She was a Vanilla sky-gazer.
Rescued chimpanzee Vanilla, who was spellbound after seeing the sky for the first time in three decades last year, is reportedly flourishing at her new home in Florida.
“She was just welcomed so warmly,” said Dan Mathews, director of events and special projects at the Save the Chimps sanctuary in Fort Pierce where she resides, per the Daily Mail.
“And after all she’s been through, with never being able to walk more than 10 paces in any direction, to have this kind of freedom, she’s just, she’s thriving right now.”
Many have previously endured solitary confinement and never interacted with other chimps before — as was the case with Vanilla. She is a 29-year-old survivor of the notorious, now-closed Laboratory for Experimental Medicine and Surgery in Primates in Tuxedo, New York.
Vanilla is one of 226 chimpanzees living on the idyllic island, dubbed “Florida’s wildest retirement community.” She is a 29-year-old survivor of the notorious, now-closed Laboratory for Experimental Medicine and Surgery in Primates, in Tuxedo, New York. Save the Chimps
Vanilla is now thriving in her new world, often seen frolicking around in the fields with other chimps — and periodically glancing up in disbelief. Save the Chimps
In a heartwarming video that shocked the internet earlier this week, the chimp could be seen stepping outside and looking up at the blue sky in astonishment, marking the first time she’d seen it after spending nearly 30 years in a cage. Save the Chimps
“She is clearly elated to have suddenly found freedom.” Save the Chimps
While the chimps weren’t subject to cruel testing like at LEMSIP, the digs were still less than ideal, especially due to the frequent wildfires, which burned the place down in 2017.
Vanilla lived at the Wildlife Waystation until it went out of business in 2019, whereupon the embattled animal had to be relocated yet again.
This time, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife worked with the North American Primate Sanctuary Alliance to finally find Vanilla and Shake a happy home.
In 2022, they were placed at Save the Chimps, located on a once-contaminated orange grove that was converted to a veritable chimp paradise, with 12 artificial islands across 150 acres. Best of all, each isle is surrounded by water so the animals don’t have to be fenced in.
“Vanilla was so shy when she first arrived at Save the Chimps. She didn’t really know what to do in the grass and on the ground.” via REUTERS
“Vanilla is settling in very well. When she’s not exploring the island with her friends, she can usually be found perched atop a three-story climbing platform surveying her new world.” via REUTERS
Save the Chimps primatologist Andrew Halloran, who shared the video, said that Vanilla gets along great with the other 18 apes on her island and has a special bond with alpha male Dwight, from “whom she steals food.