Rescued Primates See Open Sky, Explore Forest at Chimpanzee Sanctuary
KEITHVILLE, La. (press release) – Eight chimpanzees who’ve spent most of their lives in sparse concrete-slab enclosures recently explored a forest under the open sky for the first time – and they charged right in!
“We expected this reserved bunch to take their time and test the terrain with their toes a bit, but that wasn’t the case at all,” said Rana Smith, president and CEO of Chimp Haven, the world’s largest chimpanzee sanctuary. “They dove right in, soaking in the sunshine, exploring the pine forest and climbing high on the play structures – novel experiences for chimps who hadn’t had the opportunity to even touch grass before arriving at Chimp Haven.”
The eight chimps – Tequila, Connor, December, Denise, Inky, Mocha, Axel and Buster – came to Chimp Haven near Shreveport last December as a part of the Chimpanzees in Need emergency rescue effort formed when the Wildlife Waystation, an unaccredited sanctuary near Los Angeles, closed unexpectedly in 2019. Chimp Haven, home to more than 300 chimps, most of whom were retired from biomedical research, seeks to provide these primates with experiences as close to living in the wild as possible in large, robust social groups.
“The chimps, whom we now call “Tequila’s group,” have lived their lives without much opportunity to make choices for how to spend their time and with whom,” Smith said of the middle-aged group of 28-31-year-olds who spent their early lives a research facility. “It warmed our hearts to see them embrace the choices available to them in their new forest habitat.”
- Buster, Axel and Inky leading the charge to the water-filled moat
- The gang peeking through the mesh to meet their new neighbors, “Flora’s group”
- December confidently strutting into the pine forest upright, or bipedally
- Denise splashing and dipping her hand into the moat for a fresh drink beside Mocha
Animal Care Coordinator Awbrea Moss said that when she first met the chimps in 2022 they were an unusually quiet group that has since grown more social and confident while at Chimp Haven. In fact, she was surprised to see Connor, December and Tequila, who normally prefer to stay close to the perimeter of their outdoor enclosure for security, take instantly to exploring the forest, but in a more measured style.
“After seemingly excitedly rushing in, the calm group dynamic returned,” Moss said. “They were so relaxed with each other, just enjoying the forest in peace and quiet. It was wonderful to see.”
Though the chimps arrived at the sanctuary nearly a year ago, Smith said the acclimation process to introduce chimps to new habitats, spaces, and even other chimps, can take months. After an initial group quarantine and well-being check, caregivers introduce chimps to various types of habitats, which can include corrals, open-air play yards and large forested spaces.
“Our expert care staff closely monitor and evaluate the needs of each chimp,” Smith said. “In the case of Tequila’s group, after several months of acclimation, the team felt the group would benefit greatly from experiencing a large, forested habitat. Based on what we’ve seen in how quickly the chimps took to the forest, it seems the team was absolutely right.”
Chimp Haven is a private, nonprofit refuge on 200 acres of forested land in Northwest Louisiana. For information or to learn how to visit the sanctuary, visit chimphaven.org. To take a virtual tour, visit chimphaven.org/visit/digital-tour/
