Not A Pet: Engaging with the Captive Primate Safety Act

In this project, I collaborated with Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago, IL to further their advocacy and conservation efforts related to the Captive Primate Safety Act (CPSA) and the pet primate trade in the US. The objective of this project was to provide internal resources and engagement opportunities for staff and to inform the public about the zoo’s primate advocacy efforts and the pet primate trade. I wrote a literature review about the status and history of CPSA and the pet primate trade, including the impacts of pet primate ownership on human safety and primate welfare, the source and sale of primates in the US, and what normalizes and drives demand for pet primates. I created an infographic guide for the public on responsibly interacting with primate content online to engage zoo visitors. I also consulted on potential updates to Zoo signage to clarify and provide more information related to primate conservation efforts.