The emotional video of a monkey who sees the sky for the first time after spending his whole life in a cage

It’s hard not to get emotional when you see the monkey vanilla seeing the sky for the first time after spending almost her entire life locked up behind bars.

His face says it all. There is no doubt that the chimpanzee is absorbed in the immensity. Dwighther human companion and the alpha male of her community, seems to grasp her doubts (or her emotions) and calm her by embracing her warmly.

Vanilla, a survivor aged between 29 and 30 Laboratory of Experimental Primate Medicine and Surgery (LEMSIP) from New York, became famous in June this year when the video featuring her went around the world.

The first time he saw the sky was when he arrived at the sanctuary. Save the chimpanzeesin Fort Pierce, Florida, where he currently lives.

Vanilla arrived at the sanctuary accompanied by shakewho, unlike her, did not hesitate to immediately go out to explore his new habitat.

Vanilla style

The chimpanzee lived until the age of two in the aforementioned laboratory. He remained there until LEMSIP closed in 1997.

Until 2019 he lived next to a group of primates moved to California, in a larger enclosure constantly threatened by forest fires.

The animal ended up at Save the Chimps after the sanctuary agreed with FedEx to fly her and her group to a 60-hectare area in the Sunshine State.

He Dr. Andrew Hallorana primatologist at the sanctuary, told the New York Post that Vanilla “lived with a handful of chimpanzees inside a wire fence cage with no grass and very little enrichment.”

The new life of vanilla

Now, the monkey remains on an island along with 225 other chimpanzees discarded by laboratories, the entertainment industry, the exotic pet trade and zoos. Many had never interacted with individuals of their species.

Halloran assures that the monkey in the video uploaded by Save the Chimps “He’s adapting very well” in his new home and usually explores the island with his “friends”. “She can usually be found sitting on a three-story climbing platform as she looks out over her new world.”

There are 12 communities of chimpanzees on the island, determined based on the personality of each animal. Vanilla lives together with 18 other people.

“He has a particularly playful relationship with the alpha male Dwight, from whom he steals food,” the primatologist said.