Fauna Foundation Founder Gloria Grow at the International Primate Conference in Scotland

NEAVS/Project R&R Leaders Make their Mark at International Primate Conference in Scotland

In August, NEAVS president Theodora Capaldo, EdD presented on a panel at the International Primatological Society 22nd Congress in Edinburgh, Scotland. The Congress is an international event that hosts hundreds of world experts on primates and research. Dr. Capaldo’s presentation, entitled: Humane Considerations Regarding the Use of Chimpanzees in Biomedical Research and Testing, was part of a symposium that presented on the use of great apes for invasive research and included science, policy, welfare, and current events.
Other panellists included Gloria Grow, Founder and Director of the Fauna Foundation and Project R&R’s Honorary Co-chair (An Overview of Worldwide Sanctuaries with Great Apes from Research Laboratories); Jarrod Bailey, PhD, Project R&R Science Director (Examining the Efficacy of Chimpanzee Research and Its Contribution to Combating Human Disease); as well as Kathleen Conlee, Director of Program Management, HSUS; John L. VandeBerg, PhD, Director of the Southwest National Primate Research Center; Michael Balls, PhD, emeritus professor at Nottingham University; and in absentia, Brian Hare, PhD, Assistant Professor Duke University, Department of Biological Anthropology and Anatomy. Project R&R Advisory Board member Mike Seres presented on a separate panel on Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) Introductions in Captive Settings: Challenges, Facts, and as Art.
The panel was a unique and precedent setting event — a rare opportunity for chimpanzee researchers and those of us seeking to end their use in invasive research to meet, dialogue and present our different points of view. The audience of more than 100 people included among others of import, Dr. Rick Lee of the Alamogordo Primate Facility, field researchers from throughout Europe, behavioral researchers, Doug Cress of the Pan African Sanctuary Alliance, and others. In addition to the significant impact of the panel, throughout the conference, networking led to many more scientists of reputation within the field of primatology signing on to the scientific petition to ‘End Chimp Research’.
Dr. Capaldo, noted, “It was important to reach field researchers, behavioral researchers and biomedical researchers. The fate of not only US, but the world population of great apes, rests in the hands of this influential scientific community. Project R&R impressed participants as well as the ‘opposition’ with our substantive arguments and clearly articulated strategy for our campaign. It would be hard to leave that presentation and not recognize that Project R&R is a formidable force on behalf of chimpanzees.”

Fauna Flora / Flore à Fauna

Fauna has a huge Flora section now, looked after and supported by the Reserve Natural. As the weeks go on the gardens just keep looking more and more gorgeous. We have an amazing team here that works so hard at keeping everything looking lovely. This year over 3,000 little seeds were planted and grew throughout the sanctuary, it was a great success.

La Fondation Fauna a créé des jardins qui sont surveillés et cautionnés par la réserve naturelle. Au fil des semaines, les jardins continuent d'éblouir. Nous avons une équipe vraiment formidable qui travaille si fort pour que les jardins soient magnifiques. Cette année, 3000 semences ont été plantées et ont poussées un peu partout au sanctuaire. Ce fut un grand succès.










Secret garden / Jardin secret


The fauna gardening team:
L'équipe de jardinage:

Katia, Liette, Marie-Eve, Anne












Garden at the chimphouse / Jardin à la maison des chimpanzés















Tropical garden at Monkey House / Jardin tropical à la maison des petits singes


Tropical garden at Monkey House / Jardin tropical à la maison des petits singes

Special Volunteers/Bénévoles inestimables

Over the past few months we have had many new volunteers that have done amazing jobs around the farm and at our green house. The following projects were all done by our new crew: Raking all the leaves in our Llama pasture; a big clean up around the green house, including washing hundreds of garden pots; cleaning up around the barns at the farm. All this was accomplished by a great team and they all wanted to come back for more; even if most of the jobs were done in the scorching hot and humid sun. It was a pleasure working with them and we look forward to seeing them again. These are times that remind us all of why we love having volunteers.



Here are the names of our new crew:

Mami Zanger, Matti NcNicol, Gareth Kent, Andrea Shand, Sarah Faber, Gwen Beudez, Kelly Ireland, Cliff Patterson, Mariana Frandsen, Kim Segal, Nancy Adams, Jeff Shimizu, Kathy Bocsi and of course our Regulars that day Derek Donelle, Stephanie Rioux and Fauna employee Sandy Currie.

