MONROVIA, Liberia— A group of chimpanzees formerly used in research, who are among those enjoying retirement at Humane World for Animals’ Second Chance Chimpanzee Refuge Liberia, have undergone comprehensive health checks as part of their ongoing lifetime care.
The checks, carried out by the sanctuary’s veterinary team and specialist experts, gave the chimpanzees ‘head to toe’ medical exams to assess their long-term health, detect any early signs of disease and tailor care plans for individuals as they age.
Under anaesthetic, the chimpanzees underwent dental examinations to check for signs of decay, as well as a thorough teeth cleaning—a need chimpanzees share with people. The team also assessed the chimps’ eyes, heart, lungs, abdomen and nervous system, and conducted blood tests and heart scans. The chimps also received booster vaccinations and fingernail trims. Anaesthesia allows the veterinary team to carry out these detailed examinations safely and with minimal stress for the chimpanzees.
Belen Perez Hernando, the sanctuary’s veterinarian, said: “The health checks are a vital part of caring for these chimpanzees who have been through so much. Many aspects of their health care will feel familiar to people. We check for healthy teeth and gums, good eyesight, strong heart and lung function, normal blood results and signs that their joints, abdomen and nervous system are all working as they should. The aim is to spot concerns early and do all we can to make sure each individual continues to live safely and comfortably in their sanctuary home.”
The chimpanzees who received the health checks are among dozens of chimps who live at the sanctuary on a series of mangrove forest-covered islands where they roam freely and live in social groups that are as close to chimpanzees in the wild as possible. Last year, this small group were temporarily relocated to a purpose-built chimp villa at the sanctuary’s mainland headquarters while their island home receives an upgrade with a new facility for routine health checks and extreme weather sheltering. The chimps will be moved back to their island early next year.
Many of the chimps at Second Chance were captured from the wild as infants before ending up at the laboratory and enduring decades of invasive and distressing experiments. As a result of their ordeal, many of the animals have complex medical histories as well as a need for preventative healthcare as they grow older.
Liliana Pacheco Ricote, director at Second Chance Chimpanzee Refuge Liberia, said: “These are not simply medical appointments, they are part of our lifelong commitment to give these extraordinary chimps the best life possible. Every result helps us understand what each chimpanzee needs now and what they may need in the future. Our priority is always their welfare, their comfort and their quality of life.”
Fast facts
- Second Chance is the only sanctuary in Africa to care for former laboratory chimps.
- At the laboratory, there were once more than 400 chimps who were subjected to experiments over a 30-year span. Many of those chimps perished during the two civil wars in Liberia from 1989 – 1997, some shot and killed by militia.
- In the early 2000s, the lab phased out chimpanzee experiments and transferred the remaining chimps to the estuary islands where staff brought them fresh water and food. In 2015 when the lab withdrew funding needed to care for the chimps, their caregivers put out an emergency appeal for help. Many animal groups responded; Humane World for Animals provided emergency care and made a life-long commitment to look after the chimps.
- Chimpanzees typically live for 50-60 years.
- Second Chance Chimpanzee Refuge has a team of more than 40 staff recruited largely from within the local community. The refuge purchases local fresh fruit and vegetables for the chimps’ daily food and funds local initiatives such as repairs to schools and roads.
- Humane World for Animals Liberia also supports wildlife protection projects around the sanctuary including protecting the forest ecosystem and its wildlife inhabitants from logging, poaching and destruction for farmland.
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