The chimpanzee Vanilla, 28, has been in a cage all his life.
Until now.
For the first time ever, she was able to step out of the cage and look out over the open sky.
– She is flourishing right now, says Dan Mathews from Save the Chimps.
In a clip from when Vanilla is released for the first time, you can see how she steps out onto the sun-soaked platform and is greeted with a big hug from the alpha male of the chimpanzee group, Dwight.
– It showed that she was not only welcome out into the world. It was also a signal that she was now part of the family.
Vanilla was born in captivity in the mid-nineties. Before arriving at Save the Chimps, she had never even set foot on grass, let alone been able to move as she had wanted.
– She didn’t really know what to do in the grass or on the ground. She has never been able to walk more than ten steps in a row in her life.
However, she is not completely free yet. According to Mathews, she is released into an island habitat similar to the chimpanzees’ natural environment so that she has the opportunity to adapt after spending her life in captivity. Since her release, she has adapted well to the group and enjoys exploring the island, relaxing and hanging out with the other chimpanzees.
Founded in 1997 in the United States, Save the Chimps is a non-profit organization that specializes in caring for chimpanzees.