Ft. Pierce Save the Chimps sanctuary opens for rare viewing

FT. PIERCE, Fla. -- Usually walled off from the outside world, this weekend the public gets a rare glimpse inside the Save the Chimps sanctuary and the lives of these chimpanzees.

"There are 274 here. They are each different. Some are rambunctious, some are mellow, some are jealous, some are charming, but they are all amazing" said Triana Romero, Save the Chimps.

Only a select few will experience the deafening scream of chimps like Thoto, who in the circus was castrated and had his teeth extracted, then tossed for 20 years into biomedical research testing.

Now, Thoto lives in the Save the Chimps Sanctuary in western Fort Pierce. He still suffers post traumatic stress and rocks back and forth to calm himself.

"The majority of our chimps were rescued from a biomedical research laboratory in New Mexico, and most of them lived in 5 by 5 by 7 feet concrete cages for decades. Here they live in large family groups of up to 26 members and they get to roam 3 to 5 acre islands all day long," said Romero.

The retired chimps live 40-to-60 years, and some are enormous, weighing up to 170 pounds. They are estimated to be four to seven times stronger than an adult human male.

No one from the public is allowed here, not once in history. But this weekend 300 donors will get VIP tours. It's an annual fundraiser with online registration, so you too can get up close and personal.

The minimum donation is $50 and the spots for this year's event are all taken. But you can register online for the next year's VIP tour.