Most of the ex-laboratory chimpanzees were stolen from the jungle as baby monkeys and had to watch their families being killed. Once they arrived in Austria, they were kept in an experimental laboratory for 30 years, without contact with other apes in a very small space. Animal experiments on great apes have been banned in Austria since 1997. Since then, the chimpanzees have been reclaiming their lives. The management and care of the animals was handed over to the safari park in Gänserndorf, which finally went bankrupt in 2004. At that time, their fate was uncertain. In 2009, they were taken over by Gut Aiderbichl from a bankruptcy estate and have been under our protection ever since. Ingrid became a very reserved chimpanzee during research. For a very long time, she did not even allow herself to be touched by her fellow chimpanzees. She now loves to play and loves to laugh. She is still rather reserved and moody, and it takes her a long time to build up trust. Ingrid loves to use tools and is incredibly patient and persistent. When she is insecure, she retreats to the highest place in the living room. She doesn't want to see or hear anyone. That's why outdoor enclosures are so important. When she feels the air and the sun, Ingrid is sure to come full circle. In a way, she can go back to when she was still a child and lived with her mother.
