May birthday wishes have not been forsaken! Happy May Birthdays, friends! Though apologies for any belated birthday wishes to those of you who celebrate your special day early in the month!
And what a month to celebrate, as your beautiful “birthday twins” are Jody, whose birthday we celebrate on Mother’s Day (May 8th this year) and Mave, whose birthday is celebrated on May 27th! You lucky human birthday twins! We can’t imagine our lives without these two strong, intelligent, beautiful and endearing chimpanzee women. And we cannot imagine their lives without you.
Beautiful, sweet Jody is turning 47 this year! We choose to celebrate Jody on Mother’s Day in honor of the nine children she gave birth to while in biomedical research. Though she was never allowed to raise her own children, her mothering heart surrounds the members of the family she finds herself with. My heart sings every time I see her race to the closest log that sits immediately outside the raceway entrance to Young’s Hill, where she often sits in the morning sun and scans her group’s outdoor habitat for any overnight happenings, keeping a close eye on her fellow chimpanzee friends. She has an endearing habit of racing after and collecting her good friend, Foxie, if she deems for any reason that it’s in Foxie’s best interest to return to the safety of the greenhouse.
If you’ve followed us for awhile, you may recall that we typically celebrate Jody’s special day (and honor all our chimpanzee mamas, their children, and their own lost childhoods) with a glorious and abundant lilac forage! It remains to be seen, but our extended stay from winter may have us enjoying a belated lilac season, but perhaps that’s apropos for this blog! 😉 Rest assured, their celebration will be befitting the incredible person Jody is!
Foxie, during a past year’s celebration:
And Negra:
And Missy, who perhaps loves lilacs most of all:
And then there’s marvelous, magnificent Mave, who will be turning 33! Mave is an amazing woman. She can be quiet and reserved with two exceptions: she has the most heart-singing, wonderful food squeaks at breakfast time that ring throughout the chimp house, and when she takes a mind to speak up for herself or her chimpanzee friends in need, she doesn’t hold back.
You’ve probably heard us sing Mave’s praises numerous times in regard to her ability to calm and reassure her fellow chimps, especially during challenging times like introductions. For someone born and raised in captivity, I’ll never know just how she navigates chimp society and politics so well. I think it’s just how her amazing heart beats in life.
Honey B enjoying her first lilacs:
And as an added celebration bonus, May also happens to be Jody’s look-alike son’s birthday! Gorgeous Clay, who resides at Save the Chimps in Florida, will be turning 35 on May 20th! Clay also happens to be Burrito’s half-brother as they share the same father, Mack. With those stunning eyes, there’s no doubt who Clay’s mama is (*photo courtesy of Save the Chimps). We are so happy that Clay is safe and loved in his sanctuary home:
May this to be a hopeful, inspiring and joyful time for you all, abundant in all the good things big and small, just as you help ensure for Jody, Mave, and each of the sixteen amazing chimpanzee people (and bovines!) who call the sanctuary their home. We truly appreciate you!