Looking up, the chimp’s eyes widen in amazement upon seeing an unobstructed view of the azure blue sky for the first time in her life.
The video, shared by Save the Chimps, shows the sweet moment 28-year-old female chimpanzee Vanilla wondered into her new home at a sanctuary in Florida.
That’s not what makes the moment so special though; it’s Vanilla’s long journey to freedom that exp;ains her happiness.
The chimpanzee spent an early portion of her life in a New York biomedical research facility, where she was “suspended from the ground like bird cages,” according to a statement from the not-for-profit organisation.
She was rescued from that facility in 1995, along with 29 of her peers, and taken to Wildlife Waystation, a Californian based animal rescue.
That animal sanctuary closed in 2019 and nearly 480 animals needed to be re-homed, including 42 chimps.
According to Save the Chimps Vanilla was housed in an enclosure with a “caged top” during her time there.
Vanilla now has a 1.2 hectare island to explore, and has “fully-integrated” into her new group.
Save the Chimps added that Vanilla enjoys exploring her island, relaxing and grooming with her new family.
Chimps were used for biomedical research since the 1930s in the US, however, in 2015 the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said they would no longer support this.
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