GLOBIO

GLOBIO is a United States-based conservation media nonprofit headquartered in Portland, Oregon. Founded in 2001 by environmental filmmaker and photographer Gerry Ellis, the organization was established to support conservation groups working in regions including Equatorial Africa and Southeast Asia while communicating their work to audiences around the world. Its subject matter has centered especially on great apes and the environmental, biological, and cultural questions connected with them. During its early years, GLOBIO combined conservation communication with educational resource development. In 2004, it began creating internet-based and hands-on materials intended to help children understand biological and cultural diversity. One of its notable educational projects was GLOSSOPEDIA, a free, child-oriented online multimedia encyclopedia. The project used digital content and interactive learning to introduce younger audiences to biodiversity and cultural difference. Its initial development received support from a Toyota USA Foundation grant and private donations. Partners associated with the project included the Wolong Nature Reserve in China, Folkmanis Puppets, and the North American Association for Environmental Education. GLOSSOPEDIA was no longer available online by 2017. By 2012, GLOBIO had shifted away from being primarily a developer of educational resources and moved toward producing conservation content designed for the Internet and emerging social-media platforms. This change placed video storytelling, public education, and digital distribution at the center of its work. The organization’s programs have generally sought to translate scientific and conservation concerns into accessible stories rather than operate as a conventional consumer-product brand. A major focus emerged through its great-ape media initiative. The project began in 2014 under the name GreatApes2020 and was later renamed Apes Like Us. In 2017, Apes Like Us was formalized and expanded as a major GLOBIO program. The project uses educational and awareness videos to explore the relationship between humans and other great apes and to communicate conservation issues to broad audiences. More than 50 videos had been produced for a dedicated YouTube channel according to the available reference material. The COVID-19 pandemic prompted another format change. International air travel restrictions and the closure of many national parks and conservation areas affecting great apes limited opportunities for field-based outreach. In 2020, GLOBIO launched the Talking Apes podcast as an educational and awareness initiative. The program extended the organization’s digital storytelling approach through conversations with scientists, anthropologists, primatologists, veterinarians, science writers, journalists, artists, and primate conservationists. Guests mentioned in the reference material include Brina Pobiner, Richard Wrangham, Cat Hobaiter, David Quammen, and Carl Safina. GLOBIO’s overall positioning is that of a mission-driven conservation communications organization. Its work links scientific knowledge, environmental education, media production, and support for conservation organizations. Rather than selling a standard range of commercial goods, it develops intellectual and media properties—such as educational websites, video series, and podcasts—to encourage public understanding of biodiversity and the shared evolutionary and ecological relationship between humans and other primates. The available information does not establish its current operating status, funding scale, leadership structure, or present website, so those details remain unconfirmed.

GLOBIO was founded in 2001 by Gerry Ellis, an environmental filmmaker and photographer. From its inception, the organization’s purpose was to use communication and storytelling to support conservation organizations in Equatorial Africa and Southeast Asia and to make their work understandable to global audiences. Great apes became a central subject because they provide a compelling way to discuss biodiversity, habitat protection, human responsibility, and the ecological relationship between people and other primates. In 2004, GLOBIO expanded into child-focused environmental education. It began developing Internet-based and hands-on resources intended to improve children’s understanding of biological and cultural diversity. The best-known result was GLOSSOPEDIA, a free online multimedia encyclopedia created for children. The project combined educational information with digital media and was initially financed through a Toyota USA Foundation grant and private donations. Its listed partners included the Wolong Nature Reserve in China, Folkmanis Puppets, and the North American Association for Environmental Education. Although GLOSSOPEDIA was once part of GLOBIO’s online resource portfolio, it was no longer available online by 2017. The organization’s strategic emphasis changed around 2012. Rather than concentrating primarily on the development of stand-alone educational resources, GLOBIO moved toward content creation for the Internet and newly important social-media distribution channels. This transition reflected a broader effort to reach audiences through video and other forms of accessible digital storytelling. Its output remained educational and conservation-oriented, but the distribution model became more immediate, shareable, and platform-based. In 2014, GLOBIO initiated a great-ape media project originally called GreatApes2020. The project was subsequently renamed Apes Like Us and was formalized and expanded in 2017 as a major program area of the organization. Apes Like Us presents educational and awareness material about great apes and the connections between human societies and other primates. The project’s dedicated YouTube channel had accumulated more than 50 educational and awareness videos according to the available reference material. Through this work, GLOBIO continued its effort to connect conservation science with public-facing narratives. The COVID-19 pandemic created practical obstacles for organizations relying on international travel and access to protected areas. Travel restrictions and the closure of national parks and conservation areas that serve as habitats for great apes reduced opportunities for conventional field outreach. In response, GLOBIO launched the Talking Apes podcast in 2020. The podcast provided an alternative digital channel for conservation education and featured discussions with specialists from several fields, including scientists, anthropologists, primatologists, veterinarians, science writers, journalists, artists, and primate conservationists. Named participants include scientist Brina Pobiner, anthropologists and primatologists Richard Wrangham and Cat Hobaiter, and writers and journalists David Quammen and Carl Safina. Across these stages, GLOBIO developed from an organization combining conservation filmmaking with children’s educational resources into a digital conservation-media publisher. Its principal activities have included producing films, videos, and podcasts; explaining primate and environmental science; and amplifying the work of conservation organizations. The supplied reference material does not document a later reorganization, acquisition, commercial owner, current executive team, or confirmed current operating status. Consequently, GLOBIO’s present scale and organizational condition should be treated as requiring further verification.

