Woman Wonders If The Chimp She Cared For Still Remembers Her 18 Years Later

Back in 1974, a group of chimpanzees were released from the cages of a hepatitis research laboratory, writes ilovemydogsomuch

They had spent 6 years as test subjects for possible drugs, but the lab didn’t need them anymore as a vaccine had already been found. The chimps were set free in a preserve in southern Florida, but the poor creatures had no idea how to behave in the wild.

For days, the confused chimpanzees tried to touch the grass and feel the breeze, but they all clambered back to huddle up in their cages out of fear. That’s when 23-year-old Linda Koebner came into the picture. The animal behaviorist became the caretaker for these traumatized chimps.

Linda stayed with the chimps for 6 years and helped them transition into the wild. When her work was done, she knew she had to move on and work with other abused chimpanzees. She eventually founded her own chimp sanctuary in Louisiana, and dedicated her life to these amazing animals.

In this breathtaking video, we see Linda returning to the Florida sanctuary after 25 long years. It has been 18 years since she last saw the chimpanzees she had helped, and she wonders if the chimps she cared for still remember her. She immediately spots Doll and Swing, 2 of her favorite chimps, and reaches out to them like an old friend.

The moment Linda says, “Do you remember me?”, Swing’s face lights up with a huge smile. Soon, Doll also crawls in to embrace her favorite human, and the trio get blissfully lost in a series of hugs! What a precious reunion! Chimpanzees are such kind, noble and magnificent beings, and they all deserve to live in dignity.

Click the video below to watch Linda’s emotionally charged reunion with the chimpanzees after 18 years.