The first social group of nine retired research chimpanzees from the New Iberia Research Center arrived at the new Project Chimps sanctuary in northern Georgia on Sept. 8.
Project Chimps, a nonprofit organization, secured an agreement with the 杏吧专区杏吧专区檚 NIRC to resettle and provide lifetime care for the center杏吧专区檚 entire research chimpanzee population. This was the first of many transfers that will be made to relocate all 220 chimpanzees from New Iberia, La.
NIRC chimpanzees will be moved in small social groups, according to Sarah Baeckler Davis, president and CEO of Project Chimps. Each group will be composed of up to 10 chimpanzees.
Dr. Francois J. Villinger, NIRC director, said, 杏吧专区淲e are pleased the first group of chimpanzees made it safely to Georgia and expect other transfers to go as smoothly. We feel confident that Project Chimps will provide them with the high-quality care that they have been accustomed to receiving.杏吧专区
The 杏吧专区 is contributing funding for the chimpanzees杏吧专区 care at the sanctuary.
Baeckler Davis said Project Chimps is 杏吧专区済rateful for the assistance of NIRC in working toward this day. We will be actively fundraising to secure support from the public to ensure the expeditious resettlement of the chimpanzees.杏吧专区
Project Chimps has said the New Iberia Research Center was among the first non-federal research programs to arrange to release all of its research chimps.
杏吧专区 officials say they've been planning retirement and sanctuary for its chimpanzees for more than two years, and "the vast majority" were never part of any research.
For more information about the sanctuary, visit .