All Chimpanzees Are Now Considered Endangered In The United States

The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) has announced that Chimpanzees have been added to the Endangered Species Act. For decades wild and captive chimpanzees has different status. The FWS used to list captive chimps as just a threatened species, whilst wild chimps were considered endangered. Under the new designation, from September 14th all Chimpanzees regardless of where they live are now considered endangered.

Permits now required

Organisations which wish to trade or use chimpanzees in labs will now require FWS issued special permits. People are still entitled to use chimps in the entertainment industry and to keep them as pets. ChimpCare a concern group estimates there are 400 chimps in zoos or other facilities. There are a further 14 chimps working in the entertainment industry and 40 chimps living as pets or with breeders. There are some 550 chimps living in sanctuaries.

“More than 900 chimpanzees still languish in laboratories in the United States, with as many as 80 percent of them simply warehoused because there is no longer a need to use them in experiments.” says PETA.

NIH cuts funding for chimp experimentation

Two years ago the National Institute of Health said it would be cutting funding to the majority of organisations that were still conducting invasive experiments on chimps. The NIH said it would keep but not breed its current population of 50 chimps for future biomedical research. That move has means that as many as 300 chimpanzees could retire. After decades of being tortured, these chimps can finally live the rest of their days in peace and freedom.