Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

Archives for June 2016

Year Seven

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Continuing the trip down memory lane in celebration of the sanctuary’s 8th anniversary, today is all about the Cle Elum Seven’s seventh year of sanctuary.

The seventh year of sanctuary would include moving the veterinary clinic under the newly constructed pole barn…

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…adding a new climbing structure to Young’s Hill. It would be the tallest structure built on the hill to date. It is comprised of two climbing towers (Carlene’s Tower and Jamie’s Lookout), which are connected by a swinging bridge…

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Jamie’s Lookout
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Carlene’s Tower
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…and perhaps one of the biggest highlights of the seventh year of sanctuary has been the addition of Positive Reinforcement Training (click on the link to read JB’s description of PRT at the sanctuary.) I think Diana summed it up the best; “Our ultimate goal with this program is to give the chimps the opportunity to participate in their own medical care, and to make it a positive experience for them.” The information gained from these training sessions is critical to providing the best care possible for the chimps.

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Click on the link to read more about Negra’s progress in the PRT program.
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The chimps also had some new visitors on Young’s Hill this year, including Hank the Hawk and Bernard the Eagle.

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And here are some more highlights from the seventh year of sanctuary.

Thanks to the handy work (destruction) of whom we can only guess was responsible (most likely Jamie), the chimps got a new and improved bridge in the Playroom.

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Foxie flips

Jamie enjoys Young’s Hill after hours.
Content Jamie

Burrito doing what he does best, being a big kid.

And Jody doing what she loves, foraging for plants on Young’s Hill.
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Annie’s increased independence.
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Year Six

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Continuing the trip down memory lane in celebration of the sanctuary’s 8th anniversary,  today is all about the Cle Elum Seven’s sixth year of sanctuary. 

After the harrowing experience of the Taylor Bridge Fire in the late summer of 2012, our thoughts continued to turn towards safety and security. We put the finishing touches on the mobile veterinary clinic to be used for emergencies and planned procedures and we installed a back-up generator that powers the chimp house as soon as the power goes off.

These important safety measures were possible because of generous contributions from friends of the Cle Elum Seven near and far. Everything that happens at the sanctuary is possible because of donations! That includes really important life-or-death measures as well as the addition of things that enrich the chimpanzees’ existence, and in turn all of our lives. For year six that, of course, included:

Foxie’s troll dolls:

Troll doll whispering to Foxie

 

Burrito’s wooden toys:

burrito with wooden car

Jody’s blankets:

Jody hold blanket in greenhouse through glass by JB's iphone

 

Negra’s peanuts:

Negra holding peanut

 

Jamie’s (many) boots:

jamie with boot

 

Annie’s natural lipstick:

Annie carrying beets

Annie with beet lips

 

And Missy’s access to as many adventures as she can manage in a day:

Missy leap

 

With the passing years, we have been faced with the loss of friends and fans of the chimpanzees. A particularly difficult loss in year six was that of Dr. Mel Richardson, who was the chimpanzees’ first veterinarian and an important voice for animals everywhere.

In Memory of Dr. Mel Richardson

We now have the Dr. Mel Memorial Walkway at the top of Young’s Hill where anyone can honor a loved on or create a stone for themselves to be placed in one of the most peaceful spots on the sanctuary grounds.

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Year Five

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In celebration of CSNW’s 8th Anniversary, we are taking a trip down memory lane. Today we look back on the chimpanzees’ fifth year at the sanctuary.

Year Five was exciting, to say the least.

burned troll doll

On August 13th, 2012, a wildfire erupted less than a mile from the sanctuary. It went on to destroy 60 homes and over 36 square miles of land. In the process, it nearly destroyed the sanctuary.

The story of the fire, part 4

Thanks to the incredible bravery and dedication of local volunteer firefighters, DNR helicopter pilots, and many other emergency personnel, the chimps were kept safe. The fire burned half of Young’s Hill and damaged the sanctuary residence, but we were able to bounce back quickly with the help of supporters from around the world.

