Watch the moment a 28-year-old laboratory chimp sees the sky for the first time

[boingboing]

Originally published at: Watch the moment a 28-year-old laboratory chimp sees the sky for the first time | Boing Boing

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[OhHai]

No creature should ever be put through the sort of horrible treatment where they are that overjoyed to find out they are in Florida.

[smulder]

@catsidhe

That strikes me as being like the Heartwarming Story of a child with cancer who got a massive donation to finish off the crowdfunding for their treatment.

I mean, yes, that the child got the treatment or the chimp touched grass is a good thing, but to portray it purely in terms of being “touching” really misses out the horror lying behind why the story happened at all. Like how the the US health system is a massive psychopathic clusterfuck where children will be left to die of cancer if they can’t pay up, or how a sentient, sapient being could have been kept in a cage for TWENTY EIGHT FUCKING YEARS without ever having been allowed to see the sky.

I am overjoyed that Vanilla finally got to see the sky and touch grass. And I want to burn things down because she spent Twenty. Eight. Motherfucking. Years. in a cage before she was able to do so.

@MerelyGifted

[Scientist]

I used to work at a primate research center and currently work one lab over from research monkeys. It’s a good thing that the US is actively scaling down primate research.

The chimps I saw at the primate center were reasonably happy though (and have since retired to a chimp sanctuary in Georgia). They had an indoor/outdoor setup and chose where to be, and more importantly they lived in full family groups with some normal social interaction. After work each afternoon I’d walk over and watch them for a while before going home. Highlight of the day. Hope they’re all enjoying retirement

[MerelyGifted]

Well done, Dearest Smulder.

[cannibalpeas]

@boingboing

Seeing this moment of happiness and awe may warm your heart, until you stop and think about the cruelty she endured for the previous 28 years of her life.

[sarc]

Orangutan laughing at a magic trick done by a visitor at the Barcelona Zoo

[abutilon]

Yeah, too sad, I can’t watch. But thanks for posting, to draw attention to the cruelty of keeping animals in captivity.

[MerelyGifted]

I completely understand that! but I’ll just tell you that other chimps hugged her and helped her thoroughly enjoy herself.

[abutilon]

Thank you very much for the description, that makes it easier.

[MerelyGifted]

You’re most welcome. Didn’t want you to walk away w/a bad “taste” in your mind.