May 18, 2023 - Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Today we celebrate a long-time supporter of the sanctuary! Karen Young and her family have made so many things possible for the chimps in our care and we are so very grateful. From Young’s Hill to Ryan’s Lookout on The Bray, they continue to help provide amazing moments in the chimps lives. Karen- from each and every one of us here, thank you and happy, happy birthday!

Today, all the chimps enjoyed forages of avocado cups, corn, celery, and more! It’s been a beautiful sunny day here in Cle Elum so Jamie’s group enjoyed the forage on Young’s Hill. I hope you enjoy the photos and videos from today!

Burrito enjoying his forage on Young’s Hill:

Cy, staring lovingly at his corn:

Foxie enjoying a moment of sunshine on Young’s Hill:

Gordo choosing to enjoy his corn behind the cover of bamboo plants:

Honey B, mid-forage:

Rayne enjoying her avocado cups:

Jamie, after a moment of grooming with her caregivers:

Annie, waiting for the lunch forage on Young’s Hill:

Members of Cy’s Group exploring Ryan’s Lookout (sponsored by Karen Young and her family in memory of their son, Ryan) for the first time:

We’re so happy to be able to join Don Young in this celebratory day of sanctuary in honor of his wife, Karen, on her birthday! Don shared this wonderful message:

“I would like to honor my wife, Karen, on her 80th birthday. I asked her what she wanted for her birthday, and she told me she wants the sanctuary to throw a birthday party for the Cle Elum 7 and the Wildlife Waystation 9. She also wants to make sure they get avocado cups!

Karen has always loved animals and filled our home with ones who needed to be rescued. Her introduction to the plight of research chimps began with our son, Ryan, introducing her to NEAVS and the Great Ape Protection Act and with contributing to other sanctuaries in the US.

In 2008, she was searching the word “chimpanzees” on the web and discovered a brand new sanctuary called CSNW. The 7 chimps had just arrived in Cle Elum. She decided to sponsor Foxie and spent a year finding troll dolls for her! She also wrote an advocacy and educational book for children called “A Chimpanzee Tale”.

In the summer of 2009, we took a trip to Cle Elum to meet the 7 chimps and to also meet Diana and J.B. They shared their vision of the sanctuary with us, and the rest is history.

It has been thrilling to see how each project has contributed to the well being of the chimps. We both watched how 7 broken, malnourished, tortured research chimps developed into happy, healthy chimps who have the freedom to roam a two acre hill and explore with the open sky above them.

It has been such an honor to contribute to the growth of the sanctuary and to see Diana and J.B.’s vision develop into a beautiful home for 16 lucky chimps with more to come on the horizon.

I want to wish Karen a Happy 80th and to thank her for taking me along on this journey.”

-Don

Happy Birthday, Karen, from all of us here at the sanctuary! We hope you have a beautiful day!

Thank you, both, so much for continuing to hold the chimpanzees in your hearts and for helping to make it possible for their spirits to bloom immeasurably through all the seasons of their lives.

Young’s Hill (pre-the latest expansion):

Missy:

Annie:

Foxie, Missy, Annie and Burrito:

Negra:

Missy, Foxie and Jamie:

Our beloved Jo, who we like to think still watches over her family every day as they venture onto Young’s Hill, just as she always has:

Burrito:

Ryan’s Lookout, built in memory of Don and Karen’s son and the newest structure on The Bray, the outdoor habitat (built in honor of James Douglas) for Rayne’s group, which they’ve very recently begun exploring for the first time!