Retired lab chimps move to a sanctuary near Seattle â but it s not easy
Gordo s fur stands on end, and he makes a scared chimp sound.
A human he doesnât recognize is holding a big microphone close to his enclosure. He s nervous.
Chimp Sanctuary Northwestâs co-director Diana Goodrich reassures him. Itâs okay. Youâre fine, Goodrich says. See â you can come down and say hi.
Gordo, like all the chimpanzees who live at the chimp sanctuary in Cle Elum, about 90 minutes east of Seattle, was once used in biomedical research â including to test hepatitis vaccines. Some of the females here were bred to produce more chimps to be used in research.