Save the chimps

The world's largest chimpanzee sanctuary needs your help.  Save the chimps in fort pierce is getting ready to welcome new arrivals who have spent their lives penned up for research and in the entertainment industry.

"This big open space is a lot to get used to," said one employee.

In just a few weeks 10 more chimps will be getting acclimated and it's a process.

She added, "Some of them are brave and they go out and explore every inch of the island, and some it takes a little time."

When a new chimp arrives at this 150 acre sanctuary in Fort Pierce they need to meet all their new friends one by one.  Gradually these caretakers group them into families, they say socially the chimps are just like us.

Triana Romero, with Save the chimps, said, "They laugh, they grieve, they get angry, they're moody, they're fun, they love their families, they hang out with their friends."

This is Boy, he's one of the 10 chimps that will join the 168 that are already here.

Romero said, "He spent most of his time living in a five by five by seven foot suspended concrete cage, and never touched the ground."

A whole new world for Boy, he's in his forties, and now he gets to retire here in sunny Florida on an island designed specifically for chimps.

Another employee said, "What you get back from them, you can tell they care that you care."

Save the Chimps runs on donations.  It costs 15 thousand dollars a year to care for just one chimp.  This sanctuary isn't open to the public, the group says that would defeat their purpose of getting these animals away from it all.  Most live to be 50 years old, so for Boy that means after decades in medical research, he'll get a few years of fun in the sun.

Romero said, "To have the grass and the stars around him, it's magical."

To donate visit www.savethechimps.org