Vanilla the chimpanzee, who had spent her entire life in a cage, had a heartwarming moment when she experienced the open sky for the very first time. A touching video captured the remarkable sight as Vanilla, a 29-year-old survivor from New York’s infamous Laboratory for Experimental Medicine and Surgery in Primates (LEMSIP), arrived at the Save the Chimps sanctuary in Fort Pierce, Florida. After being confined to a small cage and later a larger enclosure, Vanilla was absolutely mesmerized by the vastness of her new ape haven.
At the American Society of Primatologists symposium in Reno, a heartwarming video was shared by Dr. Andrew Halloran, the primatologist from Save the Chimps. The video showcased Vanilla’s first moments in her new home as she left her enclosure, gazed at the sky, and began exploring her new island. Vanilla’s previous life in California confined to a chain-link fence cage devoid of grass and enrichment was in stark contrast to her current sanctuary. The sanctuary is a haven for 226 chimpanzees that have been rescued from laboratories, the entertainment industry, the exotic pet trade, and roadside zoos. Many of these chimpanzees have suffered through isolation, never having the opportunity to interact with their own kind.
Witness the emotional moment by watching the video below: