Summers are always busy at the sanctuary but this year seems more hectic than ever. We had the first of many volunteer work parties a couple weeks ago to work on the electric fences that will enclose the Bray and the renovated Young’s Hill, the 1.8-acre and 2.4-acre habitats for the new group of nine and the Cle Elum Seven. Many thanks to volunteer Karen Ducey for these first two photos.
The installation of the fence insulators is a daunting job due to the sheer number of them, but over a dozen hard-working volunteers managed to install a couple thousand in just one weekend.
Tomorrow, volunteers will return to keep the progress going.
The project foreman, Benny, will be on hand to make sure the work proceeds apace. It’s best not to get on his bad side.
Central Nursery arrived today to begin installing a massive new irrigation system that will initially support over 100 new trees and shrubs in the habitats including aspen, pine, hazelnut, dogwood, blueberry, and bamboo. The irrigation system will draw water from an old spring-fed irrigation pond by the house that was used to water the orchard back when this was a working homestead. We are installing more irrigation lines than we will need in this first phase so that we can plant even more trees and shrubs in the future.
We’re a little late taking panels off the greenhouses this year because of all the construction going on around them.
On the east side of the building, the folks from Sage Mechanical have been installing new overhead chutes that will make additional connections between the indoor enclosures and the Bray. This way, the chimps can reach their outdoor habitat from the front rooms, playroom, or greenhouse and won’t ever have to wait for us to finish cleaning to get where they want to go.
Here’s the view from the playroom window. To most people, these tunnels would not be the most exciting part of our expansion project but based on how much the chimps love the existing chute and how we’ve seen chimps use overhead tunnels at other sanctuaries, we’re pretty sure they’re going to be a big hit.
On the other side of the building, a smaller section of chute is being installed that will create an outdoor connection between the other playroom and greenhouse. This was conceived as a connection to the closed-top outdoor enclosure planned for the west side of the building but that larger project is on hold due to escalating costs and significant supply chain delays. But now that our new group of nine is living together in relative harmony and will soon have access to The Bray, the closed-top enclosure is far less important than it was when we first began making plans for the two separate Wildlife Waystation groups. We imagine the chimps will love to sit out in this chute and watch the staff, volunteers, and delivery people come up the driveway.
Finally, we are also starting to plan for and build new climbing structures within the future Young’s Hill and Bray enclosures. The first one to get underway was Ryan’s Lookout, which is being built with a generous donation from Karen and Don Young in memory of their son, Ryan. The basic structure is complete and soon it will be surrounded by trees and shrubs as well as fire hose vines for the chimps to swing on and tightrope-walk across. I think this will be a popular spot for the groups to sit and groom and stare out at the river and valley below.
Our hope is to have the renovated Young’s Hill ready by late summer and the Bray ready by fall. Soon we will have to tear down the existing fence, at which point the Seven won’t have access to the hill and the pressure to get everything completed will be intense! While I was of course joking about Benny being a foreman, in all seriousness, Jamie will be watching and patience is not one of her virtues. So that should help keep us motivated. But the disruption will be worth it when she finally gets to lay in the shade of the towering pines at the top of her new habitat.
Simply amazing! What a spectacular thing to watch grow!
Many thanks to all the volunteers! Benny looks like he’d be a micromanager.
Everything is so beautiful, I can’t wait to see the completed project. Is that a familiar face I see sitting on the structure?
Thanks JB. Great outline of the plans and timeframes…. Beyond exciting. Love the pic of Diana testing Ryan’s Lookout. This is all so incredible and for the 16 my heart is warmed (and my eyes wetted 🙂 ) in anticipation of what is to come. We are all so fortunate to have CSNW in our lives. Thank you is inadequate.. but THANK YOU ALL!
how many years has it been for the “waystation” group to have been outside in this type of enclosure…?
this adventure could make a nice research paper for a grad student…….
I volunteered at Wildlife Waystation for many years and helped with the chimps and their enclosures. While there, they had a safe haven from past experiences, but their new placement far exceeds what they had. They never had grass or trees or a place to roam or people who had the time to really deal with them. It makes me so happy to know they are living a life they should have!!
Hi Julie. I would be very interested, and I am sure so would many other blog readers to know what the 9’s daily life was like before coming to CSNW. I am sure people would have tried their best for them as they did take them in, but circumstances would have affected what they could do for them. I would love to know more from someone who was there!
Hi Julie, thank you so very much for volunteering and caring for the chimps at WW. I am grateful for your kindness and compassion. What an incredible experience for you, what memorable friendships you have forged! Thank you for keeping the chimpanzees safe and comfortable. Without you, and all those at WW, their sanctuary life today would not have been possible.
And yes, share a story anytime!!
