Watch and listen:
Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest
Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary
by Diana
Watch and listen:
by J.B.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day, everyone!
by Elizabeth
Negra is the oldest chimpanzee here at the sanctuary, and while only a year or two older than some of the others, there is no doubt that Negra is the grandma of the family. She has a sizable belly, she’s a little bowlegged, she moves at a snail’s pace, and she has no patience for nonsense.
Negra prefers safety and comfort over adventure, and she is most comfortable indoors. She likes to find a sunny spot upstairs in the playroom where she can make a big, soft nest and nap or gaze out the window over the valley.
Today, though, Negra climbed out of her nest and joined the other chimps outside on Young’s Hill. Spring has been slow to arrive in Cle Elum this year, but now that the snow is finally melting and the sun is shining, the chimps are drawn outside more and more. Even Negra can’t resist the temptation.
by Anna
Foxie wears many hats at the sanctuary. To the other chimpanzees she is friend, peacekeeper, playmate, and protector. She is popular for all the right reasons, and in a lot of ways, she is part of the glue that bonds this tiny community of seven chimps together. We should all be so lucky to have a Foxie in our inner circle.
by Anna
Jamie and Missy have started training for spring!
by Katelyn
We’re reaching the balmy 40’s, the rains have begun, the bluebirds have returned and the snow is melting! To help move things along we decided to shovel a path part of the way up Young’s Hill this morning in the hopes it’d be clear in a day or two for Jamie to walk part way up the perimeter. Well, Jamie and her right hand gal, Missy, wasted no time in testing it out. When Jamie asked me to put her cowgirl boots on after lunch I assumed we were doing the usual wintertime back and forth to the greenhouse. She quickly disappeared and when I looked outside I spotted her and Missy on the pathway waiting for me to catch up! Apologies for the poor quality of photos, but of course we have to share the big day. 🙂
Jamie and Missy headed up Young’s Hill!:
They went to the end of the path and turned around to head back downhill where Jamie promptly marched back up hill and down again. (If you go enough times it equals a walk all the way around the hill, right?)
Missy:
Jamie:
Meanwhile, Missy made her way every which way across the hill via tightrope walking:
Once Jamie was satisfied with her walk, she joined Missy:
Foxie and Jody made a brief foray up the hill as well:
Many of the chimps spent a big part of the morning on the climbing structures – racing across the fire hoses, climbing, brachiating – all the good stuff chimps do. Even Negra has been spotted outside for brief moments! I can imagine they feel just as we do when winter finally gives up it’s grip and ease of spring feels imminent. And I think for us humans, watching them so full of joy and exuberance at reclaiming their beloved Young’s Hill was more of a lift than anything spring could bring our way. Something tells me Jamie’s Boot Camp of multiple daily walks around the hill for her caregivers isn’t too far off…and we couldn’t be happier.
by Keri
Whenever I meet someone, there is usually some feature of that person that stands out to me.
For Jody, it’s the look in her eyes and her droopy bottom lip.
For Annie, it’s the notch in her ear and the way her she bends her wrist when she’s relaxing.
PO Box 952
Cle Elum, WA 98922
[email protected]
509-699-0728
501c3 registered charity
EIN: 68-0552915
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