In an emotionally charged moment, Vanilla, a chimpanzee who spent 28 years in captivity, finally experienced freedom as she saw the open sky for the first time, animal welfare organization Save the Chimps said.
Captured on camera by Save the Chimps, Vanilla’s release took place at the organization’s sanctuary in Florida in the United States. The footage shows Vanilla emerging from a hatch and being embraced by another chimpanzee, Dwight. It’s her first interaction in her new three-acre island home, where she’ll now live with a family group of other rescued chimps.
In the footage, Vanilla can be seen looking up at the sky, a sight she’s been denied for nearly three decades, according to Save the Chimps. The experience is visually overwhelming for her. Further scenes show Vanilla walking on the grass, approaching the camera, and exploring her surroundings with curiosity and fascination.
Vanilla spent her early years in a cage in a biomedical research laboratory in New York.
The Animal Reader brings you the latest news on animals. Follow The Animal Reader on Google News or subscribe here.