Tagged: National Institutes of Health

The first wave of newly-retired federal research chimpanzees are arriving at the national sanctuary near Shreveport. Seven chimps arrive today. Chimp Haven will eventually take in all 111 chimps from the University of Louisiana Lafayette’s New Iberia Research Center. It no longer has a government contract for chimp research. Chimp Haven vice president Jennifer Whitaker said the chimps will stay in a quarantine area for at least two weeks as they make the transition into their retirement home.

A sanctuary for retired research chimpanzees in Keithville, La., is about to nearly double its population when it receives 113 chimps from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette New Iberia Research Center that no longer has a contract with the National Institutes of Health to conduct animal research. Chimp Haven president Linda Brent said her organization launched a $5 million fundraising campaign for the expansion. She said Chimp Haven’s staff is poised for growth.