Archives for April 15, 2011

The other night, J.B. gave a talk at Central Washington University about the changes we have seen in the Cle Elum Seven since they arrived from the lab in Pennsylvania almost 3 years ago. It’s amazing to think about how far the ghostly beings that arrived here have come since the start of their sanctuary life. J.B.’s talk focused mostly on Burrito, Negra, and Foxie, however, Annie is another great example of how sanctuary can pull someone out of their shell. As J.B. mentioned back in January, Annie used to never play with anyone other than Missy, but lately she’s been playing with other folks more frequently, including her human friends. Connie, who is training to be a volunteer caregiver, got her very first hand tickle the other day– and guess who it was from- Annie! Every time I think about Negra being playful and more extroverted than usual, or Burrito hanging out in the greenhouse, or Foxie nesting with blankets, or Annie playing with new friends, I just have to smile from ear to ear at the testimony that is to sanctuary life. It’s such a joy to watch these chimps change- and to think about what’s to come!