Lab Chimpanzees Isolated in Cages Never Saw ‘The Outside’ for 30 Years. Here’s What They Did When Freed

Research has found chimpanzees are 1.35 times more powerful than humans, per Live Science. And yet, 38 of them made a huge sacrifice as they spent almost a lifetime in harsh captivity. Nothing compares to human intelligence, of course, but at what cost? A rescue farm based in Europe, Gut Aiderbichl did the good work of freeing several lab chimpanzees after they were captured as tiny baby monkeys and chimps from Africa and transported across the world for research purposes in the 1970s and 1980s, as documented in a video on the farm’s YouTube channel, Gut Aiderbichl (@gutaiderbichl). 

Getting their first taste of freedom, the chimpanzees finally enjoyed the outdoors in specially built open-air enclosures by Gut Aiderbichl. The reaction of the chimpanzees captivated for over 30 years was striking enough to move everyone else watching. Soon, the organization planned to construct 11 open-air enclosures at a cost of 3 million euros, which officially opened in September 2011, according to the video’s description. Needless to say, it was worth the wait. Initially, 10 lab chimpanzees were allowed to feel the sun, wind, and fresh air in an enclosure covering an area of 2,000 square meters. 

Peeking through the doors, the chimps warily stepped outside into the sun. Elated by their newfound freedom, some of them cheered and hugged each other to celebrate, much like humans do. They slowly explored their new surroundings, playfully climbed the tree branches, and frolicked across the green space– a sight worth watching. “These outdoor enclosures enable us to say sorry on behalf of all humans and to our nearest relatives for the great sacrifice they made for humanity,” the narrator explained. 

The chimpanzees lived a life of tragic isolation and suffering due to health complications caused by the animal experiments and tiny cages they were restricted to for decades. Monochromatic pictures of their isolation in 1992 showed the miserable conditions the poor animals were kept in. But in 1997, life took a blissful turn as the primates were set free when the pharmaceutical group, Baxter took over the corporation.

Hence, the chimpanzees were relocated to monkey houses in a safari park built by the company in 2002. There, the animals lived in spacious facilities in Ganserndorf, outside Vienna, Austria. Unfortunately, as fate would have it, the chimpanzees were again homeless after the safari park had to be shut down, and the company went bankrupt two years later. It was not until 2009 that 38 chimps came under the supervision of Gut Aiderbichl, Europe’s largest rescue sanctuary. The facility that allowed the primates to live together in groups was called Gut Aiderbichl’s Sanctuary for Traumatized Chimpanzees and Other Primates. 

Annemarie Kuti, facility staff looked after the chimpanzees for 19 years and was privy to all their needs and requirements for a good life. “My dream for the animals is, that the future enables them really to encounter nature,” she emotionally shared. Quiet poetically, she described how she would like the animals to feel the wind and warmth of sunshine, and fully enjoy the outdoors and the sky through strategically built open-air enclosures. Only three centers for traumatized chimpanzees existed worldwide in 2017 but that number is likely to increase in the future. 

You can follow @gutaiderbichl on YouTube for more updates on animal rescues.