Listen to these two laughing…
Archives for March 2017
A Special Anniversary Message
Arlene and Michael Okun, supporters of Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest for the last several years, are celebrating their anniversary today and have chosen to include sponsoring a day of sanctuary as part of their celebration.
They included this very touching message, which I think everyone should take a moment to read before you head into the rest of your day or your weekend:
We have so much to be thankful for, and as we count our blessings we include CSNW among them. Thank you for the outstanding work that you do. We would like to share our special day with the chimps. We wish them and all of you what I think we all would like: to be well, to feel safe, to feel loved, to have good company, to be happy, and to find joy in every day.
What a beautiful message, Arlene and Michael!
It is what we wish for everyone reading this too. A big happy anniversary to you both!
Case Files, Part 2
Name: Jody
Nicknames: Jo, JoJo
Age: 41
Birthday: Mother’s Day
Role: The Mom/The Manager
Personality: independent, earnest, caring
What She Would Save in a Fire: her chimp family
Likes: comfort, warm greetings, wild plants
Dislikes: tomato seeds, dinosaur and snake toys, disorder
Name: Negra
Nicknames: Neg, Neggie
Age: 43
Birthday: June 13th
Role: The Queen/The Grandma
Personality: regal, imperious, grumpy
What She Would Save in a Fire: her blankets
Likes: peanuts, sunshine, naps
Dislikes: drama, wind, cantaloupe
Sounds of Sanctuary
Chimpanzees are either very quiet, or very loud, and there isn’t a whole lot in between. When things are exciting, they make sure their voices are heard from wall to wall at the sanctuary. The roasted pears for today’s lunch were a cause for a raucous celebration. Here is just a taste of what it sounded like when they got their first glimpse of the delicious meal.
Outdoor Exploration
As a follow up to yesterday’s blog about Missy and Annie’s friendship, I thought I would post this little clip of Missy and Annie entering Young’s Hill together first thing this morning. Annie often starts her Young’s Hill adventures walking bipedal. Maybe it’s an attempt to avoid the wet ground, or maybe it’s just to get a better view of her surroundings. Missy generally keeps all four limbs planted on the ground, that is, until she starts sprinting up the hill at top speed.
On a slightly separate note, while not the best quality photo, I still like this one because it shows the chimpanzees taking full advantage of the different dimensions of Young’s Hill.
Missy on the fire hose tightrope, Annie on the structure to her left, Foxie on the tall platform behind Missy, and just a glimpse of Jody in the bottom left on the ground:
Peas in a pod
Missy and Annie are best friends. Though their individuality (especially Annie’s) comes out more each day and varies in several ways, it’s pretty unusual to see one without the other at least nearby. They will often nest near one another and upon occasion we’ve even found their nests woven together in a figure eight.
But if you know Annie and Missy, you also know that they spend most of their time together on the go. Play faces, laughter and mad games of running, chasing, wrestling, and climbing are the norm from sun up ’til sun down. Even when they are resting next to one another there is usually a game of slow motion slapping or tickling going on. So it’s a lovely treat to catch them in a still moment together, just enjoying one another’s company and the view.
Case Files
Name: Jamie
Nicknames: James, Boss Lady
Age: 39
Birthday: October 31st
Role: The Boss
Personality: intense, smart, watchful
What She Would Save in a Fire: her cowboy boot collection
Likes: law and order, long walks, pears
Dislikes: disobedience, boredom, unpredictability
Name: Foxie
Nicknames: Fox, Tiny
Age: 41
Birthday: August 8th
Role: The Peacekeeper
Personality: cautious, joyful, silly
What She Would Save in a Fire: her doll collection
Likes: fruit smoothies, backflips, bubblegum pop songs
Dislikes: green veggies, conflict, anything new
Name: Burrito
Nicknames: B, Mr. B, Bub
Age: 34
Birthday: January 6th
Role: The Obnoxious Little Brother
Personality: goofy, playful, socially awkward
What He Would Save in a Fire: all of the food in the fridge
Likes: eating, playing with caregivers, causing mischief
Dislikes: non-mealtimes, getting in trouble with the other chimps for causing mischief
