Des Moines, Iowa – November 18, 2009 - Officials with Great Ape Trust and Blank Park Zoo announced today they were unable to reach an agreement on the transfer of a colony of orangutans from the scientific research center in southeast Des Moines. Coupled with restrictions on expansion of Great Ape Trust facilities because of the Floods of 2008, the organization’s growing population of orangutans will be relocated outside of Des Moines.

“Great Ape Trust appreciates the efforts by Mark Vukovich and the Blank Park Zoo board of directors. We know this was a difficult decision for them,” said James Aipperspach, director of operations at Great Ape Trust. “It was always the hope of our founder Ted Townsend to keep the orangutans in his hometown, however, the welfare of these marvelous creatures must remain our highest priority.”

Great Ape Trust required expanded facilities because its orangutan population increased significantly with the addition of orangutans from the entertainment industry. In 2008, the colony increased from three to six orangutans with five more apes still scheduled for relocation from the Los Angeles area. The orangutan housing shortage was compounded after the devastating floods of 2008 when the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers determined no additional structures could be built on the Trust’s campus. While the orangutan and bonobo laboratories were constructed well above the flood levels of 1993, the 2008 floodwaters inundated the Great Ape Trust campus and caused $1.25 million in damage.

To adequately accommodate 11 orangutans and provide them the necessary environment to successfully serve as ambassadors to their endangered species, a facility of $12 million to $18 million is required. While Blank Park Zoo committed to scientific research, educational outreach, great ape welfare and conservation programs, the scale and cost of a world-class orangutan complex was not within their current fundraising capability.

“As we move forward, we’re very confident the orangutans of Great Ape Trust will find a home in a world-class facility where The Trust’s mission of scientific research, great ape conservation and unique educational experiences will be able to continue and flourish,” said Aipperspach.

The bonobos and the core scientific research associated with that important ape colony will remain in Des Moines on the Great Ape Trust campus. The laboratory will continue, in cooperation with local academic institutions, the longitudinal scientific studies of bonobo culture, language, tools and intelligence started at Georgia State University’s Language Research Center in the 1980s.