Thousands of chimpanzees used in biomedical research have been retired to sanctuaries, where providing for their complex social and psychological needs presents ongoing welfare challenges.
Ex-research chimpanzees carry the psychological legacy of years or decades in barren laboratory conditions, social isolation, and repeated experimental procedures. Many show trauma responses including hypervigilance, stereotypic behaviour, and difficulty forming social bonds with other chimpanzees. Sanctuary rehabilitation is a long, often incomplete process: animals habituated to human contact may struggle to integrate with conspecific social groups, and trauma-related behaviours may persist for years despite improved conditions. The welfare responsibility for these animals extends across their entire remaining lifespan, which may be decades given chimpanzee longevity. This represents a long-term financial commitment that requires sustained public and government support to meet.