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Kate and Rooney Mara celebrate chimpanzee victory

Written by . Published: June 01 2017

Sisters Kate and Rooney Mara are celebrating after saving a group of chimpanzees in Liberia.


The Maras have been part of a campaign to rescue 60 apes who were abandoned and left to die by the New York Blood Center (NYBC), and they visited the country last year to further publicize the desperate plight of the creatures.

The NYBC used the chimpanzees for invasive research before pulling all funding for their care in March, 2015.

During their Liberia trip last year on behalf of The Humane Society, Kate and Rooney called on officials at the Blood Center to renew their financial obligation to the apes.

A letter signed by the sisters read: "People worldwide have been touched by these animals’ heartbreaking stories, and equally outraged at your irresponsible and inhumane actions. They want to see justice for these chimpanzees who were put though so much, lined your pockets (you reportedly made hundreds of millions of dollars off of research involving the chimpanzees) and did not deserve to be abandoned when you deemed them unprofitable."

Now officials at The Humane Society have reached an agreement with New York Blood Center bosses to care for the animals.

"We are thrilled that HSUS and NYBC have reached an agreement to ensure the lifetime care - including nutritious food and water, medical care, basic shelter, and care facilities - for the more than 60 chimpanzees in Liberia," Kate and Rooney write in a statement.

"Observing these amazing, resilient animals last year was such a gift and we remain committed to HSUS's ambitious plans to create a sanctuary where the chimpanzees' future will never again be filled with uncertainty."

To celebrate the victory, Kate has posted new photos from her trip to Liberia with her sister via Twitter.

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