Chimp Haven rescues 10 chimps just in time to celebrate the holiday season
Chimp Haven in Shreveport rescued the last of 40 stranded chimps from a defunct wildlife refuge just in time for the holidays.
The final 10 chimps will soon be able to climb real trees for possibly the first time in their lives after making the 1,600-mile trek from Sylmar, California to their new forever home at Chimp Haven in Keithville.
"We’ve been working tirelessly for three years to rescue the chimps impacted by the closure of the Wildlife Waystation, and I’m ecstatic that the final moves to sanctuary have been done,” said Erika Fleury, program director for the North American Primate Sanctuary Alliance (NAPSA), the organization that’s leading the Chimpanzees in Need emergency fundraising campaign. “Raising more than $4 million to rehome these chimpanzees took a dedicated and relentless team effort and the generosity of thousands of donors. This holiday season we have so much to be grateful for, and top of the list is that 10 chimpanzees will be spending it enjoying one of the best sanctuaries in the world.”
The ten chimps that were rescued and relocated here were part of more than 400 animals left behind when the Wildlife Waystation refuge unexpectedly closed in 2019. While most of the animals were quickly rehomed by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, chimpanzees require complex and specialized care and had nowhere to go.
The Chimpanzees in Need emergency fundraising rescue was created and during a three-year period worked with facilities across the country capable of caring for chimps to expand their habitats to welcome the abandoned chimps.
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“The facilities that have taken in the chimpanzees are committed to the animals’ lifetime care, which costs $25,000 each per year," Fleury explained. "Chimpanzees can live for decades, and Chimpanzees in Need is determined to help the sanctuaries that have taken them in have the financial resources they need during the chimps’ first year in their new homes."
At this time, the Chimpanzees in Need organization is still in need of $500,000 to help the sanctuaries cover the initial care costs for the chimps and finalize construction projects. In addition to Chimp Haven, chimpanzees have been rehomed to accredited zoos and sanctuaries, including Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest, Center for Great Apes, Save the Chimps and Primarily Primates.
Chimpanzees in Need has the endorsement of leading ethologist and activist Dr. Jane Goodall and to learn more about the rescue effort or to make a donation, visit the Chimps in Need website.
“Everyone at Chimp Haven is thrilled to welcome The Treetop Ten to the sanctuary and provide these individuals with what we call the Chimp Life. Every aspect of our sanctuary is designed to meet the social, physical and psychological needs of chimpanzees. It is a place where they will thrive,” said Chimp Haven President and CEO Rena Smith. “Once they have time to acclimate to their new home, our team will offer opportunities for them to meet other chimpanzees and potentially expand their social groups, giving them the closest possible experience to life in the wild.”
For more information on Chimp Haven, visit the website.
Meredith G. White is the arts and culture reporter for the Shreveport Times. You can find her on Facebook as Meredith G. White, on Instagram and Twitter as @meredithgwhite, and email her at mgwhite@gannett.com
This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Rescued chimps arrive at Chimp Haven in time for Christmas
