Heidi: chimpanzee, Zoo Heidelberg, Germany

Behind Glass is an online exhibition by Anne Berry featuring captive primates across Europe. While she is not advocating against zoos, the apes and monkeys in Berry’s photographs look sombre. The exhibition runs until 31 January. To preorder the accompanying book, due in summer, visit anneberrystudio.com. All photographs: Anne Berry

Louis: macaque, Zoo Antwerpen, Belgium

Berry is known for her communication with animals, and the primates she photographs in her series Behind Glass speak through her camera

Andrei: baboon, Moskovsky Zoopark, Moscow, Russia

Although the chacma baboon is ranked least concerned on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List, human development has destroyed much of its habitat

Floris: brown-headed spider monkey, Der Grüne Zoo, Wuppertal, Germany

Berry travelled throughout Europe to visit monkey houses in small zoos. Alone and patient, she waited for the primates to come to the window and make contact

Eja and twins: bonobo, Der Grüne Zoo, Wuppertal

A 21-year-old female bonobo with her twins. Twin bonobos are extremely rare

Hans: baboon, Zoo Antwerpen

The portraits reveal the unique personalities of the monkeys and apes

Lulu: chimpanzee, Zoo Heidelberg

A 43-year-old chimpanzee poses for her portrait with dignity

Hans, Louis & Persephone: colobuses, Zoo Antwerpen

Berry’s goal is to motivate people to feel compassion for primates and an obligation to protect these endangered species. Most of the primates she photographs qualify as endangered, and all of them are facing stress from loss of habitat and human activity. The plight of primates on Earth is urgent; our indifference will condemn them to extinction, and we will follow

Vincent: red-shanked douc langur, Kölner Zoo, Germany

The red-shanked douc langur, found only in Vietnam, is critically endangered, mainly due to being hunted by humans

Boma: western lowland gorilla, Krefeld Zoo, Germany

Berry shoots through the glass with an antique lens. The reflections are part of the compositions, and the glass becomes a metaphor for the way we now experience nature from a distance

Apinya: lar gibbon, Der Grüne Zoo, Wuppertal

Berry produces these portraits as silver gelatin prints and photogravures

Charly: chimpanzee, Krefeld Zoo

When he saw Berry with her camera, this chimpanzee at Germany’s Krefeld Zoo retrieved his precious object from its hiding place and sat for his portrait

Martina: Sumatran orangutan, Bioparco di Roma, Italy

‘Few photographers have communicated the depth and complexity of primate emotions as Berry has’ – critic Collier Brown in the foreword to her book

Henry: chimpanzee, Zoo Heidelberg

Born in Africa and rescued from life as a laboratory subject

Jimmy: white-cheeked gibbon, London Zoo, UK

Primates, published by 21st Editions, with 19 signed platinum prints and two ambrotypes, is in the permanent collection of The National Gallery of Art Special Collections. Berry welcomes partnerships with primate non-profit foundations who wish to use her forthcoming book to broaden the advocacy of their causes. All proceeds from the book will go to these causes, and all of her time is donated