Proposed Rule Grants Protection to Captive Chimps

The US Fish and Wildlife Service recently issued a proposed rule that will grant captive chimps the same sanctions of safety that wild chimps currently have. Under current federal regulations, chimps in captivity can be used for experimentation and entertainment or are subject to the pet trade due to a “split-listing” classification that prevents them from enjoying the same protective measures as wild primates. The campaign to put all chimps on equal protective footing was spearheaded by animal-welfare groups such as The Humane Society of the United States, the Jane Goodall Institute, and the Wildlife Conservation Society, and received the support of thousands of congressmen and women, scientists, and members of the general public.