Chimp Haven, Chimpanzee sanctuary in Shreveport, US

Chimp Haven is a 200-acre sanctuary in Eddie D. Jones Nature Park in Keithville, Louisiana, about 22 miles southwest of Shreveport. It houses more than 300 chimpanzees retired from laboratory research, living in large, bonded social groups where they climb trees and choose how to spend their days.

The sanctuary was founded following a federal law from 2000 that required the government to care for chimpanzees no longer used in research. Since then, Chimp Haven has grown into the country's largest federally supported refuge for former laboratory chimpanzees.

Chimp Haven's public education programs include Chimpanzee Discovery Days and Chimp Chat & Chew, which introduce visitors to the endangered primates and to conservation in the wild and protection in captivity. The sanctuary also hosts veterinary, behavioral, animal care and organizational development interns throughout the year.

Chimp Haven occupies 200 wooded acres inside Eddie D. Jones Nature Park in Keithville, about 22 miles southwest of Shreveport. Public access is through scheduled programs such as Chimpanzee Discovery Days and Chimp Chat & Chew, so check dates before travelling. The site also takes veterinary, behavioral and animal-care interns during the year.

Every chimpanzee at Chimp Haven has a name and an individual profile kept by the care team, who know each animal's habits and preferences. When a new chimpanzee arrives from a laboratory, it is slowly introduced to others so that social bonds can form naturally.