Yes, I’ll repeat for Julie what I’ve said to Deanna before–we love that you still follow them! Feel free to share! Like, HOW exactly did you guys discover that Honey B likes coffee!? :laughing:
Im sure we were trying to digureout what she would take her meds in and so we tried coffee!!! Low and beholdit worked!! Most of the chimps from WWS would take their meds in cool aid but occasionally that would not cut it and severalof them would onlybtake meds in coffeeor even ensure! This new expansion is truly remarkable! The WWS chimps have never had something quite as grand as all this! They were loved and given lots in enrichment but this is truly Shangri la!!! I am so excited for them to explore their new spacesand I am beyond thrilled that the 9 are doing to well… fingersstill crossed!
Thanks for sharing that, Deanna!
What a massive transformation this will be to the property once it is completed. Wow! Thank goodness Benny is outfitted for the job and ready to supervise! With a project this big, and all the volunteers and contractors to manage, I bet Boss Jamie is relieved to have a second hand!
I am honestly bursting with excitement for the two groups. Can’t wait to see who tries to climb a tree first amongst The Seven and who walks through the grass first amongst The Nine. And I am very excited about the tunnels!
Thank you to everyone working so hard to make this happen!!
I don’t know why, but when it comes to the climbing my money is on Annie.
Benny!
Thanks for the update, JB.
Thank you again, Don and Karen! I’m particularly excited to see what looks like either stairs or a ramp, for our aging group.
I’ll bet the hazelnut trees will be popular!
JB, will this expansion of Young’s change the summer/winter pasture setup?
The new enclosures take up a little bit of the cows’ former summer pasture, which is why we moved them up to the upper pond pasture this summer. By next summer, we will have new fencing up which will allow them to rotate back to the large field to the south of Young’s Hill and the Bray.
Benny! Benny! Benny and the Vest… :notes::wink::purple_heart:
:joy::joy:
Thank you J.B., I have been curious to see how the work is progressing….Thank goodnes for Benny the construction manager; he sure is up for the job by the looks of it. ( his eyes say: ” hey J.B., stop the shenennigans and go back to work !”).
And how wonderful to have so many people ready to do the job needed. THANK YOU!!
I cannot wait for those very long 😉 video’s in the near future, where we can follow all the adventures of the 7 and 9 when they step outside for the first time ( in their lives for some ).
My eyes already tear up by the thought.
WOW! You have a river? Or is it a lake? Or a river and a lake?! I’ll be right there with a canoe and picnic basket of organic fruit and veg. (I wish my diet was as good as theirs…)
How lucky are the 16! AS IS ONLY RIGHT. They deserve every square inch. It’s all so gorgeous that, personally, I’d love to snuggle up in blankets on the heated floor or play in the tunnels, or watch the goings-on from the sunny platforms or from a room on the top floor, or sit in the shade of the trees. Not up for climbing unfortunately.
I’m stunned but not really surprised how everything has been designed with the chimps first and wholly in mind. Planning meetings must have been exercises in dreaming and wanting to give the chimpanzees everything you could and they deserve, and more, and the best of it. What will make them happy? Keep them (and staff) safe and secure? Healthy in body, mind and soul? Engaged with their friends and sometimes annoying roommates. With the staff they undoubtedly love? And with nature? SURELY WE OWE THEM ALL OF IT.
Love and heartfelt thanks to staff, donors and volunteers!!! You are all a blessing.
thank you, Bennie! :blush:
may God Bless everyone.
amazing & beautiful
And I forgot to say that I can already imagine our “mall walkers” using those new chutes!
This was an amazing blog! Don and I want to thank everyone who worked on Ryan’s Lookout. We hope it will be a favorite spot for the Wildlife Waystation chimps and that they love their new hill, The Bray!
i love seeing how things are coming along. one thing that gives me pause is that view from the playroom window. As useful as those chutes will be, its still a shame to clutter up the view to the outside that way. As much time as the chimpanzee people spend atop the structures staring off into the distance in the warm months, I wish they had more of a view when they have to stay indoors.
We do our best and there have to be a few compromises along the way!
I must’ve been on another planet to have missed this posting!!! I’m so thrilled about all of the new adventures ahead for the chimps and the staff, and Benny, of course. I’m curious to see if Gordo will need to take a box outdoors to sit on. And maybe all this activity will encourage Honey B and Mave to venture forth more. I recall the miracle it was when Willie B first climbed the outdoor structure and took a nap! The amount of freedom and peacefulness he must’ve felt to allow himself to drift off is remarkable given how early it was in their arrival. It’s exciting to see how the new group will emerge and begin to explore!
Hi Marya, I think Willy will follow his bromance Cy anywhere. So if Cy goes out on the Bray, Willy will not be far behind!
I’m just hoping and praying that they ALL find strength in numbers and experience the joy of unobstructed sunshine and room to move about freely on the Bray.
Thanks for your thought, Paulette! I hope you’re right about Willy’s bromance with Cy outweighing remaining hesitation and that Honey B and Mave will follow suit with their pals.