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A video of a chimpanzee named Vanilla seeing the sky for the first time in more than two decades is now going viral on the internet. In the video, the animal is captured being completely awestruck as she sees the sky for the first time in 28 years. The viral clip, recorded by Dr. Andrew Halloran, was first shared on the YouTube channel run by the animal sanctuary Save the Chimps on Thursday, June 15, 2023.
Describing Vanilla's emotions, Dan Matthews, the sanctuary’s Director of Events and Special Projects, told the New York Post:
"She is clearly elated to have suddenly found freedom."
The chimpanzee was born into captivity at the Laboratory for Experimental Medicine and Surgery in Primates (LEMSIP) in New York in 1965. The infamous laboratory, which was protested by animal rights activists for decades, conducted research on HIV and hepatitis and tested various drugs on the chimps.
Matthews explained that the lab infected the primates with various diseases and housed them in elevated wire mesh cages. These enclosures ensured easy cleaning by hosing, and any waste collected on the ground could be similarly hosed without letting the animal out of its cage.
Eventually, the facility ceased its operations in 1998, resulting in chimpanzees being taken to a refuge in California. However, it went out of business in 2019, due to threats of wildfire that put Vanilla and her fellow chimps in danger. In 2022, efforts by Save the Chimps led to the transfer of the primates to their 150-acre facility in Florida.
The heartwarming clip naturally won the hearts of many online as it made the rounds on the internet.
"Enjoy your new life": Internet users celebrate the rehabilitated chimpanzee
News of Vanilla's relocation to Save the Chimps, a safe haven for chimpanzees, has won the hearts of Twitterati. They celebrated the touching story, but at the same time, were deeply saddened by how she was treated at the LEMSIP facility.
More about Save the Chimps animal sanctuary
This non-profit privately funded facility is located in Fort Pierce and consists of 12 manmade islands, separated by water and measuring about three to five acres in size. According to Matthews, the water "creates a natural barrier for the chimps. They are afraid of water (and) will not go in. So they stay on their islands without needing to be caged."
The facility houses 226 chimpanzees rescued from laboratories, the entertainment industry, the exotic pet trade, and similar circumstances. Each primate is assigned an island, depending on their personality and behavior.
According to Dr. Andrew Halloran, a primatologist, Vanilla is usually exploring the island with her fellow chimpanzees. She is also often spotted sitting atop a three-story climbing platform. She is described as curious and independent by the staff at the sanctuary.
Matthews is confident that Vanilla has a long future ahead.
