Chimp Haven - Present Day

Present Day

The land for the National Chimpanzee Sanctuary was donated to the Chimp Haven organization by Caddo Parish, Louisiana. After several years construction, Chimp Haven accepted its first individuals, Rita and Theresa, in April 2005, both formerly employed in NASA space programs. They were soon followed by dozens of others from several large research facilities.

Education is seen as the most important aspect of Chimp Haven. In 2005 the Chimpanzee Trails project was started, allowing the public to access certain areas of the sanctuary and learn about the chimpanzees. Open days are held once a month so the public can see the chimpanzees at large in their habitats. Veterinary students also frequently visit the facility to learn how to care for chimpanzees.

As part of the original CHIMP act, chimpanzee breeding was put on hold for a period of five years. In 2005 the National Institutes of Health converted this into a permanent ban on breeding chimpanzees for any kind of research in the United States. The result may be that sanctuaries such as Chimp Haven will be less needed in the future, however they will continue to work in looking after rescued chimpanzees (for which they receive no government funding) and in educating the public.