• 2020

  Talking Apes podcast launches

  [1]GLOBIOen.wikipedia.org

  GLOBIO introduced the Talking Apes podcast during the COVID-19 period to continue conservation education while international travel and access to protected areas were restricted.

• 2017

  Apes Like Us becomes a major program

  [1]GLOBIOen.wikipedia.org

  The great-ape project was formalized and expanded under the Apes Like Us name as a major GLOBIO program area.

• 2014

  GreatApes2020 project begins

  [1]GLOBIOen.wikipedia.org

  GLOBIO launched a great-ape media initiative originally named GreatApes2020, later renamed Apes Like Us.

• 2012

  Shift toward digital content creation

  [1]GLOBIOen.wikipedia.org

  The organization moved away from primarily developing educational resources and focused more strongly on content for the Internet and emerging social-media platforms.

• 2004

  Expansion into environmental education

  [1]GLOBIOen.wikipedia.org

  GLOBIO began developing Internet-based and hands-on resources to help children understand biological and cultural diversity.

• 2001

  GLOBIO is founded

  [1]GLOBIOen.wikipedia.org

  Environmental filmmaker and photographer Gerry Ellis founded GLOBIO as a conservation media nonprofit.

A mission-driven conservation media and education organization focused on great apes, biodiversity, environmental issues, and the work of conservation partners.

• Online educational encyclopedia · 2004

  GLOSSOPEDIA

  GLOSSOPEDIA was a free, child-oriented online multimedia encyclopedia developed by GLOBIO to increase awareness and understanding of biological and cultural diversity. It formed part of the organization’s early educational-resource work and was supported initially by a Toyota USA Foundation grant and private donations. Project partners included the Wolong Nature Reserve in China, Folkmanis Puppets, and the North American Association for Environmental Education. The resource was no longer available online by 2017.

• Conservation video and education program · 2014

  Apes Like Us

  Apes Like Us is GLOBIO’s great-ape media and public-awareness program. It began in 2014 under the name GreatApes2020 and was formalized and expanded in 2017. The project uses accessible educational videos to discuss great apes, human connections with other primates, and related conservation concerns. Its output has been distributed through a dedicated YouTube channel, which had more than 50 educational and awareness videos according to the available reference material.

• Podcast · 2020

  Talking Apes

  Talking Apes is an educational conservation podcast launched during the COVID-19 pandemic. It broadened GLOBIO’s digital outreach at a time when international travel and access to national parks and conservation areas were constrained. Episodes feature conversations with scientists, anthropologists, primatologists, veterinarians, science writers, journalists, artists, and primate conservationists, addressing primate science, conservation, and the relationship between humans and the wider primate world.

• 2020Talking Apes

  International digital audience

  GLOBIO launched a podcast-based outreach effort in response to the disruption of travel and field access during the COVID-19 pandemic.

  Outcome. The podcast enabled continued public education through interviews and conversations with experts in primatology, anthropology, science, veterinary medicine, journalism, and conservation.

  Source
• 2014GreatApes2020

  International digital audience

  GLOBIO created a media project focused on great apes and conservation communication. It was initially known as GreatApes2020 and later developed into Apes Like Us.

  Outcome. The project was renamed Apes Like Us, formalized as a major program in 2017, and produced more than 50 educational and awareness videos according to the supplied reference material.

  Source

• 2020

  Launch of Talking ApesProduct launch

  Background

  COVID-19 restrictions limited international air travel and access to national parks and conservation areas associated with great-ape conservation.

  Action taken

  GLOBIO introduced Talking Apes as a podcast for educational and conservation outreach.

  Aftermath

  The format enabled conversations with a broad range of experts and extended GLOBIO’s digital communications work beyond video.

  Source

• 2017

  Expansion of Apes Like UsStrategy

  Background

  GLOBIO’s great-ape media project had begun in 2014 under the GreatApes2020 name.

  Action taken

  The organization formalized and expanded the initiative under the Apes Like Us name as a major program area.

  Aftermath

  The program continued GLOBIO’s use of educational video and digital distribution to build awareness of great-ape conservation.

  Source

• 2012

  Prioritization of Internet and social-media contentStrategy

  Background

  GLOBIO had previously invested in Internet-based and hands-on educational resources, including its child-focused multimedia encyclopedia.

  Action taken

  The organization shifted its emphasis from resource development toward conservation content designed for Internet and emerging social-media platforms.

  Aftermath

  This direction supported later video-centered programs such as GreatApes2020/Apes Like Us and the Talking Apes podcast.

  Source

1. 1GLOBIOen.wikipedia.org