Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest
Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary
If you’re having a bad day, this should make you feel better:
Amazingly, this is only the second best video of chimps holding hands that you will see this week. If you haven’t yet, check out this story about Terry and Jeannie from our friends at Save the Chimps.
Today’s day of sanctuary was sponsored by Jennifer Humphreys in honor of her family, “Team Humphreys,” and her mom, Carol Humphreys, on her birthday! Jennifer is a former volunteer with CSNW and we so appreciate her continued support of the chimps! She shared this message about today:
“Celebrating my mom’s birthday again, with my parents Carol and Jan, and siblings Kelli, Elizabeth, Heather, Geoff, Greg, Brian, and Kyle.”
Jennifer, thank you to you and your family for continuing to remember the chimpanzees and including them in your family celebrations! We so appreciate the difference your compassion and generosity make in their lives.
And Carol, we wish you the happiest of birthdays filled with all that you love! Have a beautiful day of celebration, Jamie-style! 😉
Chimpanzees spend a lot of time grooming one another. You might think they have a pressing interest in cleanliness, but grooming is less about hygiene and more about strengthening social ties. Chimpanzees groom to make up after a fight, to build new relationships, or just to catch up with old friends. One evolutionary psychologist has hypothesized that chimpanzee grooming is the equivalent of human gossip. It allows individuals to build and reinforce social networks, and gain social capital. And of course, it just feels good to spend time with friends.
Today’s day of sanctuary was sponsored by Jodi Watson in honor of Kirby Watson for his 50th birthday! Jodi shared this really special message about Kirby:
“He’s the love of my life, and I admire him, and I hope he has another 50 years with me on this earth.”
Jodi, reading your message we are even more touched that you would choose to sponsor a day for the chimpanzees in Kirby’s honor. Thank you so much for thinking of them as you celebrate today.
And Kirby, we hope this is the best birthday yet and that it’s full of all good things! Thanks for sharing your special day with these special chimps. Happy Birthday from all of the primates here at CSNW!!
Best friends, Annie and Missy:
Ellie (as we call her), our local neighborhood wild elk, spends her days roaming up and down the valley where she grew up after losing her mother. During the winter she tends to stay more frequently at the neighboring ranch, but she always makes her way back to the sanctuary in the springtime to hang out.
On one of her first days back after the snow melted she decided to accompany the chimpanzees (everyone except Negra!) and I on a walk around Young’s Hill. The chimpanzees, however, (specifically Jamie and Foxie) weren’t so welcoming of her return and wanted to remind her whose territory she was in. (Be sure to watch until the end when Jody and Missy offer Foxie and her Dora doll reassuring hugs for their bravery).
There are so many options on Young’s Hill first thing in the morning. Some chimpanzees will run, some will explore platforms with companions, some will find ice or bamboo to snack on. If you are Jamie chimpanzee, it’s time to get down to the business of perimeter walks.
Jamie is religious about her Young’s Hill perimeter walks. As the boss, maybe she feels some responsibility to make sure the sanctuary is safe from intruders. But she doesn’t like to go alone. Her preferred walking partners are her caregivers. I can only think of a handful of times we’ve seen her walk by herself or with only other chimps as company. But today, she was desperate to go and couldn’t wait for us caregivers to get our act together, so she tried to recruit Foxie.
