Chimpanzees were once widely used in biomedical research. Understanding the welfare reforms that have reduced their use and the ongoing responsibilities to retired research chimpanzees matters for welfare.
Research chimpanzees represent a welfare legacy from an era when their cognitive and emotional complexity was undervalued. Animals that spent years or decades in barren laboratory housing suffer lasting behavioral abnormalities — stereotypies, self-injurious behavior, abnormal social responses, and fear of novelty — that persist even after sanctuary placement and years of supportive care. Sanctuary-housed research chimpanzees receive trauma-informed care: patient socialization, consistent caregiver relationships, forest access, and a pace of integration that respects individual psychological histories. The ongoing responsibility to ensure all remaining research chimpanzees reach suitable sanctuary housing before they die is a concrete, achievable welfare goal. Funding these placements and supporting the sanctuaries that receive them is one of the most direct primate welfare interventions available.