In a heartbreaking and bittersweet moment, Vanilla the chimp, who had spent her entire life in captivity, finally experienced the wonders of the sky for the first time. An emotional video capturing this life-changing event has touched the hearts of millions worldwide, shedding light on the importance of animal welfare and the need to protect these intelligent creatures from the clutches of captivity.
Vanilla the Chimp is 29 years old and is a survivor of New York’s infamous Laboratory for Experimental Medicine and Surgery in Primates. When Vanilla was officially rescued, she was taken to Save the Chimps sanctuary in Fort Pierce, Florida.
Vanilla’s life changed when she was rescued and brought to Fort Pierce because she finally got to be outside. She spent her whole life in a 5-foot-square cage, and the only other environment change was a garage-sized enclosure.
When she was taken from the Laboratory in New York back in 1997, she was only 2 years old. Vanilla was then taken to California where she was stuck in a larger enclosure at a refuge that went out of business in 2019.
Vanilla and her group of friends got their prayers answered when the Save the Chimps sanctuary arranged to have them flown down to their 150-acre location. When Vanilla came out of her enclosure, she was immediately hugged by the alpha male there, Dwight, and then with clear awe in her facial expression, looked at the sky in amazement.
It's heartwarming yet heartbreaking to witness Vanilla's reaction upon seeing the sky. Watching the immediate joy light up her face is a delight, but it's also saddening to consider how long it took for her to finally experience it.
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Dr. Andrew Halloran, the primatologist at Save the Chimps, is the one who captured the video and shared it. Halloran explained to the New York Post, “In California, Vanilla lived with a handful of chimps inside a chain-link fence cage with no grass and very little environment.”
Halloran also stated that Vanilla is thriving there and if she isn’t out exploring her new home with her new friends, she is perched on top of a three-story platform looking out at her new home.
To view Vanilla’s whole story, click the video!
