THIS is the secret African island inhabited by territorial chimps all freed from a US testing laboratory.

The apes -who are infected with contagious diseases- were abandoned on the Liberian river island after being released by their captors.

11 The territorial chimps become aggressive when strangers approach their island Credit: AFP or licensors

The jungle wilderness - known to locals as ‘Monkey Island’ - is now home to more than 60 chimps who are notoriously protective of its shores.

Many of the animals are said to be territorial and those living nearby are terrified to go there for fear of being attacked.

Only a select few locals - who regularly take the apes much-needed food - dare approach the real life 'Planet of the Apes' and, even then, most never get out of their boats.

Tourists who have paid local fishermen to take them near the island - on the Farmington River - are pelted with mangoes by the chimps.

11 Those living nearby fear they will be eaten by the chimps if they go near them Credit: Alamy

11 Only those who regularly take the chimps food are allowed near them Credit: Alamy

11 Tourists that get too close to the island say they are pelted with mangoes Credit: Alamy

11

To some, the apes even have a monster-like reputation and have sparked bizarre rumours they will attack and even EAT those who set foot on the land.

“They will eat you raw!” one villager warned when a journalist asked to be taken to see the apes on their island home.

And those that guard the apes - to protect them and others - are quick to warn strangers to stay well away.

“If you are a strange person when you go there, they become aggressive,” said Jerry, who also lives nearby.

11 All the apes on 'Monkey Island' are infected with contagious diseases Credit: Alamy

11 The jungle wilderness is known to locals in Liberia as ‘Monkey Island’ Credit: Alamy

11 All the apes were released from a US vaccination testing laboratory Credit: Getty - Contributor

“But the only thing, the chimps, they are afraid of water. They don’t swim across. They just walk at the water edge.”

The chimps were all experimented on at a controversial virus testing laboratory (Vilab) set up by the New York Blood Center (NYBC) in Liberia in 1974.

They were infected with diseases like hepatitis and ‘river blindness’ to help scientists develop vaccines to be used on sick humans.

After more than 40 years of experiments, NYBC ended it’s Liberian project following a campaign by animal activists and the chimps were left on the island with little natural food or water.

11 The New York Blood Center agreed to care for the chimps following campaigns by animal rights groups Credit: Alamy

11 The chimps' island home does not have enough food and water to keep them alive Credit: Alamy

11 The apes nearly starved to death during the ebola epidemic in Liberia in 2014 Credit: EPA

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Their originals carers, many of whom have worked with the chimps since the 1970s, were paid to take them food and water every other day.

Then, at the height of the Ebola epidemic in 2014, the caretakers stopped going to the island and the apes began to starve.

In 2015, the Humane Society decided to take on the care of the chimps and in 2017 the NYBC pledged £5million to pay for their future food and medical needs.