AAVS News
May 11, 2026
A chimp’s journey from lab to zoo to sanctuary
Dear Emily,
Zeb is a 46-year-old chimpanzee who spent most of his youth in Yerkes National Primate Research Center in Atlanta, enduring years of experiments and barren, unnatural living conditions.
When the lab stopped using him for research, he was shipped to a zoo in South Africa that was later hit by a devastating wave of tuberculosis. Zeb was one of only three chimps to survive. Since then, the other two chimps have died, leaving Zeb in solitude. When zoo visitors throw things at him, he has resorted to throwing them back.
Can you imagine how Zeb feels after spending years in isolation in a cage, watching his group succumb to illness, and now living in isolation again? For such a deeply social animal, this kind of isolation is devastating.
Chimfunshi Wildlife Orphanage in Zambia is one of the world’s first chimpanzee sanctuaries. Founded in 1983 to save animals from Africa’s international wildlife trade, its expansive forest enclosures are home to more than 150 endangered chimps and other animals in need. I was overjoyed to learn that Chimfunshi secured approval to transfer Zeb to their sanctuary.
AAVS established our Sanctuary Fund for animals like Zeb. Your donation today will give better lives to animals who survived exploitation for research. Through our Sanctuary Fund, AAVS is helping to make this rescue possible.
Transporting Zeb to his new home is a complicated process involving import and export permits, a custom-built transport crate, and travel by airplane and truck. Chimfunshi’s veterinarian will be with him every step of the way to ensure his safety and comfort. Upon arrival, he will receive comprehensive medical examinations and any necessary veterinary treatment. Because of the trauma he endured, Zeb might need extra help from Chimfunshi’s staff to learn how to socialize with other chimps and feel comfortable as part of a group.
Emily, this is only possible because of compassionate and generous partners like you.
It warms my heart to know that soon Zeb will be able to climb trees, forage for fruit, and express other natural behaviors that haven’t been possible since he was a baby. However, laboratories are still subjecting countless other animals to cruel research methods. AAVS empowers sanctuaries around the world to rescue these animals and give them excellent lifetime care.
Luke Klein
President
P.S. Zeb will spend his days in the forest with a community of other rescued chimpanzees. Will you make a gift today to extend this opportunity to more chimps in need?