This is the moment a group of chimpanzees sees daylight for the first time in 30 years — after being locked in cages for medical testing. The animals hugged each other in delight before they took their first steps outside. Emotional footage shows how they reacted to their new surroundings.
The outing marked the end of a 14-year bid to re-integrate the 38 primates after they spent most of their lives cooped up inside. The chimpanzees were taken from their mothers shortly after their births and brought to a research facility in Austria.
YouTube link.
Scientists kept the animals in isolation and gave them HIV and hepatitis. Their ordeal finally ended in 1997 when the pharmaceutical company behind the research was sold. The chimps were moved to a farm where keepers tried to reintroduce them to life outside — but the process was not easy.
The animals had spent so much time inside they were confused when shown patches of grass — and repeatedly threw them away. But finally their moment of freedom came. And their keeper Renate Foidl said: "The chimps are incredibly happy. This is amazing, I have been waiting for this moment for so long."
9 comments:
Is it really sensible to let wild animals outside when they've got infectious diseases?
Unless you're going to be joining them in their enclosure for some wild fighting or sex, I don't see what the problem is.
We let humans with HIV enjoy the outdoors, don't we?
Unlike chimps, humans with HIV aren't wild animals prone to escaping, biting and fighting. During a recent intelligence test bonobos ended up appearing better than chimps because the chimps were too busy fighting each other for dominance.
Although i don't disagree that the chimps will ultimately be happy to be outside and it's a nice story don't anthropomorphize their reactions.
They hugged each other in delight? Really? A hug may mean an entirely different thing to a chimp, just as a smile is a sign of fear and not happiness.
agreed re the interpretation of behaviour. A wide mouth "smile" like that is a fear grimace and not delight, and a hug is not the same.
word verification: veryfons ("heyyyyyy.....")
Ratz, these chimps are housed in an enclosure, just like animals in a zoo, except there are far fewer visitors, since it is a sanctuary and not a zoo. How often do we read stories about wildly rampaging chimp escapees? I find your concerns far-fetched. Frankly, these chimps deserve a bit of sunshine after having been experimented on for decades for the sole benefit of mankind.
As for the other commenters, I agree, the reporting on this story has been sub-par. A grin is a fear response in primates, and they are clinging to each other for comfort, and not from joy.
Isn't that some kind of torture?I wish these scientist would leave the animals alone.Any one else doing it would be cited for animal cruelty.The scientist are the only ones allowed.They tag animals butterflys,Fish.Leave them alone.Go tag your family you torturers.
Yes, Charlie.
There are many people deserving of being locked up for 30 years and having tests run on them.
The ongoing cruelty and slaughter of our fellow "earthlings" is a crime for which we humans will surely be held accountable for, be it by one of the many gods some of us believe in or one of the many extraterrestrial life forms that are watching us and keeping track of our misdeeds.
Think of the Incas, the Australian Aborigines, the New Zealand Maori and all those other people who believe we came from "somewhere else".
Repent, stop hurting animals, buy my vegetarian cook book.
You'll change your mind, WilliamRocket, when the aliens come and eat you or use you as a test subject.
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