0641 | M | 8-Sep-93 | |
| 110 | Liza | C0714 | F | 19-Mar-94 | |
| 111 | Julie | C0718 | F | 29-Aug-94 | |
| 112 | Fiona | C0722 | F | 5-Dec-94 | |
| 113 | Kerri | C0724 | F | 2-Jan-95 | |
| 114 | Abby | C0726 | F | 11-May-95 | |
| 115 | Jaimie | C0728 | F | 17-May-95 | |
| 116 | Christa | C0730 | F | 1-Jun-95 | |
| 117 | Tara | C0736 | F | 5-Sep-95 | |
| 118 | Azalea | C0746 | F | 7-Mar-97 | |
| 119 | Samantha | C0748 | F | 28-Aug-97 | |
| 120 | Julianne | C0750 | F | 15-May-98 | |
| 121 | Denis | C0659 | M | 13-Apr-99 | Possibly deceased. |