Chimpanzees and Humans

The first European observation of wild chimpanzees was in the 1600's and the first live chimpanzee to arrive in Europe was described by Tulip in 1641. Since that time, chimpanzees have been captured and taken into captivity as curiosities, entertainers, pets and research subjects. Over the years, we have learned a great deal about chimpanzees through observations in the wild and study in captivity. Chimpanzees have continued to amaze us in terms of their similarities (and differences) from humans! Learn more about chimpanzees

Genetically, chimpanzees are more closely related to humans than any other animal species. We are naturally curious about chimpanzees, and they are common animals at zoos. Chimpanzees are used in commercials and movies, and some people even have chimpanzees as pets. However, chimpanzees remain wild animals and quickly become too large and powerful to manage and perform. Private owners are usually faced with finding an appropriate new home for an unmanageable young chimpanzee who may live to be 50 or 60 years old.

Their physiological and behavioral similarities have also made chimpanzees an animal model for many research studies. Chimpanzees were used in space research in the 1960s, and preceded humans in space flight. The majority of chimpanzee research subjects have been used in studies of infectious diseases. For example, they were used to certify the safety and reproducibility of vaccines for polio, hepatitis A and hepatitis B. Aggressive breeding programs funded by the government in the 1980s produced hundreds of babies to fill the anticipated need for chimpanzees in research.

Surplus Chimpanzee Crisis

With newer research models and developing technologies, we witnessed a declining usage of chimpanzees as human disease research surrogates in the 1990s. Numerous chimpanzees bred specifically for research have never been used or are no longer wanted, which has resulted in a surplus chimpanzee population. In addition to the growing ethical concern for the use of chimpanzees in research, there is an enormous expense associated with their present and future care.

Zoos are unable to accept any more chimpanzees because they are full. Release into the wild is not an option because of the lack of available undisturbed land in Africa. But even if the land was available, captive born chimpanzees are unable to find food and shelter for themselves. Their inability to fend for themselves increases their chances of being killed by wild chimpanzees and other predators. Moreover, the disease status of many of the chimpanzees makes their release into the wild a greater impossibility.

What should happen to the chimpanzees who no longer need to be in research facilities?

The Creation of Chimp Haven - Solution to a National Problem

Responding to the need for long-term chimpanzee care, a group of primatologists and interested professionals began discussing the best possible housing alternative for our closest living animal relatives. Forming Chimp Haven, Inc. in 1995, the group proposed to provide sanctuary for the increasing number of chimpanzees no longer active in biomedical research or unwanted as entertainers or pets. The directors sought to construct a home built for the welfare of chimpanzees, where they could live in large groups in expansive outdoor natural areas.

Around the same time, the National Institutes of Health commissioned a study of the status and long-term care of chimpanzees used in biomedical research and behavioral research. The Institute of Laboratory Animal Resources assembled a committee, representing interests ranging from biomedical research to animal protection, to collect and evaluate a significant amount of information on chimpanzee use, care, and management.

Completed in 1997, their report outlines improved methods of research chimpanzee management (National Research Council, 1997). The development of long-term care facilities, such as Chimp Haven, was highlighted as an important means of providing cost-effective housing for chimpanzees no longer active in research. The NRC report also recommended a five-year chimpanzee-breeding moratorium (which has continued to this day) and that euthanasia not be used for population control. Ultimately, "the concept of sanctuaries.should become an integral component of a strategic plan to achieve the best and most cost-effective solutions to the current dilemma" (p. 4, National Research Council, 1997).

After years of effort by many organizations, President Bill Clinton signed into law the Chimpanzee Health, Improvement, Maintenance and Protection (CHIMP) Act (P.L. 106-551) in December 2000. The law provides support for the construction of chimpanzee sanctuaries and for the lifetime care of the animals through funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) as well as private support. The law requires that private donations cover 25% of the operating cost and 10% of the construction cost. Standards to ensure a high quality of care were also required by the CHIMP Act.

The Dream Becomes Reality

In May 2001, Chimp Haven submitted a capability statement to NIH, indicating its interest in becoming the organization to construct and operate the sanctuary system for chimpanzees. Following a rigorous selection process in which Chimp Haven competed with many other organizations, the NIH announced in September 2002 that Chimp Haven was selected to construct and operate the National Chimpanzee Sanctuary System. On May 30, 2003, ground was broken for construction of the facility on 200 acres of pristine forest that was donated by the citizens of Caddo Parish, Louisiana. Two phases of construction were completed by 2006. Learn more about our sanctuary.

The first chimpanzee residents (Rita and Teresa) arrived in April 2005, and were quickly followed by dozens of other chimpanzees from several large research facilities.

Today, over 100 chimpanzees are living the good life at Chimp Haven!

The chimpanzees have quickly adapted to their new home and have been integrated into compatible social groups. The Chimp Haven facility and care program have provided the chimpanzees with an environment where they can express natural behaviors, such as nesting, climbing trees and eating natural vegetation. 4- and 5-acre forested habitats are home to two groups of 19 chimpanzees, offering an environment unique in the United States where they can live like wild chimpanzees! In the next few years, 200 former research chimpanzees will enjoy the haven created especially for them.

Chimp Haven is also dedicated to education, with the goal of sharing new knowledge with others to improve the welfare of chimpanzees everywhere, and to increase the public's care of chimpanzees in captivity and concern for their conservation in the wild. The Chimp Haven Learning Center began in 2005 with the Chimpanzees Trails project, which provided public access to an area of the facility. The public can learn about chimpanzees and see the chimpanzees in the large, forested habitats at Chimpanzee Discovery Day events held once per month. Behavioral and veterinary students have also come to Chimp Haven to learn how to provide care for these very special beings. Demand for additional educational offerings has been high, and expansion of the program is expected with further financial support from donors who also see the value of education.

Chimp Haven opened its doors in 2006 to a very special group of seven privately owned chimpanzees rescued from a sanctuary in Texas, and thus began our efforts to assist chimpanzees in need through our Rescue Fund. Plans are being developed to build a facility for rescued chimpanzees, and all funds must be raised through donations as they do not receive any government funding support.