Chimp Sees the Sky For the First Time After Being Held Captive

Due to funding issues, Wildlife Waystation had to shut in 2019.

The Los Angeles sanctuary's 42 chimpanzees have been dispersed to new homes around the United States thanks to

the efforts of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Finding suitable housing for chimpanzees, however, proved difficult.

Vanilla, one of the seven chimps that got a second chance,

now lives in a shelter in Florida with her new best buddies Ernest, Jeff, Magic, and Shake.

Before being exposed to bigger groups, all new chimpanzees must first complete a quarantine period.

Vanilla, now 28 years old, spent her whole existence confined in a cage and never got to gaze at the stars.

Her top-down cage prevented her from seeing the sky when she arrived to the refuge in 1995.

She waited to act until Dwight, the group's dominant guy, asked her outside.

A touching video was recorded at the sanctuary of Vanilla running into Dwight's arms when she had finally seen the sky for the first time.