Finding Freedom

Throughout most of the past 100 years, scientists in the U.S. have been studying chimpanzees in an effort to help people. Thousands of these animals have been the subject of medical and behavioral research focused on human illnesses. But in 2015, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service designated all chimps, whether wild or captive, as endangered, or at risk of going extinct. This action made them off-limits for use in scientific investigations in the U.S.

Scientists in the U.S. have been studying chimpanzees for most of the past 100 years. Their goal was to help people. Thousands of these animals have been used in medical and behavioral research. The studies focused on human illnesses. But in 2015, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service listed all chimps as endangered, or at risk of going extinct. That includes both wild and captive chimps. This action meant they couldn’t be used for scientific research in the U.S.

Chimpanzees are one of humans’ closest relatives. Both species evolved from a common ancestor millions of years ago. We share many intellectual, physical, biological, and social traits (see A Lot Like Us). That’s why scientists have used chimps to research everything from disease to the effects of spaceflight on the body.

Chimpanzees are one of humans’ closest relatives. Both species evolved from a common ancestor millions of years ago, and we share many intellectual, physical, biological, and social characteristics (see A Lot Like Us). Because of those similarities, scientists have used chimps to research everything from disease to the effects of spaceflight on the body. People benefited from these studies while chimpanzees suffered. Over the years, chimps have been infected with incurable illnesses and undergone invasive surgeries. They have also been raised in the isolation of a lab, even though chimps evolved to live in close-knit groups in the wild. Animal rights advocates have long criticized using such intelligent, social animals for research.

Now that chimp-based research has ended, private and government-run labs around the country face a dilemma: They need to find places for the hundreds of remaining lab chimpanzees to live out the rest of their lives. “We did a really cruel thing for a very long time,” says Ali Crumpacker, the executive director of Project Chimps, a sanctuary in Georgia that takes care of chimps once used for medical research. “It’s time to make it right.”

People benefited from these studies, but chimpanzees suffered. Over the years, chimps have been given incurable illnesses. They’ve gone through invasive surgeries. And they’ve been raised alone in a lab, even though chimps live in close-knit groups in the wild. Animal rights advocates have spoken out against these practices for a long time. They say such intelligent, social animals shouldn’t be used for research.

Now chimp-based research has ended, but more than 500 lab chimpanzees are left. Private and government-run labs around the country face a problem. They need to find places for these animals to live. Ali Crumpacker is the executive director of Project Chimps. This sanctuary in Georgia takes care of former medical research chimps. “We did a really cruel thing for a very long time,” she says. “It’s time to make it right.”

Research on chimpanzees peaked in the 1990s. At the time, about 1,500 chimps were being kept in U.S. labs. Much of the research conducted on the animals focused on finding treatments for contagious diseases—those that spread from person to person—and cancer. For example, scientists purposefully gave chimps illnesses like HIV (a virus that harms the body’s disease-fighting immune system) and hepatitis (a virus that harms the liver) to study how the diseases affect the body over time.

In 2013, the National Institutes of Health, a U.S. government agency that conducts medical research, found growing evidence that the use of chimps in most of these studies was unnecessary. For example, scientists had found that HIV doesn’t affect chimps the same way it does humans, making the animals a bad research model. Researchers had also developed new ways to study hepatitis that were more effective than using chimps. As a result, research using the animals began to decline steadily, until the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s 2015 decision ended the practice completely.

Research on chimpanzees peaked in the 1990s. Back then, about 1,500 chimps were being kept in U.S. labs. Most of these animals were used for medical research. The goal was to find treatments for cancer and for contagious diseases—those that spread from person to person. Scientists gave chimps illnesses on purpose to study how the diseases affect the body over time. For example, they gave chimps HIV, a virus that harms the body’s disease-fighting immune system. They also gave the animals hepatitis, a virus that harms the liver.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is a U.S. government agency that conducts medical research. In 2013, it found proof that chimps aren’t needed for most of this research. For example, scientists had found that HIV doesn’t affect chimps the same way it does humans. That made the animals a bad research model. And researchers found new ways to study hepatitis. These worked better than using chimps. So research on the animals began to drop steadily. Then the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s 2015 decision stopped the practice completely.

Today, labs are working to relocate their chimps to sanctuaries where the animals can be properly cared for. These facilities aim to provide a more comfortable home and lifestyle for the animals—somewhere with room for them to play, interact, and lead more natural lives. But finding and placing the chimps in a new home hasn’t always gone smoothly.

