After spending a staggering 28 years in captivity, Vanilla, a 28-year-old chimpanzee, had a remarkable encounter with the sky. Released from her newly built enclosure in Florida, Vanilla embarked on a breathtaking journey, witnessing a brand new and unfamiliar scenery. As she stepped outside, she received a heartwarming hug from Dwight, a fellow chimpanzee. Vanilla’s early years were spent confined in small cages within a now-defunct research lab in New York. Following her time at the lab, she was transferred to a California sanctuary, where her existence was limited to a chain-link fence enclosure, devoid of grass and any enriching environment
