1.4K Views 3 years ago

One Chimp’s Rescue From ‘Horrible’ Lab

A heartwarming video has gone viral, capturing the awe-inspiring moment when Vanilla, a 29-year-old chimpanzee, experienced the sky for the first time in her life. The footage, shared on YouTube by the animal sanctuary Save the Chimps, showcases Vanilla’s elation and astonishment as she steps out of captivity and into freedom.

The video was presented by Dr. Andrew Halloran, a primatologist from Save the Chimps, at the American Society of Primatologists symposium held in Reno. The remarkable journey of Vanilla, who spent years confined in the notorious Laboratory for Experimental Medicine and Surgery in Primates (LEMSIP) located in Tuxedo, NY, has touched the hearts of many.

Source: New York Post/YouTube

Vanilla’s new life began when she arrived at the Save the Chimps sanctuary in Fort Pierce, Florida, one year ago. After spending nearly three decades locked away, she finally had the opportunity to breathe fresh air and bask in the sunlight. The sanctuary’s director of events and special projects, Dan Mathews, described Vanilla’s initial hesitation to step outside, but with the Support of Dwight, the alpha male in charge of the chimps, Vanilla mustered the courage to embrace her newfound freedom. The video captured a heartwarming moment as Vanilla embraced Dwight in a hug, experiencing the outdoors without the confines of a cage.

Mathews explained that Vanilla’s liberation has had a profound impact on her behavior. Chimps share 98.8% of their DNA with humans, and Vanilla’s transition to the open sky has sparked a significant change in her lifestyle. She now spends less time in the care house and more time outdoors, even sunbathing on one of the sanctuary’s outdoor platforms.

Vanilla’s early years were marked by a traumatic separation from her mother at birth. Born in captivity at LEMSIP in 1995, she was destined for a life of experimentation. LEMSIP had been the subject of protests by Animal rights activists, including renowned primatologist Jane Goodall, who described it as a “hellhole.” The laboratory specialized in HIV and hepatitis research during the late 1990s, and while Vanilla may have been spared from infection, she and other chimps endured a life of confinement in elevated wire-mesh cages. The cages, designed for easy cleaning, forced the chimps to eat and sleep above their own waste, causing immense suffering.

Eventually, LEMSIP was forced to shut down when the U.S. Department of Agriculture demanded upgraded cages, which the facility refused to provide due to financial constraints. Over 100 chimps, including Vanilla, had to be relocated. Vanilla and her sister Shake found themselves at the Wildlife Waystation, a nonprofit refuge near Los Angeles. Although the Waystation was an improvement compared to LEMSIP, it still fell short of providing the natural environment chimpanzees require.

Vanilla’s journey to true freedom continued when the Wildlife Waystation closed down in 2019. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife, in collaboration with the North American Primate Sanctuary Alliance, facilitated Vanilla’s relocation to Save the Chimps. This nonprofit sanctuary, privately funded and situated on a former contaminated orange grove in Fort Pierce, has become a haven for Vanilla and other rescued chimps.

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