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Chimpanzee hell - 11th May 2022

65 chimpanzees survived a terrible past in Liberia. The survivors of the original 400 chimpanzees live on these 6 river islands. They were used for scientific research, paid for by the New York Blood Centre (NYBC). Today, the Humane Society International takes care of them. Richard Ssuna looks after the chimps.

Richard Ssuna: "Some of the chimps you are seeing here were probably in their lifetime - the time of doing the research - could have experienced about 400 biopsies, meaning 400, anaesthetised 400 times."

In the 1970's, the NYBC paid for the research into diseases, like hepatitis B.

For the chimpanzees, the tests weren't the only problem. There was also a long war in Liberia. There was little food and they almost died. The scientists bought them food with their own money.

Richard Ssuna: "Essentially the caregivers, the staff from the biomedical research had to dig deep in their pockets and provide very basic rations, which of course, you know, led to severe suffering."

In 2015, the NYBC stopped supporting the research. When Ebola started in Liberia, Citigroup, a US bank, supported the project. Today, the NYBC is working with the Humane Society International to look after the chimpanzees.

Richard Ssuna: "You know, we cannot release them back in the wild because of all the tests that were done on them. They could, you know, have a devastating effect on conservation of other chimps, free-ranging chimps or wild chimps."

Chimpanzees live for more than 60 years, but these chimps can't survive in the wild. They'll require many years of care.