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· collected 2026-09-05 · by Prisha Patnaik
Veterinary teams at Humane World for Animals' Second Chance Chimpanzee Refuge in Liberia have conducted comprehensive health checks on over 60 chimpanzees previously used in hepatitis B vaccine experiments, including dental checks, X-rays, blood tests, and nail trimming. The animals, typically between 30 and 35 years old, were subjected to invasive procedures during research from the 1970s to early 2000s and are now living on mangrove-covered islands at the sanctuary. Over 400 chimpanzees were used in total by American researchers in Liberia during this period. The health checks aim to provide individual care plans for each animal as they age, with some physical and behavioral effects of the experiments still apparent in the animals.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-06,
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No political leaning scored for article 5035 · logged 2026-09-06
Chimpanzees once used in hepatitis B vaccine experiments have undergone comprehensive health checks at a sanctuary in Liberia as part of long-term care aimed at giving the animals a chance to live out their lives in safety.
asserted
Chimpanzees → use → safety
The West African chimpanzees were examined at Humane World for Animals' Second Chance Chimpanzee Refuge in central Liberia, where veterinary teams carried out procedures including dental checks, X-rays, blood tests and nail trimming, sanctuary director Liliana Pacheco Ricote told The Associated Press.
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Ricote → examine → Press
More than 400 chimpanzees were used by American researchers in hepatitis B vaccine experiments in Liberia from the 1970s until the early 2000s, Ricote said.
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Ricote → use → 2000s
Many had been captured from the wild as infants and subjected to invasive procedures during the research.
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Many → capture → research
Humane World for Animals said it assumed permanent responsibility in 2015 for the 60 chimpanzees that remained after the research programme ended.
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programme → say → chimpanzees
The animals now live mainly on a group of mangrove-covered islands at the sanctuary.
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animals → live → sanctuary
The latest examinations were conducted under anaesthesia and were designed to provide a head-to-toe assessment of the chimpanzees' health, identify early signs of disease and help veterinarians develop individual care plans as the animals age, the organisation said.
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organisation → conduct → plans
The checks included examinations of the teeth, heart, lungs and nervous system, along with blood tests.
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checks → include → tests
The chimpanzees also received booster vaccinations and nail trims, with plans to examine the remaining animals.
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chimpanzees → receive → animals
"The health checks are a vital part of caring for these chimpanzees who have been through so much," said Belen Perez Hernando, the sanctuary's veterinarian.
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Hernando → care → much
The full findings from the latest assessments are still being compiled, so the long-term effects of their time in research remain unclear.
uncertain
effects → compile → research
Ricote said the physical and behavioural effects of the experiments were nevertheless still apparent in some of the animals.
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effects → say → animals
"They were used in very invasive research ... (and) went through a lot of experiments and pain," she said.
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she → use → experiments
Liberia has the second-largest population of chimpanzees in West Africa after Guinea.
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Liberia → have → Guinea
West African chimpanzees are classified as critically endangered as their numbers continue to decline.
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numbers → classify → ?
For the sanctuary, the health programme is part of an effort to provide the former research animals with specialised care for the rest of their lives.
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programme → provide → lives
"Seeing how much they hurt about what we've done, it gives me a lot of pleasure ... to give them this second chance to live with dignity the life that they deserve," Ricote said.
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Ricote → see → that
