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Inside a Retirement Home for Lab Chimps | National Geographic


I think it’s really important for a

I think it’s really important for a place like Japan to exist to get back to

place like Japan to exist to get back to

place like Japan to exist to get back to the chimpanzees they have provided so

the chimpanzees they have provided so

the chimpanzees they have provided so much to all of us over the years if you

much to all of us over the years if you

much to all of us over the years if you think about it we never would have gone

think about it we never would have gone

think about it we never would have gone to the moon without a chimpanzee who

to the moon without a chimpanzee who

to the moon without a chimpanzee who went first we wouldn’t have hepatitis

went first we wouldn’t have hepatitis

went first we wouldn’t have hepatitis vaccines that we have now that most

vaccines that we have now that most

vaccines that we have now that most children in public schools receive they

children in public schools receive they

children in public schools receive they have provided us with so many different

have provided us with so many different

have provided us with so many different things they’re so genetically similar to

things they’re so genetically similar to

things they’re so genetically similar to us they are so intelligent I do see it

us they are so intelligent I do see it

us they are so intelligent I do see it as a great step forward that that the

as a great step forward that that the

as a great step forward that that the National Institutes of Health has

National Institutes of Health has

National Institutes of Health has decided that all but 50 of the federally

decided that all but 50 of the federally

decided that all but 50 of the federally owned chimpanzees that are used in

owned chimpanzees that are used in

owned chimpanzees that are used in research should be retired and Jim Haven

research should be retired and Jim Haven

research should be retired and Jim Haven is working with them to try to figure

is working with them to try to figure

is working with them to try to figure out exactly how that should happen we

out exactly how that should happen we

out exactly how that should happen we are one of two countries who currently

are one of two countries who currently

are one of two countries who currently still use chimpanzees in research

what no juice oh I’ll come back and get

what no juice oh I’ll come back and get you okay people laugh I can talk to them

you okay people laugh I can talk to them

you okay people laugh I can talk to them like they’re really people and I really

like they’re really people and I really

like they’re really people and I really do not give them that respect they

do not give them that respect they

do not give them that respect they deserve that respect and I give them

deserve that respect and I give them

deserve that respect and I give them that and I think it helps give me solace

that and I think it helps give me solace

that and I think it helps give me solace every day when I go home and I know you

every day when I go home and I know you

every day when I go home and I know you know what I’m giving back to them I’m

know what I’m giving back to them I’m

know what I’m giving back to them I’m doing my part as a human being I’m

doing my part as a human being I’m

doing my part as a human being I’m giving back to them there were some

giving back to them there were some

giving back to them there were some chants of course that were born in the

chants of course that were born in the

chants of course that were born in the laboratory setting so we’re talking you

laboratory setting so we’re talking you

laboratory setting so we’re talking you know 20 30 sometimes you know 30-plus

know 20 30 sometimes you know 30-plus

know 20 30 sometimes you know 30-plus years of them being acclimated to being

years of them being acclimated to being

years of them being acclimated to being in a captive environment so that is what

in a captive environment so that is what

in a captive environment so that is what was the norm for them it’s always very

was the norm for them it’s always very

was the norm for them it’s always very amazing to see them once they do make it

amazing to see them once they do make it

amazing to see them once they do make it to Chimp Haven and see that there is a

to Chimp Haven and see that there is a

to Chimp Haven and see that there is a difference between the life that was and

difference between the life that was and

difference between the life that was and I like that now it is some of these guys

I like that now it is some of these guys

I like that now it is some of these guys because they have been used in research

because they have been used in research

because they have been used in research some of them are afraid of the grass

some of them are afraid of the grass

some of them are afraid of the grass it’s a foreign substrate to them so

it’s a foreign substrate to them so

it’s a foreign substrate to them so they’re really hesitant they look around

they’re really hesitant they look around

they’re really hesitant they look around for affirmation like is this okay and

for affirmation like is this okay and

for affirmation like is this okay and they’ll touch it gingerly and some of

they’ll touch it gingerly and some of

they’ll touch it gingerly and some of them will decide to say very close

them will decide to say very close

them will decide to say very close they’re what we call wall Walker’s so

they’re what we call wall Walker’s so

they’re what we call wall Walker’s so they’ll stay close – with familiar to

they’ll stay close – with familiar to

they’ll stay close – with familiar to them so that’s the cement and that’s

them so that’s the cement and that’s

them so that’s the cement and that’s also the mesh that’s comfortable for

also the mesh that’s comfortable for

also the mesh that’s comfortable for them it makes them feel safe they’re

them it makes them feel safe they’re

them it makes them feel safe they’re used to that

and then some of these guys dart out

and then some of these guys dart out immediately and they want to look around

immediately and they want to look around

immediately and they want to look around they’re curious they want to look

they’re curious they want to look

they’re curious they want to look through all the different structures and

through all the different structures and

through all the different structures and enclosures

I think the most touching interaction

I think the most touching interaction that I’ve seen is when they come out and

that I’ve seen is when they come out and

that I’ve seen is when they come out and they just look up and it’s almost like

they just look up and it’s almost like

they just look up and it’s almost like this look of amazement

this look of amazement

this look of amazement there’s nothing covering me there isn’t

there’s nothing covering me there isn’t

there’s nothing covering me there isn’t a cave year you know I can see trees I

a cave year you know I can see trees I

a cave year you know I can see trees I can climb trees in order for us to take

can climb trees in order for us to take

can climb trees in order for us to take them out of the research setting that

them out of the research setting that

them out of the research setting that means we’ve got to build and we’ve got

means we’ve got to build and we’ve got

means we’ve got to build and we’ve got to make capabilities to take them on and

to make capabilities to take them on and

to make capabilities to take them on and we’re up for that challenge

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