Our commitment to ex-lab chimpanzees
Learning to live step by step
Project: Our commitment to ex-lab chimpanzees
Because of their genetic similarity to humans, the chimpanzees were captured as babies in their homeland and brought to Austria. In the service of research, they were kept in isolation for 20 years without knowing their conspecifics or feeling the sun. In cramped laboratory cages, they had to be available for animal experiments instead.
The animals have been in the care of Gut Aiderbichl since 2009. For the planning and the implementation of the monkey sanctuary, the expertise of leading primatologists and veterinarians was sought. In this way, Gut Aiderbichl can guarantee the traumatized chimpanzees the best possible accommodation and accompany them step by step back to a regular life.
Help and give the chimpanzees back a piece of the life that was taken from them in such a cruel way.
Our project at a glance
Our commitment to ex-lab chimpanzees
Baseline:
- Chimpanzees were kept in a research environment for 20 years for animal testing.
- The chimpanzees were infected with diseases such as HIV and hepatitis.
- Cramped laboratory cages and social isolation make a species-appropriate life impossible.
Target:
- Trauma coping.
- Resocialization of the apes: Accompaniment towards a regular chimpanzee life.
- Through public relations: raising awareness of the horror of animal testing.
Our work:
- 2009: Takeover of the former safari park in Gänserndorf by Gut Aiderbichl and foundation of the Gut Aiderbichl Monkey Sanctuary.
- 2011: Opening of a 2,000 square meter outdoor enclosure.
- Loving and species-appropriate care of the chimpanzees by Gut Aiderbichl.
Outlook:
- Loving care of the chimpanzees until the natural end of their lives.
- Ensure age-appropriate care for chimpanzees by, for example, rebuilding enclosures.
Dr. Jane Goodall
In 2011, a dream of Gut Aiderbichl founder Michael Aufhauser came true. The former laboratory chimpanzees regained some of their freedom in the form of a large outdoor enclosure. Many of our chimpanzees saw the sunlight or felt the wind on their skin for the first time at this moment. We were able to share this moving moment with Dr. Jane Goodall, a woman who has been working incredibly hard to protect nature and animals for many decades.
Gut Aiderbichl congratulates Dr. Jane Goodall on her 90th birthday!
"The chimpanzees were brought here for us. They had to live in the lab for us for decades. We all benefit from that and with that, we are in their debt."
Renate Foidl, director of the Monkey Refuge
Our project - The whole story
In the service of research
In the 1970s and 1980s, chimpanzees were in high demand for animal experimentation because of their genetic similarity to humans. For research purposes, they were infected with diseases such as HIV and hepatitis. In the lab, the monkeys were completely isolated, with no contact with the outside world or environmental influences. Many of them died in agony. When the experiments on the animals were stopped in 1997, they were finally redeemed. The pharmaceutical company financed a sprawling monkey facility at the Safaripark Gänserndorf near Vienna and paid for the upkeep of the ex-lab monkeys. When the safari park went bankrupt, Gut Aiderbichl took over the facility and the care of the traumatized chimpanzees.
Step by step back to life
Since then, we have been slowly rehabilitating the animals - a process that continues and will never end. The chimpanzees were highly traumatized after being kept in the laboratory, and some of them injured themselves. In addition, they were denied the opportunity to grow up in the natural structure of an ape family. It was only as adults that they had to learn what social interaction means. It was unimaginable that the apes would ever be able to lead a normal chimpanzee life again after such experiences.
In the meantime, most of them can live in a group again and visibly feel comfortable in their new home. However, some of them are still full of mistrust and live rather withdrawn.
The great goal of Gut Aiderbichl was to give the chimpanzees some of their natural freedom back. Dealing with seasons, even sunlight, was completely foreign to them. Since 2011, thanks to the help of many Aiderbichl supporters, they have also had a large outdoor enclosure at their disposal. The opening of the 2,000 square meter outdoor enclosure was an exciting moment for the animals and their keepers. How would the chimpanzees react if they could feel the warmth of sunlight and the wind on their skin for the first time in their lives?
It is about so much more
The support paid by the pharmaceutical company, the State and the federal government over many years ended in 2019 and since then, we have had to bear the costs of several hundred thousand euros per year entirely on our own. This is possible only through the support of our donors, whose help we need so urgently.
Support us with your donation!
With €58
we can take care of a chimpanzee for a day.
With €400
we can take care of a chimpanzee for a week.
With each €
you provide our chimpanzees with food.
If you are a supporter of our chimpanzees, you can also visit the monkey sanctuary!
Guided tours are possible every Saturday from April to the end of October. Start 14:00.
Only with pre-registration at patenschaften@gut-aiderbichl.com
We would like to inform you that the visit will only take place with a minimum number of 7 people. We reserve the right to cancel the visit up to two days in advance in case of too few registrations.
News
Gut Aiderbichl Magazine
You can find out everything you want to know about the animals at Gut Aiderbichl at a glance.
We inform you about current topics and summarise the most important information in our magazine for you to read.
