Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

Archives for March 2015

Happy Birthday, Vicki!

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Today’s day of sanctuary was sponsored by Vicki Hadley! Today happens to be Vicki’s birthday and as a gift to herself, she chose to make a difference in the chimpanzees’ lives.

We are profoundly grateful that the chimpanzees are surrounded by so much love. It is an immense gift for them to be happy, healthy, and safe in their sanctuary home. Vicki, thank you so much for celebrating your special day with so much compassion and generosity! From all of us at CSNW, we wish you the best birthday yet and hope it’s full of all the people and things you love most!

Missy getting to do one of the things she loves most:

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Winter’s morning light

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Our days here at the sanctuary couldn’t be sunnier or brighter. But Lady Winter is still reminding us she’s around for a little while longer with some extra cold temperatures during the night this week. If the temperature is predicted to drop below 20 degrees, we close off the greenhouse before we leave at night just to help conserve heat in the chimp house. With the mild winter we’ve been experiencing we haven’t had to close it very often this year, but this week has been in the teens at night. The chimpanzees wouldn’t be out there in such temperatures anyway, but this morning when we opened it up again during breakfast they were particularly excited.

The door to Young’s Hill was already open for them and the chimps decided to take their chow bags to go after breakfast and raced outside into the chilly morning. Well, Negra wasn’t about to race outside, but she did run up and peek out the door with a hopeful look on her face so it was a bit like our version of Groundhog’s Day, Negra style. Everyone else quickly came back and chose to sit in the raceway to Young’s Hill together where they could enjoy their chow with the sun on their faces.

This is often a favorite spot of Negra’s where she can luxuriate in the morning sun streaming into the greenhouse and this morning she seemed particularly happy:

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Annie looked so serene as she enjoyed the sun coming up over Young’s Hill and spilling into the raceway:

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Foxie:

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And Jody:

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Jody was one of the first onto the hill and enjoyed the sun on her shoulders and the view of the valley as she ate her chow:

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Today is in memory of George Hendry

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Today’s day of sanctuary was sponsored by Pat Cattolico, in memory of her father, George S. Hendry. Pat is a long-time supporter and friend of the chimpanzees and shared the following message: “This day is in memory of my Dad. He loved and respected animals, and I learned that from him.” 

Pat, thank you so much for all that you do to contribute to the chimpanzees’ lives. Your support and dedication to their well-being means so much to us. What a wonderful gift of compassion your Dad shared with you and we are honored that you would share your special memories of him with the chimpanzees today.

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Thinking inside the box

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Last night, volunteers, interns, and primate behavior students from Central Washington University got together to make some enrichment for the chimps. Their club is Primate Awareness Network—if you’ve been following the blog for awhile, that might sound a little familiar to you—they’ve hosted talks by CSNW staff during their annual spring speaker series several times.

We are so appreciative that they spent some time putting together boxes for the chimps, with nuts hidden in paper inside. The chimps seemed to enjoy their fun forage!


Annie:

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Jamie:

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Jody:

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Negra:

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After Missy went through a couple of boxes, she surveyed the situation to see if anything else was up for grabs:

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Today is in memory of Leonard Nimoy

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Today’s day of sanctuary was sponsored by Eric Dodge in memory of Leonard Nimoy. Eric has been a long time supporter of chimpanzees and a friend to the Cle Elum 7 for many years. And today he wanted to make a difference for them while honoring the many contributions of Mr. Nimoy.

As many of you are probably aware, Leonard Nimoy, perhaps best known for his role as Spock on “Star Trek,” passed away on February 27th. As an actor, director, writer, musician and artist, Mr. Nimoy leaves a lifetime of accomplishment in the arts and humanities and used his position from a creative, progressive and inclusive standpoint, often at a time when social issues were not directly addressed.

In honoring Leonard Nimoy’s many contributions in life, Eric also aptly noted the worldwide appeal of his character, Spock, to so many of us who struggle to fit into our communities. This brings to mind the chimpanzees who, having been raised in captivity, in some cases to include human homes, often find themselves struggling with a cultural identity of their own.

While nothing replaces the natural lives the chimpanzees were meant to live with their families, we are so grateful that they can now spend their days in a sanctuary all their own, finally getting to call the shots and be loved and cared for as the unique individuals they are. Every day we see how life in sanctuary allows them to more easily integrate their conflicting natures and just be themselves. Whatever that means to each of them.

Eric, thanks so much for thinking of the chimpanzees and continuing to make a difference in their lives!

Jamie:

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Jamie looking over Young’s Hill:

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Jamie, Foxie, and Dora:

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Snacking on Bamboo

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Caregiver Katelyn walked around Young’s Hill with Jamie and Burrito this afternoon, when her and the chimpanzees stopped to look toward the loud cracking sound made further down the hill. Katelyn soon spotted Missy breaking off a branch of bamboo and running back toward the Greenhouse with it in her mouth. Once inside, she broke off a small piece, put it in her mouth and dropped the rest of the branch on the deck. Then she ran inside to the Front Room area. As she ran inside, her dear friend Annie quickly climbed down from the top platform and snatched the bamboo. She brought it back up to the top of the platform and quickly began munching on the leaves. Missy, in the meantime, came running out from the Front Room area without her bamboo. She was able to grab a few small pieces of the original branch that had fallen off and climbed to the top of the platform to join Annie in feasting on the treat.

The area of Young’s Hill where Missy harvested bamboo.
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Annie with the bamboo that Missy brought in from Young’s Hill.
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Missy with her pieces of bamboo after she ran back out to the Greenhouse from the Front Rooms.
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What is the best way to eat bamboo? With your best friend, of course!

To Each Her Own

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Missy and Negra are good friends, but they are opposites in a lot of ways. Missy is petite and athletic; Negra is large and round. Missy is always on the move; Negra is usually napping under a blanket. Missy is social and outgoing; Negra likes her alone time.

Today after lunch Missy headed outside to Young’s Hill for some sprints (Jamie in the background):

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and some time with best friend Annie:

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At the same time, Negra took advantage of the warm, quiet playroom for an afternoon siesta:

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It brings us so much joy to be able to give these chimps the space and freedom to make their own choices, do what they like, and be who they are.