It’s Mother’s Day.
At the sanctuary, our celebration of this special day always includes a birthday party for Jody. Her actual date of birth is missing from her original records, but the date aligns with both Jody’s history as a biological mother and her honorary status as the group’s “den mother.”
Like Jody, Annie, Foxie, Missy and Negra (four of the sanctuary’s eight female chimps) also had offspring during their tenure as “breeders” in the laboratory. Altogether, we believe they gave birth to at least twenty-five infants. The newborns were each taken from them shortly after birth by the company that owned the chimps, and the separated infants were destined to be raised by humans in nurseries and sold as biomedical research subjects. At the time, this was a life sentence for chimps.
As advocates began to successfully pressure the laboratories to retire their captive chimpanzees from research, some of the aforementioned offspring were lucky enough to find sanctuary homes. In fact, Missy’s daughter Honey B found her way to CSNW thirteen years after her mother- almost three decades after they were pulled apart at birth. The two don’t seem to recognize each other or have any special bond, which is unsurprising given that chimpanzee social bonds are maintained through lifelong interaction and communication, not mere genetic relatedness or physical likeness. Still, they sometimes behave in ways that reveal some similarities that may be more than just coincidence, giving a bit of magic to their familial relationship.
I won’t add much more since we have written about this topic in the past and I feel like other staff could offer more heartfelt and insightful perspectives than mine. All I have to say is that, as someone who watches Jody interact with her companions and surroundings on a daily basis, she is a natural protector and shepherd to all around her.
Jody would have been an excellent mother to those nine children. She got robbed of that experience, and so did they.
The gravity of that injustice cannot be expressed through any words that I know.
The best that we can do now is provide Jody and her friends with a safe and comfortable sanctuary home, with opportunities to live a fulfilling life, and tirelessly advocate for non-humans who are still being exploited elsewhere.
So, on this well-deserved Mother’s Day, we celebrated not just Jody but all the mothers in our lives who have helped us to grow, learn, and live meaningful lives. We’re thankful that you exist and we love you all.
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Finally, since I was unable to take many photos while filming the embedded video, Chad was willing to share some images he captured of the big event!
Annie:
Jody:
Missy:
Burrito:
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P.S. Just in case you missed the usual title pun, I almost named this post “JO Mother, Where Art Thou?” but decided to keep it a bit more serious this week. I’ll think of something really corny for the next post. I promise.
a rhetorical question….what memories do they dream about, share in their own language when out on the hill, look over their shoulder to see if someone is coming for them….i don’t know if captives, human or primates, really ever reach a complete state of comfort again…..
Probably not, but in these 12 years, they have enough happy ones to at least compete with the bad ones. Burrito remembers his friend Keri there, and stomps his foot to invite her to come play. Negra remembers that she’ll be out of the wind and certainly “find” something special in “her” cabin. They all remember the new grass is coming when spring arrives, and I’m sure that if we could see Missy and Jaime every day, we would see them checking the garden daily for tomatoes and raspberries. It’s not enough to erase the past, but it’ll do.
….probably not, Tom, but now they are safe and hopefully most days the love and care they receive help them get through the dark days.
Thank you, Anthony, for the words in your blog. I could not have inscribed any sentiments which I have about the maternities of Jody, Missy, Annie, Foxie and Negra better. I only hope that these women — and all who dwell at the Sanctuary — know that they are home at last, and safe, and that the human primates in their midst are there to see to their health and well-being.
I trust that the birthday girl — the den mother — enjoyed her watermelons…
I fell asleep waiting for it, but now I see how long it is, and I know how tricky it can be to upload….you must have been at work late, Anthony.
Thanks for shooting the full day! Thanks to the volunteers for the lilacs (is that the same Lisa Above-and-Beyond?).
I loved Bubba’s foot stomp for his old friend! Neggie enjoying “her” cabin is always a great sight.
And I absolutely died laughing when I saw Missy trying to circumvent Neggie to avoid giving up one of her bowls (which I’m sure she gave up, anyway). Serpentine, Missy, serpentine!
What beautiful weather for it! I’m glad they all had a happy Mother’s day, and hope all moms reading the blog did, too.
A day full riches! Old friends, caregiving family, sunshine, the decadence of dining on freshly cut lilacs (so beautiful!!), and a bounty of watermelon bowls full of yummy healthy everything. Seeing everyone enjoying their lilacs, soooo many gorgeous lilacs, brought tears to my eyes. In my minds eye all I could see was the stark comparison of their tortured past and their wonderful joyful lives today, with you. Very moving.
Anthony, to your comment:
“I won’t add much more since we have written about this topic in the past and I feel like other staff could offer more heartfelt and insightful perspectives than mine.” I say Baloney. ?
Your writing was deeply heartfelt and insightful as was your video. Thank you. Especially This! THIS is everything so I am copying it here again :
“ Jody would have been an excellent mother to those nine children. She got robbed of that experience, and so did they.
The gravity of that injustice cannot be expressed through any words that I know.
The best that we can do now is provide Jody and her friends with a safe and comfortable sanctuary home, with opportunities to live a fulfilling life, and TIRELESSLY ADVOCATE FOR NON-HUMANS WHO ARE STILL BEING EXPLOITED ELSEWHERE.”
Right on Anthony.
Made me cry to think of so many babies being taken from their mothers. On top of all their other suffering, that must have caused a horrible ache. To be denied their opportunity to love and be loved. So heartless. No words.
What a nice way to honor them! Thank you!
My cheeks will soon go a bit numb…I can’t stop smiling from ear to ear… Such happy & uplifting pics seeing these beloved chimps so relaxed & enjoying a beautiful day, with extra special treats for them…