Recently, I came across an old video that I narrated that mentioned how rare it was to hear Burrito laughing, and I was surprised.
Wait… Burrito didn’t laugh?!
I searched the blog and found more references to this phenomenon, like this one from as late as 2010, two years after he arrived at the sanctuary with his six groupmates.
Burrito’s laughter reverberates his side of the building frequently now. It’s really hard to believe that wasn’t always the case.
I even quizzed J.B. and he didn’t remember a time when Burrito didn’t laugh.
I talked to former staff member and current volunteer Elizabeth, who took the above video today during a volunteer shift, and she also couldn’t remember a silently-playful Burrito. We did both vaguely remember speculating that Burrito would put his hand or objects in his mouth to muffle the sound of his laughter.
We’re glad Burrito found his (laughing) voice.
Here’s a bonus photo from today of Gordo, Rayne, and Dora. It made me laugh.
All sixteen of the chimpanzees now at Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest began their lives or spent decades in biomedical research.
If you are subscribed to our e-newsletter, you should have received an email yesterday (https://chimpsnw.salsalabs.org/novemberupdates) with some sad news for chimpanzees who are just as deserving of a sanctuary life away from laboratories.
While there was promising progress for a number of years getting chimpanzees out of research laboratories and into sanctuaries, there have been some very disturbing decisions by the NIH in the last few years that have left over 90 chimpanzees still in labs.
As the newsletter suggested, one action you can take right now is to reach out to your representatives. Animal Protection of New Mexico makes this easy. Senator Kennedy in Louisiana is speaking out publicly about these decisions and more members of congress should join him.
We’ll be sharing more information about this in the coming weeks.
An HCIC who tickles you! No better place to live!
Thanks, Elizabeth, for the video! Hope the new job is going well!
My favorite video of Burrito is when he was enjoying his spaghetti (many years ago). He seemed so content. Do you ever make him spaghetti squash with real tomato sauce? I bet that would make him smile. Thank you to everyone who takes such good care of my special boy. I love him so much.
We have made spaghetti using various vegetables, yes!
My favorite video of Burrito was him enjoying spaghetti many years ago. Do you ever make him spaghetti squash with real tomato sauce? Thanks to your staff for taking such care of my special boy. It makes me so happy to see him laughing and happy. I love him so much.
Though I wasn’t following at the time, I remember seeing photos and videos of burrito when he first arrived looking pale and sickly and oh so very shy. It’s a testament to CSNW that he is the goofy exuberant being he is today!
I forwarded the link regarding the NIH to everyone I know. Granted that’s not many people but I encouraged them to forward to everyone they know as well. Let’s get this done!
Burrito laughs and loves to play and he’s crazy silly.
Foxie has dolls to care for and she’s everyones friend.
Negra lounges is big fluffy cozy nests all day long.
Jody forages in the wilds of Young’s Hill.
Jamie reads, tinkers with tools, and supervises the staff on boot filled perimeter patrols.
Missy climbs, swings, sashays across tightropes, and runs like the wind.
Annie sings like a bird and has a best friend in Missy.
It is hard for me to imagine the Seven any other way because I believe these characteristics were in each of them all along. Suppressed. As self aware beings, all they needed was the freedom to have agency of their own lives.
Thank you for the take action alert (reminds me of the old days with Eyes On Apes!). I am always happy to speak up for primates, especially those still being forced to live in laboratories. No chimpanzee should die in a laboratory setting while waiting for their chance to live in a sanctuary. I received an email from the HSUS at the beginning of the month, they pointed out the following : “Keeping the chimpanzees at Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research in Texas is not only harmful, but it’s also a waste of taxpayer dollars. NIH spends more than three times the money to keep the chimps at Keeling than it would cost to pay for their higher standard of care at Chimp Haven.” The situation is outrageous.
I saw videos with allegations against Project Chimps. A caregiver recorded conversations & videos of the chimps. It was very disturbing to say the least. Please tell me these allegations are false. It wasn’t PCNW it was in Blue ridge mountains. It was two recorded videos & the caregiver stated,” l will be releasing other videos”. I can’t even conceive any animals being neglected…heartbreaking. Please tell me these allegations were false. On Utube you just can’t believe everthing you see!
Hi Gail. Thanks for asking and recognizing that not everything on YouTube is factual or without bias. You can read the response from Project Chimps here: https://projectchimps.org/about/truth/