Primarily Primates, Animal sanctuary in Bexar County, Texas, United States

Primarily Primates is an animal sanctuary in Texas that houses over 300 rescued animals, including chimpanzees, lemurs, small primates, and birds that came from research facilities or the entertainment industry. The grounds are designed around the animals' needs, with no breeding, selling, or public performances of any kind.

Wallace (Wally) Swett founded Primarily Primates in 1978 and ran it until October 2006, when the Texas attorney general took control after allegations of substandard animal care. A court appointed primatologist Lee Theisen-Watt as temporary receiver; a settlement in April 2007 created a new board and barred Swett from the property. Friends of Animals took over management in May 2007.

The sanctuary shows how animals rescued from laboratories or the entertainment world can live without performing or being used for profit. Those who arrange a visit can hear from staff directly about how each animal is cared for on a daily basis.

The sanctuary does not offer public tours and is not open for drop-in visits, so reaching out to the staff in advance is the only way to learn what access might be possible. Contacting them directly also gives the best chance of finding out about volunteer programs or other ways to get involved.

Oliver, a chimpanzee exhibited around the world for years and often called the "humanzee" because of past speculation that he might be part human, lives at the sanctuary. Willie and Harry, two other resident chimpanzees, appeared in the film Project X; Willie played Virgil, a chimpanzee taught to pilot planes.