For years, with you by our sides, we have fought for the release of chimpanzees imprisoned at the Alamogordo Primate Facility (APF) in New Mexico — animals who survived years of invasive research yet remained confined in the same cages even after that research was banned.
Thanks to the relentless advocacy of supporters like you, we are thrilled to share incredible news: the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has finally begun transferring these deserving chimps to the safety and comfort of sanctuary at Chimp Haven — and your support is helping us fund their retirement!
Last September, we called on you to urge the NIH to do what was right: release these animals into verdant sanctuary instead of keeping them in an old research facility at the expense of our tax dollars. Your response was overwhelming. Your voices, letters, and pressure helped to make this long-overdue change a reality.
Now, these resilient survivors are on their way to a life filled with fresh air and freedom.
The first group of ten chimpanzees arrived at Chimp Haven in February, where they were greeted with the open arms of loving, expert caregivers.
Each chimp has a unique personality, and their caregivers are already witnessing them blossom in their new environment:
- Faylene immediately sought out chin scratches from her new caregivers, showing trust and curiosity.
- Al, a tall, gentle soul, has charmed everyone with his calm demeanor and affectionate panting greetings.
- Kamaka is proving to be a playful spirit, engaging in games of chase and exploring his new surroundings.
- Olivia and Nickel have become fast friends, often observed grooming one another and enjoying the open spaces of their new home.
Thanks to our generous donors, we’re supporting Chimp Haven’s care for these animals, ensuring they have the resources needed to thrive.
As the world’s largest chimpanzee sanctuary, [we are] home to nearly 300 chimps formerly used in biomedical research. Here on 200 acres of beautiful, forested sanctuary, they finally get to just be chimps and enjoy many of the experiences they would have in the wild.
— Chimp Haven
Chimp Haven is even expanding its facilities to accommodate the full group of chimpanzees from APF, with construction funded by other generous supporters, including The Annenberg Foundation and The American Anti-Vivisection Society.
By late spring, all remaining Alamogordo chimps are expected to arrive at Chimp Haven, marking the final chapter in a long and difficult journey toward freedom.
This victory belongs to every person who took action. You helped change the future for these chimps — moving them from incarceration behind bars to lives of liberation.
As we celebrate, our work continues. The Alamogordo chimpanzees are free, but countless other animals remain trapped in labs. With your support, we will keep fighting for their freedom, until no sentient being is left behind.
Thank you for making this possible. Thank you for standing with us for what’s right.
Together, we are changing lives. Thank you.
Can you take one minute to speak up for the freedom of chimps who are still imprisoned? Around forty chimpanzees remain at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Texas, confined to a research facility without a plan for their release. These animals deserve the same chance at sanctuary as the chimps freed from APF, yet the NIH has not committed to their relocation.
Let’s make it clear to the NIH that these chimps, too, should know the peace and freedom of sanctuary.