The Kendall Project

Happy New Year, everyone! It's very exciting that The Kendall Project is actually in its second year! Starting the group was actually the New Years Resolution for 2008...and we did it! Just some updates...if you've noticed we haven't posted any new information in awhile on the website, there is a good explanation.  We have been working with management at the North Carolina Zoo, to figure out the best way to raise awareness about the apes in entertainment issue, while at the same time making sure our goals and messages fall in line with those of the zoo. Everyone at the zoo has been really supportive, and we hope to get some new information out, soon, once we've figured out the best practices for sharing information.

That being said, the second edition of our newsletter is available. Kelly once again has done a wonderful job!  We also recently posted an article about Kendall and our chimpanzee group on the NC Zoo Society's Field Trip Earth website (www.fieldtripearth.org). It's a cool website that highlights some of the conservation efforts taken on by the zoo and supported by Society.

As for our friend Kendall, he has been doing really well. We have been encouraging him to "branch out,' trying to get him to make some more use of the space he has available...he tends to hang out in a smaller area, his "comfort zone," we call it. But, he is learning to shift into new rooms inside chimp holding, even past older, bigger, scarier chimps. And he is doing great! Sometimes he needs a little encouragement (juice, anyone?), but we are all very proud of him. Still no immediate plans to put him on exhibit at the zoo, since it gets pretty cold at night and we need to prepare ourselves for the fact that he might not come off exhibit right away. Kendall's little group seems to be doing well, though. He interacts with all of the girls, some more than others, however.  He even displays now and we all believe he as acting more and more like a "real" chimp everyday.

We also will soon be selling Kendall Project sweatshirts and fleeces! We ordered a batch from a good friend of Megan, another one of the chimp keeper clan. She does beautiful embroidery and the sweatshirts came out great. There will be pullover and zip hoodies, full zip and quarter zip fleeces available. Price list to be posted soon. 

So, we're excited about some of the projects we hope to do this year...again, it has been a little slow going but we're optimistic that once we've dotted all of our i's and crossed our t's that we'll be able to do some really cool stuff, and help some of our great ape friends in the process! Happy New Year, all!