KEITHVILLE, La. ( KTAL/KMSS ) —Chimp Haven recently welcomed retired New Mexico Alamogordo Primate Facility (APF) chimps. The final troop is among the oldest and most fragile to ever enter the sanctuary, with many in their 50s and 60s.
These chimpanzees from APF are protected after a federal judge ruled against the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in 2022 for violating the Chimpanzee Health, Improvement, Maintenance, and Protection (CHIMP) Act .
Twenty-one chimpanzees, including the most recent group of six, were moved to the sanctuary over eleven weeks. They say it is a milestone in a decade-long journey to retire the chimps. It follows a focused effort by animal welfare groups, lawmakers, and supporters who tirelessly advocated for their retirement from the research facility to the sanctuary.
Federal ruling finds NIH violated CHIMP Act; chimps must be moved to Chimp Haven
They said transferring them to the sanctuary was risky due to their age and health conditions. However, extra care and collaboration have made this transition seamless to sanctuary life…