Liberian lab chimps finally retire

There are 6 river islands in Liberia, which are home to 65 chimpanzees.

These primates are the survivors of 400 chimpanzees who were used for medical research, funded by the US. They're now being looked after by Richard Ssuna, a vet who works for the Humane Society International.

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 1970s, the NYBC provided money for medical research for diseases like hepatitis B. These chimpanzees experienced many medical experiments

The chimps also had to live through Liberia's 14 year war. They almost died from a lack of food. Research staff had to use their own money to feed the animals.

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 ended their financial support, which angered many people. Then Liberia had an Ebola epidemic and US bank Citigroup decided to provide for the chimps, until the NYBC and the Humane Society International agreed to take care of the chimps.

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 up to 60 years and these chimps can't return to the wild. This means many years of care.

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