A special thanks also goes out to Kathleen Asselin for coming to help out at the Chimp house twice a week. We really appreciate the extra help. Claire Lavalee is also a dedicated volunteer that also comes out regularly and helps with all the gardening.

Claire Lavallée

Kathleen Asselin

A special note from Gloria,

'So far this year, all the volunteers have been wonderful. They are all of that special caliber, the kind of people we need in our lives, the ones who care, and who want to help, and that go above and beyond the call of duty.'

Depuis quelques mois, nous avons reçu l'aide de plusieurs bénévoles qui ont fait un excellent travail autour de la ferme et à la serre. Les projets suivants ont été exécuté par notre nouvelle équipe de bénévoles: râclage des feuilles dans le pâturage des lamas, un grand nettoyage de la serre incluant le lavage de centaines de pots de jardinage et le nettoyage des granges de la ferme. Tout cela a été accompli par une belle équipe et ils étaient tous prêt à revenir prochainement, même après avoir travaillé de longues heures sous une soleil très chaud et une humidité très présente.

Ce fut un plaisir de travailler avec eux et nous avons bien hâte de les revoir. Ce sont des moments comme ceux-ci qui nous rappellent toutes les raisons pour lesquels nous aimons avoir des bénévoles ici à la Fondation Fauna.

Voici le nom des bénévoles:

Mami Zanger, Matti McNicol, Gareth Kent, Andrea Shand, Sarah Faber, Gwen Beudez, Kelly Ireland, Cliff Patterson, Mariana Frandsen, Kim Segal, Nancy Adams, Jeff Shimizu, Kathy Bocsi sans oublier bien sûr les bénévoles réguliers Derek Donelle, Stéphanie Rioux et une employée de Fauna Sandy Currie.

Nos remerciements à Kathleen Asselin pour son aide à la maison des chimpanzés deux fois par semaine. Nous apprécions vraiment son aide. Claire Lavallée est aussi une bénévole dévouée qui vient régulièrement pour aider l'équipe des jardinières.

Une note spéciale de Gloria:

"Jusqu'à maintenant cette année, tous les bénévoles ont été vraiment fantastiques. Ils ont cette envergure bien particulière, ceux dont nous avons tous besoin dans nos vies, ceux qui se sentent concernés, qui veulent aider, et qui vont au-delà des attentes."

Fresh garden produce/ Légumes de jardin frais

The chimps and monkeys have been enjoying fresh cherry tomatoes, small green peppers, strawberry spinach and cucumbers from our garden, as well as, some delicious edible nasturtiums flowers. Newton just loves the little peppers and the flowers he gets very excited when he sees us coming with our little bowl for him. We tried the flowers with the chimps but no one was really interested. Petra picked one up, smelt it and gave it to me to see if I would eat it. I did but she was still not interested. We brought up a bowl for Pepper and she foraged for some swiss chard and cherry tomatoes. Pougie has also been enjoying his little milks in the morning. We started giving Regis baby pablum, and he is ecstatic when I bring it to him with his morning juice and home made muffins.

Precious Newton smelling and tasting nasturtiums/
Notre Newton adoré qui sent et goûte les nasturtiums

Pepper and Jethro with fresh flowers/ Pepper et Jethro avec un bol des fleurs comestibles fraîchement coupées

Pougi eating lunch/Pougi mangeant son dîner

Flowers, swiss chard and kale all grown at Fauna for residents/ Fleurs comestibles, bette à carde et choux vert tous cultivés ici à la Fondation Fauna pour nos résidents

Les chimpanzés et les petits singes se régalent de tomates cerises, de poivrons vert, d'épinards et de concombres qui sont cultivés dans les jardins de la Fondation Fauna incluant de délicieuses fleurs comestibles telle la variété nasturtium. Newton adore les petits poivrons et les fleurs et il devient très excité lorsqu'il nous voit arriver avec un beau bol plein.

Dans la même veine, nous avons tenter l'expérience de servir ces mêmes fleurs comestibles aux chimpanzés. Le résultat fut bien différent. Petra en pris une, la sentît et me la donna pour voir si j'allais la manger. Je l'ai donc mangé mais ça ne l'a pas convaincu. Nous avons présenté le bol à Pepper qui s'est mise à chercher des tomates cerise et de la bette à carde, sans plus. Personne ne semble intéressé.

Pougie, lui, aime bien ses petits gobelets de lait le matin. et finalement, nous avons introduit le Pablum à l'alimentation de Regis et il en raffole. Le matin, on lui sert le Pablum avec son jus d'orange et ses muffins faits maison.