No words today, just beautiful chimps.
Archives for February 2022
A Lucky Combination
We continued with introductions today with Cy, Lucky, Willy B, and Mave. In the beginning, Willy B and Cy had to get out some displays… a lot of displays. It took them about 20 minutes to calm down and start grooming between the mesh. We gave them a few minutes before we opened the door. Any combination that includes Lucky and Mave is one of my personal favorites. Mave and Lucky get along really well and genuinely seem to enjoy each other’s quiet company grooming each other. Even when the boys are displaying before the door opens, Lucky and Mave usually seeks reassurance from each other regardless of who else in a part of the introduction.
Willy B and Lucky aren’t the greatest of acquaintances. In fact, Willy B usually antagonizes Lucky during most of their meetings. But there are some windows of calm between the two.
Then the “bromance” between Willy B and Cy continues. After they got their displays out of their system, they spent the rest of the afternoon grooming and playing. We could hear their laughs through out the whole Chimp House.
As a bonus, please enjoy these photos I took around the Chimp House today.
Overall, today’s meeting was very positive.
Dora
Cy
Rayne
Annie
Lucky
In honor of Bruce
Thanks so much to Mike Garrett for sponsoring a day of sanctuary for the chimpanzees and cattle in honor of Bruce Wagman.
Bruce was an integral member of the board of directors for several years starting when the chimpanzees first arrived in 2008. Bruce, as well as his late wife, Deb, were a big part of the heart of the sanctuary.
For Bruce!
Burrito:
Foxie, Burrito and Missy:
Negra:
Jamie:
Jody, Missy, Annie, Burrito and Foxie:
A celebration from the heart: Cherish the chimpanzees this Valentine’s Day
Happy Valentine’s Day! Today the chimp house was full of celebratory festivities, and the cattle were frolicking in their pasture on this unusually spring-like February day.
Spring weather always puts me into planning mode. As we’ve mentioned before, we have a very busy summer ahead as we complete new outdoor habitats for the chimpanzees. We’ll also be introducing the cattle to a new area of the property, so there are adventures ahead for everyone!
In the past, we’ve had fundraising drives on Valentine’s Day. This year, instead, I wanted you to join me in planning mode. You can give with your heart today while also planning for the future by including CSNW in your estate plan.
With our well-into-maturity chimpanzees, you may wonder what our plans our for the long-term future of the sanctuary.
If you signed up to receive the link to the recording of the conversation I had with Jen Feuerstein about merging groups of chimpanzees (and you made it all the way to the end of that recording!), you know that we are thinking hard and carefully about the next steps for Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest. Whether than means rescuing more chimpanzees or rescuing smaller species of primates, there is a lot ahead for this sanctuary, well beyond my life, I hope.
Creating an estate plan is definitely an action that comes from the heart, for your loved ones and their future. And it can make a generational impact on the organizations important to you. When you create your will, you’re ensuring the future of Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest and helping to provide future residents the promise of a sanctuary home.
This free online tool helps you create your will in just 20 minutes so you can secure the future for the human people and the chimpanzee people you love. If you have any non-probate assets not included in your will, you can use this secure tool to designate beneficiaries for those assets and make your plans.
Thank you for making this Valentine’s Day so special.
If you’ve already included us in your plans, please fill out this form to let us know; I want to thank you for your kindness!
Other financially clever and more immediate ways to provide hope, love, and home include giving from your IRA or donating your appreciated assets.
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all the ways that you give your hearts to the chimpanzees and the bovines too.
In honor of Paulette’s Valentine, Burrito!
Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone!!
Incredible friend of the sanctuary, Paulette Wrisley, honors each and every resident who calls Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest home by sponsoring a day of sanctuary in their honor on their birthdays. But this fella, her Chimpanzee Pal, holds an extra special place in her heart.
“In honor of My True Love Valentine… Burrito! Burrito, will you be my Valentine?”
Burrito is beloved. With his heaps and oodles of undeniable charm, we get it! Burrito’s endearing, sweet, wild-guy ways are enough to make all our hearts sing (or jump, because sometimes he loves to scare the bejebus out of his unsuspecting caregivers by doing things like hitting the caging like a freight train when we walk past). Frankly, it’s amazing we get much done at all during the day. Burrito is an endless source of joy, laughter, workout routines (whether you want them or not) and shenanigans. An endless reminder of resiliency, courage and what it means to live one’s life to the fullest in every minute of every day. A profound, exhilarating reflection of what love, and people coming together, makes possible. Not only for someone else, but for our own hearts.
Paulette, thank you for always holding this chimpanzee guy in your heart (along with his 19 friends and neighbors)! And thanks for allowing us all to start today with our hearts filled with Burrito love.
Here’s hoping today is filled with some bit of beauty, hope, kindness, silly shenanigans, food squeaks or just any ol’ thing that makes your heart happy. Burrito wouldn’t have it any other way.
Be sure to tune in later today to see how the chimpanzees’ Valentine’s celebration goes! From our hearts to yours, thank you, Paulette, and each of you, for being here!
Blissful Sunday
It was another really nice day outside and most of the chimpanzees in Burrito’s group were out on Young’s Hill all morning. This warmer weather has the chimpanzees and humans all in great moods! Burrito was back to having Chad run around the hill, while Jamie raced Katelyn who was driving the Gator. Also, Burrito was very determined to get some ice out of the tire this morning and spent a long time working on it.
Success!
Annie was all over Young’s Hill. Every time I looked she was in a different spot.
Missy in front and Annie walking behind her.
Foxie made her way to Jamie’s tower.
On the other side everyone was hanging out in their warm Greenhouses for the afternoon.
Gordo was watching a grooming party going on above him.
And snacking on some bamboo.
Honey B needed a rest after a long game of chase!
Earlier today Cy was relaxing after breakfast.
Gordo too!
Happy Birthday, Meg!
Many thanks to Cynthia Cavalle for sponsoring a day of sanctuary for the chimpanzees in honor of your daughter, Meg! This is such a lovely message:
“Happy Birthday to my generous and compassionate daughter, Meg Casey, whose heart is full of love for all animals. Your volunteer work is tireless—collecting and distributing donated pet food, cleaning up public areas and continued advocacy for animal rights. Your work as a high school teacher and tutor reflects your creativity and respect for students. You help them to recognize their strengths and how to create goals for individual success. I know you like simple celebrations and a day of bird watching in Skagit Valley will be a happy one for you! Of course the day will end, as usual, with sharing the daily blog where we’re sure to get laughs, maybe some tears and always a smile from the amazing chimps! Thank you, Meg, for sharing your love, your support and your new ideas and I can’t wait to see what happens next! Love you! Mom”
Happy Birthday, Meg! We’re so happy the chimps can share in the celebration of your special day with you! While the chimps lift all our hearts, it can’t go without saying that hearing of all the good that humans like yourself are sharing with others lifts our hearts immensely as well.
Wishing a beautiful day to you both, Meg and Cynthia!
Missy and Annie:
Foxie, Strawberry Shortcake and Jody:
Lucky, Dora and Rayne:
Cy:
Honey B and Mave: