# nice footage: lab chimps seeing sunlight for the first time **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 8, 2011, 10:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nice-footage-lab-chimps-seeing-sunlight-for-the-first-time/595602 "2011-09-08T10:40:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Biffer\_Spice\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7ea924/32.png) [@Biffer\_Spice\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffer_Spice_1)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2011, 10:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nice-footage-lab-chimps-seeing-sunlight-for-the-first-time/595602/1 "2011-09-08T10:40:19Z")
> **[Lab Chimps Laugh And Hug At Taste Of Freedom](https://uk.news.yahoo.com/lab-chimps-laugh-hug-taste-freedom-162813744.html)** > > The emotional moment a group of chimpanzees saw daylight for the first time after being kept in a laboratory for their whole lives has been caught on film. 🙂 made me smile - hope it’s not been posted on here before. ---
**Author:** ![thirdname](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@thirdname](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thirdname)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2011, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nice-footage-lab-chimps-seeing-sunlight-for-the-first-time/595602/2 "2011-09-08T12:02:32Z")
I didn’t get any sound. If they didn’t have sound, they should have added Also Sprach Zarathustra as a soundtrack. ---
**Author:** ![6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/6/e19adc/32.png) [@6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2011, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nice-footage-lab-chimps-seeing-sunlight-for-the-first-time/595602/3 "2011-09-08T12:12:48Z")
_“… **They were rescued in 1997** after the pharmaceutical company behind the research was sold and taken to a farm where keepers have since tried to reintroduce them to the outside world. **It is only now that experts felt the time was right and the chimps were ready to experience fresh air**.”_ _WTF_? So, what…they’re 14 years into their rescue, and they’re only _now_ seeing sunlight? I dunno, **Biffer\_Spice**. NOTHING about this story made me smile. The chimps look confused and fearful to me. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2011, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nice-footage-lab-chimps-seeing-sunlight-for-the-first-time/595602/4 "2011-09-08T13:03:32Z")
> [@6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast](#): > > - The chimps look confused and fearful to me. I wonder if the smiles and hugs were threat displays. ---
**Author:** ![shijinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@shijinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shijinn)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2011, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nice-footage-lab-chimps-seeing-sunlight-for-the-first-time/595602/5 "2011-09-08T15:22:17Z")
14 years… that’s almost half their average lifespan in the wild. what kind of rescue is that? did they think those were vampire chimps? ---
**Author:** ![6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/6/e19adc/32.png) [@6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2011, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nice-footage-lab-chimps-seeing-sunlight-for-the-first-time/595602/6 "2011-09-10T06:56:56Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > I wonder if the smiles and hugs were threat displays. A chimp’s “play face” consists of jutting out its chin, showing its lower teeth, and grunting - none of which is seen here. That “smile” to which you refer - the baring of teeth - isn’t a sign of pleasure. It’s one of fear, and I’m sure if the video had audio, we would be able the hear the accompanying high pitched sounds. The hugging is more likely for comfort and reassurance than “joy”. ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2011, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nice-footage-lab-chimps-seeing-sunlight-for-the-first-time/595602/7 "2011-09-11T23:34:40Z")
> [@6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast](#): > > So, what..they’re 14 years into their rescue, and they’re only _now_ seeing sunlight? > . The video might be old (dating back from, say, 1998) ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nice-footage-lab-chimps-seeing-sunlight-for-the-first-time/595602/8 "2011-09-12T04:01:21Z")
Interesting that they were ‘taken to a farm’ yet this was their first time in the ‘fresh air’. I call shenanigans.