Animals: they're just like us.
They have a huge range of emotion, protect their families at any cost, sense danger miles away, and sometimes even make the news — like this amazing dog that stopped poachers and saved an endangered species in the process.
Humans, on their other hand? While there are many incredible people looking out for the well-being of animals, this isn't always the case.
And when I learned how one group of chimps persevered in the face of unimaginable cruelty, I was absolutely floored.
As we all know, chimps are shockingly similar to their human counterparts: they're our closest animal relative and even share 99 percent of our DNA.
Unfortunately, this can sometimes be forgotten, causing us to neglect this beautiful creatures.
Scroll through below to see just how these wonderful chimpanzees beat the odds when faced with unbelievable adversity.
Are you moved by this story of kindness? Let us know in the comments.
h/t The Dodo
Meet Etti. She’s a chimp who lives off the coast of Liberia. But how did she end up abandoned on this island? The answer is a bit sadder than you might imagine.
For decades, Etti and her companions were used as medical subjects by the New York Blood Center.
From the age of 1, the NYBC subjected her to 61 painful liver biopsies and anesthetized her hundreds of times. During her time at the lab, Eti also birthed children — all of who died except her most recent daughter.
One of Etti’s fellow lab chimps, Spring Roll, also suffered terribly at the New York Blood Center, going under anesthesia over 300 times. She even lost her eye when researchers accidentally shot her with a tranquilizer dart.
Needless to say, Spring Roll has been through an unnecessary amount of pain in her 39 years.
And while this story has a happy ending, the stories from these chimps' time at the lab do get worse. When Bullet was just a baby, his mother was shot and killed. He was also shot, and lost his right arm from the injury before being sent to NYBC, where he spent decades being experimented on.
Samantha, 41 and the oldest chimp on the island, spent most of her life at NYBC and lived for many years chained to a jungle gym by her neck.
Worse still, when their use in the lab was up, this pack of chimps was dumped on a remote island off the coat of Liberia to live out the rest of their days. However, the island itself had no natural food source — so the NYBC committed to bringing them nourishment every other day.
But this year? Everything changed.
NYBC stated they’d no longer be supporting the chimps and cut off all funding, essentially leaving the poor animals to starve. Though the research group stated it 'never had any obligation' to care for them on the island, the backlash has been swift.
The announcement was greeted with visceral outrage by members of the scientific and animal welfare communities alike. Duke University primatologist Brian Hare shared with The New York Times, 'Never, ever have I seen anything even remotely as disgusting as this.'
Thankfully, the Humane Society is stepping in to keep these abused animals fed and healthy. Volunteers are traveling to the island to drop off fresh food and water, as the NYBC refused to even commit to keeping the chimps hydrated.
Famed primatologist Jane Goodall was so enraged that she penned an open letter condemning NYBC's decision, calling it 'completely shocking and unacceptable.'
The kindest behavior of all, however, has been between the chimps themselves. Though they’re barely scraping with the meager amounts of food and water available, the mother chimps are willing to go hungry to ensure their babies are fed.
The support team said of Samantha, 'Her caretakers fondly remember how she acted as a surrogate mother to many young chimps when she was first released to the islands.' And Etti will happily forgo dinner to make sure her 2-year-old daughter is full.
The Humane Society is doing everything in its power to take care of these chimps, along with the support of other dedicated animal welfare groups and local volunteers. For the past eight months, they’ve been arriving with fresh fruit and water.
And this conservation effort? It’s largely been paid for by public support.
The past few months have also seen ongoing protests against NYBC's callous treatment of the animals, who gave them so much.
While the center has refused to acknowledge its wrongdoing, the public is determined to hold NYBC accountable for its mistreatment of the chimps. There’s even a petition demanding NYBC take responsibility for its abandoned chimps.
Thankfully, the support has been overwhelming.
The Humane Society has even created a Facebook page in the chimps' honor and asked the internet community to join the cause as well. They’ve also set up a GoFundMe page where you can directly contribute to saving the lives of these incredible chimps in need.
So far, the Humane Society has raised $229,000 — almost $100,000 more than their original projected goal. With 66 chimpanzees living on the island, there are a lot of mouths to feed — but the global community has been so touched by the resilience of these amazing creatures, they know they can turn this story of sorrow into one of courage, kindness, and resilience.
These animals desperately need your help. Visit the Humane Society's Facebook page to find out how you can make a difference.
How do you support animals in crisis? Let us know in the comments.
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