WASHINGTON — The Fish and Wildlife Service says it wants to protect chimpanzees as endangered both in captivity and in the wild. The action could affect the use of chimpanzees in medical research.
A plan announced Tuesday would do away with a “split listing” that has labeled wild chimps as endangered but those in captivity as threatened, a status that offers less protection. The agency said that if made final, the proposal would require a permit to use chimps in medical research. Interstate sales of chimps also would require a permit. About 2,000 chimps are held in captivity in the United States.
The agency said it will work with the National Institutes of Health and zoos to consider implications of the new listing.
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