The Aporia · 'Second chance': Chimps used in hepatitis B experiments get comprehensive health checks in Liberia

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 locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-06, using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the same event (that is the story summary below).

Story summary

More than 400 West African chimpanzees were used in hepatitis B vaccine experiments in Liberia from the 1970s until the early 2000s by American researchers. The chimps had been captured from the wild as infants and subjected to invasive procedures during the research. After the program ended, 60 chimpanzees remained, which were later taken over by Humane World for Animals in 2015. These remaining chimps now live on a group of mangrove-covered islands at the sanctuary's Second Chance Chimpanzee Refuge in central Liberia. Recently, the chimps underwent comprehensive health checks, including dental exams, X-rays, blood tests, and nail trimming, as part of their long-term care to ensure they can live out their lives safely. The examinations were conducted under anesthesia and aimed to identify early signs of disease and help provide a head-to-toe assessment of the chimps' health.

Written for “Primate Health Check Ups” on 2026-10-21, grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.

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Prisha Patnaik

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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. asserted

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. asserted

Ricote → use → 2000s

Many had been captured from the wild as infants and subjected to invasive procedures during the research. asserted

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. asserted

programme → say → chimpanzees

The animals now live mainly on a group of mangrove-covered islands at the sanctuary. asserted

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. asserted

organisation → conduct → plans

The checks included examinations of the teeth, heart, lungs and nervous system, along with blood tests. asserted

checks → include → tests

The chimpanzees also received booster vaccinations and nail trims, with plans to examine the remaining animals. asserted

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. asserted

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. asserted

effects → say → animals

"They were used in very invasive research ... (and) went through a lot of experiments and pain," she said. asserted

she → use → experiments

Liberia has the second-largest population of chimpanzees in West Africa after Guinea. asserted

Liberia → have → Guinea

West African chimpanzees are classified as critically endangered as their numbers continue to decline. asserted

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. asserted

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. asserted

Ricote → see → that

'Second chance': Chimps used in hepatitis B experiments get comprehensive health checks in Liberia

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