A bittersweet video of a caged chimpanzee named Vanilla seeing the sky for the first time in 28 years has gone viral among animal lovers on social media platforms. While most reactions were wholesome, the footage also sparked a debate on animal freedom. Posted online by the animal protection organization Save The Chimps, the video immediately raised the question: Why was Vanilla the chimpanzee in captivity for most of her life?
Exploring the viral video of Vanilla the Chimpanzee
The 29-year-old chimpanzee Vanilla found a new outdoor island home at Save the Chimps’ sanctuary in Florida. After years of living in captivity, the primate experiences the beauty of a vast, open blue sky for the first time in the video.
Vanilla the chimpanzee saw the blue sky for the first time after being caged for her entire life.
Here was her reaction. pic.twitter.com/Z9sRyab5Z3
— CNN (@CNN) June 28, 2023
Vanilla initially hesitates to step outside, but soon she overcomes her inhibitions. She joins alpha male chimpanzee Dwight as they hug each other, and Vanilla jumps up and down in pure excitement.
It was the first time that Vanilla the chimpanzee was outdoors with more than 10 feet of fence around her on all sides from top to bottom. In the video, she’s excited to have found freedom as Dwight coaxes and guides her throughout.
Why was Vanilla the chimpanzee caged for a long time?
Vanilla’s life in captivity began in a biomedical research laboratory in New York. The chimpanzee was born into a facility specializing in HIV and hepatitis research. Sadly, she was separated from her mother shortly after birth.
Animal rights activists have targeted the lab for a long time. Chimps like Vanilla had an awful experience as they were confined to mesh cages and had minimal exposure to natural light.
Furthermore, the research process in the lab meant drawing blood and performing biopsies on captive animals like Vanilla. As a result, authorities shut down the lab, and Vanilla and her sister Shake moved to the Wildlife Waystation, a nonprofit refuge in California.
While this facility was better than the lab, overcrowding became an issue, and Vanilla’s living conditions were far from perfect. She lived in a garage-sized enclosure with five other chimps.
Vanilla’s new life in Save the Chimps sanctuary
Despite spending most of her life in captivity, Vanilla still had a better life to look forward to. Thanks to Save the Chimps, Vanilla, Shake, and five other chimpanzees were transferred to their Fort Pierce, Florida sanctuary in July 2022.
She underwent a quarantine period and later became introduced to various chimpanzee groups until a compatible match was found. Eventually, Vanilla joined the Air Force group of chimpanzees utilized by NASA and the US Air Force.
Vanilla, the chimpanzee, lives in a better environment with more space to explore, forage for food and interact with other chimps. She has even taken up painting classes to improve her well-being.
It's absurd that animals are still used for tests, with so much technology and different ways of doing tests nowadays
— rick (@targaryrns) June 28, 2023
Vanilla still has the potential to live another 3-4 decades in her lifespan, and the chimpanzee has won hearts on the internet thanks to the viral video of her seeing the sky.
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