Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

Archives for January 4, 2023

Almost ten years ago today!

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Almost ten years ago our blog featured a video from former staff member and current volunteer, Elizabeth. On that day, the Cle Elum Seven had access to the hill and took advantage of the nice weather. Missy and Burrito could be seen very content running around the hill and enjoying the rays of sunshine. With a Winter Weather Advisory in our afternoon forecast that extends through the next few days, Young’s hill is looking quite different today. This year, winter has been snowier than before and the snow accumulation is significantly higher on and around the hill. Before we give them access to the hill the lead caregiver has to do a perimeter check. This is to make sure the fences are looking and working appropriately. These past few days perimeter checks involve bundling up and snowshoes. I had personally never snowshoed before, but this caregiver born and raised in a tropical island finds it very, very fun. Highly recommend as a winter activity.

Last week us caregivers went into the hill to shovel paths for the chimps to wander around the hill with ease, only to receive more snow a couple days later.  Snow accumulation doesn’t stop the chimps from going out, climbing structures, and grabbing snow to snack on in the comfort of the heated indoor enclosures. But today the chimps opted to stay in, nest, play with caregivers, and groom each other.

Sweet, sweet Dora

Honey B’s big yawn while nesting in her favorite spot, the mezzanine’s cubby

Sir Willy B

A Cy close up

Jamie in action, about to swing off the top platform of the green house

 

 

for the Winter Warriors

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If you follow the blog, you may have seen the brief mentions from Kelsi and then J.B. of the very eventful end of December that the Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest staff and volunteers endured this year.

For the first time in over a decade (as far as we can remember), J.B. and I had scheduled a short trip to visit family together (together!) on the east coast for some winter celebrations. Almost as soon as we left, things started to malfunction at the sanctuary as Cle Elum was hit with extreme cold temperatures. J.B. helped troubleshoot the issues at a distance, but the staff on the ground had to navigate mechanical failures and multiple days with a non-functioning well, all the while caring for the chimpanzees and cattle, getting to work in icy conditions, and taking turns staying overnight to look after office cat LouLou and pups Abbey and Benny.

The nonhumans were none the wiser to these issues as the staff and volunteers managed to maintain the routine and get creative with procedures as though everything was in pristine working order. Meanwhile, J.B. and I had to extend our time away due to the weather and the complete meltdown of the aviation industry.

All of this, whilst also being away from their own families, the staff carried on with the CSNW Christmas countdown on the blog and the preparation for holiday festivities without skipping a beat.

J.B. and I couldn’t be more grateful. Neither of us worried in the least that this crew of staff, volunteers, and their spouses could handle whatever obstacle Mother Nature and Murphy’s Law presented to them. There was never a doubt that the nonhumans at the sanctuary were in the best hands possible.

Today, we thank them most humbly with this sponsor-a-day post, and invite you, too, to thank them for looking after the sanctuary every day under any and all circumstances!