Chimpanzee!

BURBANK, Calif. (May 11, 2012) – Disneynature and the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI) today announced the impact of the latest Disneynature conservation program “See ‘Chimpanzee’ Save Chimpanzees.”  For every moviegoer who saw Oscar the chimpanzee on the big screen during the film’s record-setting run, (April 20-May 3, 2012), Disneynature made a donation to JGI through the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund, which will profoundly impact JGI’s efforts to conserve chimpanzee habitat, grow educational programs for schools and provide care for orphaned chimpanzees.

The conservation program will help to protect 129,236 acres (202 square miles) of wild chimpanzee habitat through infrastructure investments in the expanded Tchimpounga Nature Reserve in the Republic of Congo (Congo). Additionally, the program will enable JGI to exponentially grow its education program on the importance of protecting chimpanzees, reaching an estimated 60,000 children in 100 schools in Congo. The education initiative will extend to the students’ parents and neighbors, ultimately reaching nearly half of the country’s population. The program will also provide food and medicine for nearly all of the orphaned chimpanzees at JGI’s Tchimpounga chimpanzee sanctuary for at least the next year.

“A huge ‘thank you’ to Disneynature and the millions of people who saw ‘Chimpanzee’ in its first two weeks,” said Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE, founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and UN Messenger of Peace.  “The conservation program ‘See “Chimpanzee,” Save Chimpanzees’ substantially raised public awareness about the threats facing chimpanzees and their habitat, and everyone who saw the film helped the Jane Goodall Institute continue its efforts to protect these amazing beings and their forest home now and in the future.” 

“Disney is proud to work with the Jane Goodall Institute to help advance its work to protect chimpanzees and their habitat for generations to come,” said Alan Bergman, president, The Walt Disney Studios. “The Walt Disney Company has a longstanding commitment to conservation and a renewed focus to connect kids with nature. Through Disneynature, we are devoted to making films that move, educate and inspire audiences.”

In addition to marking the first-ever extension to a Disneynature ticket-sales initiative, the “See ‘Chimpanzee,’ Save Chimpanzees” program was supported across The Walt Disney Company. Disney Interactive Media Group’s Animal Kingdom Explorer game, Disney Store, Disney Cruise Line and Disney’s internal Earth Day engagement efforts all contributed to the program, increasing the overall impact on chimpanzee conservation. Additionally, proceeds from external collaborations, including Alex Woo’s exclusive chimpanzee pendants and reservations made at Starwood Hotels & Resorts through the month of May, continue to broaden the impact.

In celebration of the new Friends for Change anthem and the “Chimpanzee” end-credit song, “Rise,” written and performed by McClain Sisters, Disney Music Group also made a contribution to the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund “rapid response” program which supports emergency aid to animals during disasters. 

The Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund works to inspire people and partnerships to protect the world’s wildlife and to connect kids to nature to help develop lifelong conservation values. To date, DWCF has granted more than $18 million to support conservation programs in 112 countries, including funding to support community conservation programs to protect lions, cheetahs and chimpanzees. More information about DWCF’s efforts for wildlife, wild places and the people so closely linked to their survival can be found at disney.com/conservation. The DWCF also maintains the Rapid Response Fund, which has provided emergency funding to more than 160 relief efforts.