A chimp named Vanilla lived in an experiment lab and other enclosures all of her life. A heartwarming video recently released by Save the Chimps showed how thrilled the 29-year-old chimp was as she finally stepped outside of her five-foot cage and looked to the sky.
Vanilla’s first two years were spent in New York City’s now closed Laboratory for Experimental Medicine and Surgery in Primates (LEMSIP) where she was kept in a five-foot cage hanging from the ceiling resembling a bird cage. Six cages with chimps were lined in a room with no windows, and the chimps could see each other, but were too far away to ever touch.
The chimps were exposed to research which included areas of reproduction, blood transfusion, hepatitis B and HIV. The lab, which had been located in northern New York City had been affiliated with New York University of Medicine; that is until they were charged by the United States Department of Agriculture for the negligent deaths of chimpanzees and monkeys.
During that time, there were never any opportunities for exercise or interaction, and the chimps would often become agitated and scared. Two years later, Vanilla moved out of there.
I spent my early years in a biomedical research laboratory in New York where chimpanzees were commonly housed in 5’x5’x7’ cages suspended from the ground like bird cages. I was among thirty chimpanzees to be sent to the Wildlife Waystation in 1995 where I joined a small family group.
Vanilla’s biography
The conditions did improve, however the chimps were still confined to small enclosures with a fenced roof. There were few places to socialize; there was no place to look up to see the sky.
In 2019, the Wildlife Waystation closed, causing nearly 480 animals to need to be re-homed, including 42 chimpanzees. Vanilla and her family made the cross-country trip to Florida in a FedEx airplane. There next step was to be quarantined.
I am now fully integrated into the group and we have a 3-acre island to explore and the freedom to choose where and how to spend our days.
My first time outside, i was in awe of the open sky, a sight I had never seen in my life as my former homes had cage tops. I enjoy exploring the island and relaxing and grooming with my family on the island.
Save the Chimps
Check out this heartwarming video:
Vanilla will now spend her life in Fort Pierce, Florida and share good times with 18 other primates. You can check them out exploring their home and grooming each other. According to the Save the Chimps website, there are 12 islands which are separated by small lakes. The chimps get to have their own open space. The island consists of 150 acres, 226 chimpanzees, and every chimp is assigned to a particular island based on their personalities and behaviors.
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