Great Ape Trust of Iowa takes the hassle out of holiday shopping with merchandise from its online store, found at www.GreatApeStore.org, that can’t be purchased elsewhere.

Many items feature prints of artist Sue Buck’s acclaimed pastels

Des Moines, Iowa – October 31, 2008 – There’s never a line at Great Ape Trust of Iowa’s online store, www.GreatApeStore.org, the doors are always open and merchandise that can’t be found anywhere else is always in stock. Those are reasons enough to shop online this holiday season, but doing so is also environmentally responsible because it saves gas and reduces emissions when consumers don’t have to drive to the mall.

Merchandise includes limited-edition signed, numbered prints of Pennsylvania artist Sue Buck’s original pastel drawings of Great Ape Trust ape residents Kanzi and Panbanisha, both bonobos, and orangutans Azy and Knobi. Screen prints of the pastels are also featured on T-shirts. Buy one of your favorite ape, or a shirt that features all four. The Buck images are also available on note cards, coffee mugs and magnets.

The inventory at www.GreatApeStore.org also includes a vast array of books written by Great Ape Trust scientists, ball caps, bucket hats, and roomy totes for computers and notebooks made of black canvas with a brown suede Great Ape Trust logo. Gift memberships also are available.

Merchandise sales help support operations at the internationally known nonprofit scientific research institute studying the behavior and intelligence of great apes.

To ensure delivery before the holidays, orders must be placed by Friday, Dec. 19.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Great Ape Trust of Iowa is a scientific research facility in Des Moines dedicated to understanding the origins and future of culture, language, tools and intelligence.  When completed, it will be the largest great ape facility in North America and one of the first worldwide to include all four types of great ape – bonobos, chimpanzees, gorillas and orangutans – for noninvasive interdisciplinary studies of their cognitive and communicative capabilities.  Great Ape Trust is dedicated to providing sanctuary and an honorable life for great apes, studying the intelligence of great apes, advancing conservation of great apes and providing a unique educational experience about great apes.