New Mexico, USA – After years of legal battles and relentless advocacy by animal welfare groups, the last 23 chimpanzees formerly used in biomedical research at the Alamogordo Primate Facility (APF) in New Mexico will officially be relocated to Chimp Haven, a lush forest sanctuary in Louisiana, in 2025.
This marks a historic milestone in the effort to end the use of chimpanzees in U.S. research facilities and to ensure their right to retirement in humane environments.
🦧 From Lab Confinement to Freedom
The chimpanzees, aged 34 to 62, were once subjected to invasive medical experiments and have lived in harsh confinement for decades. Although the CHIMP Act (Chimpanzee Health Improvement, Maintenance and Protection Act), passed in 2000, mandates that government-owned chimpanzees be retired to sanctuaries, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) delayed relocating the remaining group, citing “frailty.”
Since 2019, organizations like the Humane Society of the United States led persistent campaigns, public petitions, and eventually filed a lawsuit against the NIH. In 2022, a federal judge ruled that the NIH was in violation of the law-paving the way for the chimps’ long-overdue retirement.
🌳 Chimp Haven – A True Home for Rescued Chimps
Located in the woodlands of Louisiana, Chimp Haven spans over 200 acres and is specially designed for the lifelong care of retired research chimpanzees. The sanctuary offers natural environments, nutritious food, medical care, and social opportunities, allowing chimps to climb, explore, form bonds, and rediscover instinctual behaviors.
Chimp Haven currently cares for more than 300 chimpanzees, many of whom were once research subjects. It provides them with a second chance at life – one filled with freedom and dignity.
📣 A Delayed Victory – But a Meaningful One
The Humane Society revealed that while 23 chimps will finally be relocated this year, 21 others sadly died over the past five years due to delays in transfer. The tragedy underscores the heavy cost of postponing freedom.
Nevertheless, this decision is being celebrated as a monumental win for animal rights. “Every individual deserves a life of dignity – especially after what they’ve endured in the name of science,” said the Humane Society.
✅ What’s Next?
The Humane Society and its allies continue to urge the U.S. government to ensure no chimpanzees are left behind in research labs, and to invest further in sanctuaries like Chimp Haven to meet the growing need for ethical retirement options.
→ This is more than an animal story. It is proof that change is possible through persistence, compassion, and public voice.