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bedroom side of caregiver house burned by fire

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With the fire behind us, we built a new structure on the hill just for Negra – her very own “cabin” that would shelter her from the wind and rain and help her adjust to life in the great outdoors. Some chimps just need a little more help than others.

Negra in her cabin!

And the chimps never skipped a beat – they went right back to making art, fighting off enemy horses, and napping, as if nothing had ever happened.

Jamie’s artistic side

Chimps vs Horses

How sleepy is Negra?

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Year Four

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In celebration of CSNW’s 8th Anniversary, we are taking a trip down memory lane. Today we look back on the chimpanzees’ fourth year at the sanctuary.

By the beginning of Year Four, we had a long-standing dream of expanding the sanctuary and giving the chimpanzees a spacious, open-air outdoor habitat, unlike anything they had experienced in their lives.

Young's Hill – The Dream from Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest on Vimeo.

By the summer of 2011, thanks to help from supporters Karen and Don Young and so many others, Young’s Hill was nearing completion.

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The chimpanzees were able to watch the construction from the greenhouse, but it’s hard to say what they thought of it. We hoped that they knew it was for them. They were certainly curious.

As the big day approached, we all tried to predict how the chimps would react to the door to Young’s Hill being opened for the first time.

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For most of them, this would be the first time in their long lives that they would feel grass under their feet and have an unimpeded view of the sky above. We guessed that they would probably be too apprehensive to stay outside for long on the first day, and that some of them would likely be too afraid to venture out at all.

We should have known not to underestimate them.

On the day that the door to Young’s Hill was opened for the first time, all of the chimpanzees showed astonishing courage by stepping eagerly into the great unknown. Watch video of their exhilarating first moments outside. It was an emotional day for the chimps and for all the humans who love them.

The opening of Young’s Hill set off a series of firsts for the chimpanzees that year. It was the first time they were sharing a habitat with other creatures, and they had to deal with a lot of strange noises.

Having lived in indoor or partially-indoor enclosures for their entire lives, they had never fully experienced weather or seasons. On Young’s Hill they encountered sun, wind, rain, and snow.

Despite their burst of courage and adventurousness on the first day, not everyone felt immediately at home outside. We saw the more confident chimps support and encourage the more hesitant individuals.

We all got chills seeing the chimps behave like a wild troop for the first time, now that they had a territory to patrol.

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And we continued to be amazed as they stretched their legs and their horizons.

Today is for David!

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Our third generous sponsor for today is Jeanette Gann whose gift is in honor of David Gann! Jeanette, thank you so much for thinking of the chimpanzees as you honor David today! This is such a compassionate gift and we are grateful for the difference you make in the chimps’ lives, helping to ensure that all their days are ones of peace, serenity, joy and love. And your gift comes at such an important time when you are not only helping to guarantee a home of sanctuary for these seven amazing chimpanzees, but for other chimpanzees in need who are awaiting their new life in sanctuary.

David, we hope your day is filled with all the good things, just as you’ve helped provide for the chimpanzees today! Have an amazing day!!

This wonderful guy, Burrito:

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Thank you, Birgit!

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We are so fortunate to have THREE Sponsor-a-Day gifts  today! Our second sponsor for this wonderful day is Birgit Neher! It’s amazing to think of people from entirely different corners of the world all thinking of the chimpanzees and wishing to make a difference in their lives as they honor a special time or person in their own lives. Especially on the same day. There is so much beauty and inspiration in that.

Birgit, thank you so much for holding the chimpanzees in your heart! All of us here at CSNW hope this day is filled with the love, joy and comfort you help to ensure their lives are filled with every day. We are truly grateful to you for thinking of the chimps today and giving them a life of sanctuary, inside and out.

Foxie and Kate:

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Annie:

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Jamie:

Jamie beautiful