The main challenge is that there are more chimps that need homes than places to put them. Building new habitats that are suitable for chimpanzees is costly, and raising money to care for them once they’ve arrived can be difficult. Many of the animals also have health problems caused by years of research and old age (chimps can live up to 60 years in captivity).

Today, labs are working to move the chimps they have left. The animals are going to sanctuaries where they can be properly cared for. These places aim to give the chimpanzees a more comfortable home and lifestyle. The animals have room to play, interact, and lead more natural chimpanzee lives. But it isn’t always easy to find the chimps a new home.

The main problem: There aren’t enough places for all the chimps that need homes. It’s costly to build new habitats that are good for chimpanzees. After the chimps arrive, raising money to care for them can be difficult. And many of the animals have health problems. That’s because of years of research and old age. (Chimps can live up to 60 years in captivity.)

“The chimps that were infected with HIV or hepatitis have immune systems that aren’t as good,” says Amy Fultz, the director of behavior and research at Chimp Haven sanctuary in Louisiana. These chimpanzees sometimes require specialized care. “But the bigger issue is age,” says Fultz. “Older chimps are affected by a lot of the same conditions as older humans, like heart disease and arthritis.”

“The chimps that were infected with HIV or hepatitis have immune systems that aren’t as good,” says Amy Fultz. She’s the director of behavior and research at Chimp Haven chimpanzee sanctuary in Louisiana. These chimpanzees sometimes need special care. “But the bigger issue is age,” says Fultz. “Older chimps are affected by a lot of the same conditions as older humans, like heart disease and arthritis.”

The fact that some of the chimps have never lived outside the confines of a lab poses another problem. “Chimps who were orphaned or not raised with mothers have the hardest time,” says Fultz. Like humans, chimpanzees learn through observation, socialization, and play. If they weren’t raised around other chimps or aren’t used to interacting with them, there’s a good chance they’ll act out or not make friends.

Some of the chimps face another problem. They’ve never lived outside of a lab. “Chimps who were orphaned or not raised with mothers have the hardest time,” says Fultz. Like humans, chimpanzees learn through watching, socialization, and play. These chimps weren’t raised around others and aren’t used to interacting with them. So there’s a good chance they’ll act out or not get along with others. 

Luckily, both Chimp Haven and Project Chimps have animal behaviorists on staff. Before new chimpanzees are brought into a sanctuary, behaviorists monitor how the animals act to figure out how they might fit in at their new home. “We assess personalities of each individual to see who is dominant and who is submissive, as well as their ages and gender roles,” says Crumpacker of ProjectChimps. “Then we do trial introductions. It’s a slow but important process.”

Luckily, both Chimp Haven and Project Chimps have animal behaviorists on staff. Before new chimpanzees come into a sanctuary, behaviorists watch how the animals act. They figure out how the chimps might fit in at their new home. “We assess personalities of each individual to see who is dominant and who is submissive, as well as their ages and gender roles,” says Crumpacker of Project Chimps. “Then we do trial introductions. It’s a slow but important process.”

Because of the time it takes to properly introduce new chimpanzees into sanctuaries, limited space at these facilities, and funding shortages, many chimps remain locked away in labs. Unfortunately, not all of these animals will be going anywhere anytime soon.

It takes time to properly introduce new chimpanzees into sanctuaries. These places have limited space, plus money shortages. That’s why many chimps remain locked away in labs. Sadly, some of the animals won’t be going anywhere anytime soon.

Chimp Haven—one of the first sanctuaries for chimpanzees in the U.S.—currently houses about 230 chimps, mostly from the National Institutes of Health. But the group wants to add more than 100 additional chimps in the next few years. Project Chimps also has ambitious plans. The organization hopes to expand from housing and caring for 31 chimpanzees to more than 200.

Even if both organizations reach their goals, hundreds of chimps may continue to live in labs. But that doesn’t mean the people working to give them a better life will give up. Humankind has benefited from the research done on chimps, says Fultz. “Now it’s our turn to take care of them. It’s the ethical thing to do.”

Chimp Haven was one of the first sanctuaries for chimpanzees in the U.S. Now it has about 230 chimps. Most of them came from the NIH. But the group wants to add more than 100 chimps in the next few years. Project Chimps also has big plans. It hopes to grow from 31 chimps to more than 200.

Even if both sanctuaries reach their goals, that’s still not enough. Hundreds of chimps may keep living in labs. But the people working to give them a better life won’t give up. Humankind has benefited from the research done on chimps, says Fultz. “Now it’s our turn to take care of them. It’s the ethical thing to do.”