We’ve come to expect an influx of retired individuals to the Treasure Coast. It’s a pleasant spot with great weather and fine services, a perfect place to retire. Now the area’s appeal has expanded and includes a large and growing group of individuals who have retired from the Air Force, the medical profession and the entertainment industry. The difference is that these retirees are chimpanzees. Thanks to Save the Chimps, a not-for-profit organization headed up by noted anthropologists and primatologists, these brave primates who risked their lives for the sake of mankind now get their deserved day in the sun – literally.
The sad saga of these captive chimps does have a happy ending. The story began about 50 years ago when the Air Force started its space program experiments. Chimpanzees were the perfect candidates for testing; their genetic makeup is 98.5 percent identical to humans.
Read the entire article in the January 2004 issue
True Tails is a series written by Amy Robinson for Vero Beach’s dog lovers. Ask Amy about your dog’s behavior by clicking below.
Facebook Comments