NIH: No more chimp experiments

     NIH will no longer maintain a colony of 50 chimpanzees for research, announced Francis S. Collins, NIH director, in a Nov. 18 news release. The chimps are eligible for retirement. As space is available, they will be placed in the Federal Sanctuary System operated by Chimp Haven in Keithville, Louisiana, the news release explained.
     Experimentation on chimpanzees has been controversial. Chimps and humans differ by approximately 1 percent of DNA, according to the Jane Goodall Institute of Canada. The website explains: “Some have proposed including chimpanzees (genus Pan) in the same genus as human beings (genus Homo) to recognize these similarities, calling them Homo troglodytes.” (A troglodyte is defined by Webster’s Dictionary as “a member of a primitive people dwelling in caves.”) 
     The website points out that chimps use memory “when finding fruit according to what season it is.” Some learn American Sign Language. And chimps also have a concept of self, according to the website, “which refers to an individual’s perception of their being in relation to others. An interesting test that is often used is to see if an animal recognizes themselves in mirrors – chimps can do this, while most other animals cannot.”
     Two years ago, NIH reduced the use of chimpanzees in biomedical research. Since then, it has become tougher to use chimps in scientific research. Earlier this year, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service designated captive chimpanzees as endangered. (Wild chimpanzees were already considered endangered.)
     That designation requires researchers to apply for a permit to use captive chimpanzees in research if it could harm the animal. Permits will be issued "only for scientific purposes to benefit wild chimpanzees or to enhance the propagation or survival of chimpanzees, including habitat restoration and research on chimpanzees in the wild that contributes to improved management and recovery," according to the Fish and Wildlife Service website.
     “Up to this point, we are not aware of any permits that have been sought for this purpose,” Collins said.
     But the NIH news release notes that research on other nonhuman primates will continue.
     The group PETA– People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals – had long campaigned to end experimentation on chimpanzees and characterized the NIH decision as a victory.

     Related:

     Wildlife rebounding in Chernobyl area

If you would like to comment, give us a shout, or like us on Facebook and tell us what you think.