Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

Archives for May 2023

For Jody, with love and memories that will always be a blessing.

by

We send our thanks to long-time friend and volunteer of the sanctuary, Cindy Marks, for sponsoring this day of sanctuary and sharing what was in her heart on this Mother’s Day. And in doing so, perhaps helps to ease the hearts of others as well.

“Reading Tobin’s post this morning brought tears and also filled me with unexpected solace. I lost my mother on May 3, 38 years ago. Mother’s Day has since become a sad, difficult, lonely day. Jody’s passing only days before my mother’s amplified the sadness this year. Yet, after reading Tobin’s post I realize this year and in the years to come my memories and grief are now shared. Sharing, even virtually, is enormous comfort. In the Jewish tradition we light a special memorial candle to mark the anniversary of a loved ones passing. This year I lit one for both Jody and my mother. Their memories will always be blessings. — this day is for Jody, my mother and all the mothers not with us anymore.”

Cindy shared these next two photos with us (painting of Jody by Margaret Parkinson):

Celebrating Jody on her Birthday

by

Today, Mother’s Day, is when we celebrate Jody’s birthday. Though she is no longer physically with us, we held a celebration in her honor for all of the other chimpanzees, and they thoroughly enjoyed the watermelon bowl themed party (photos to follow).

As I was taking photos of Jody’s group during their watermelon bowl forage, I noticed that Missy had gone to the spot where we planted lilac bushes and trees. The spot where Jody is now buried.

It’s very probably that Missy was checking the area to see if she missed some food, but I like to think she was also saying happy birthday to her friend:

Thank you to everyone who have sponsored days and made donations in Jody’s honor and who have sent us amazing heartfelt cards and messages of condolence. I love hearing how people were touched by her life and her death.

Today, we made some changes to Jody’s page on our website to include a donation link to give specifically in memory of Jody for those who wish to do so.

If you scroll to the bottom of Jody’s page, you can see that it is open for comments, so please do feel free to leave a message their about Jody or in her memory. We really appreciate how many people are grieving for her.

 

Now for those watermelon bowl photos…

Annie:

Foxie:

Jamie:

Burrito:

Dora:

The bovines also had a great day! They were released onto the upper pasture for spring grazing!

In loving remembrance of Jody

by

Heartfelt thanks to long-time friend of the sanctuary, Tracy Headley, for also sponsoring this special day in memory and celebration of beautiful, beloved Jody:

“In loving remembrance of Jody. In our hearts today and always.”

We chose to celebrate Jody’s honorary birthday on Mother’s Day in honor of the nine children she gave birth to while in biomedical research. Today would have been Jody’s 48th birthday and today we will celebrate her and all the mothers and their children in her family and sanctuary home, just as we always have. As Tracy lovingly shared, “today and always.”

Jody:

Negra:

Foxie:

Missy:

Annie and Jo:

Jamie:

Burrito and Jody:

Burrito, Jody, Negra, Jamie, Annie, Foxie and Missy:

Happy Birthday and Happy Mother’s Day, Jody. We love you more than words could ever say.

in memory of Jody Chimpanzee on her birthday

by

Tobin sponsored today in honor of Jody’s birthday celebration prior to us losing Jody just two weeks ago. Ever thoughtful, Tobin sent in a new message to share on this celebratory but also somber day,

Dear Friends of our beloved Jody:

As was the tradition at the CSNW, Jody’s birthday was celebrated every year on Mother’s Day. Those of us who loved her and rejoiced in her very being will continue to do so, in our hearts, minds, and souls. As we grieve, let us remember the look of joy on her beautifully expressive face, whether ascending the towers on Young’s Hill or in foraging the bounty of her land. Let us remember her maternal devotion to Negra, Annie, Missy, Foxie, Jamie, and Burrito. Taken from her mother in infancy, and deprived of nurturing the children she conceived, Jody became the den mother to her troop of orphans.

In my original statement for Jody’s birthday, I had written an open letter addressed to her. I told her that I hoped that the lilacs would be in bloom for her birthday, and I told her that I was so pleased when, somehow, she would appear in my dreams.

As I have read the many messages in the comments section of the Sanctuary website, I have been moved by the many words of condolence to Jody’s survivors and caregivers. One message especially holds meaning to me: “May her memory be blessed.”

Surely our memories of Jody are blessed, as we who love her were blessed by her presence in our lives.

And when I read of that Hebrew blessing, I thought of Jody and the words of a poem, also written in Hebrew:

For Thou, the Giver of Life,
created me in my inmost being;
Thou created me together
in my mother’s womb

Where can I go from Thy Spirit?

Our beloved Jody, your memory is blessed.

– Tobin Kerry –

 

 

Jody’s Family Legacy

by

Since I started working at CSNW in February I, unfortunately, did not get a chance to know Jody very well. I did get put through some hazing by her when I first was learning to serve meals to the group, she would occasionally try to poke me or she would have to spit some of her smoothie on me if I put too much in her mouth at one time. I always found her reprimands to be very gentle in contrast to another chimp I worked with in the past, Jody’s son Levi!

Like Jody, and a lot of chimps when they first arrive to sanctuary, when Levi arrived he was a little more rough around the edges. It was tough to even get a good look at him in person because he was well known for his penchant for throwing feces and he has impeccable aim. When I began working with him, a few years after he first arrived, I discovered how much Levi really loves to play chase and tickle with people and I convinced a coworker who worked with him in his early days at the sanctuary, to come along. When we arrived at Levi’s play yard he immediately came out to greet us and my coworker said to me “that’s him?” because she had never really been able to sit with him or have any positive interaction with him but now they have a relationship with a lot of positive interaction.

In the last couple weeks I have heard so many stories about Jody and how she used to haze people and would spit relentlessly on her caregivers but that she really came to accept and trust the people who cared for her. This really speaks to the difference sanctuary makes in the lives of the chimpanzees we care for and the capacity they really have to forgive humans for the things they’ve experienced in the past.

While Jody is no longer here with us physically anymore, she will never be truly gone. She lives on through her chimp family at CSNW, in our memories of her and in stories shared by those who knew and love her. But she also lives on in her children, like Levi, who not only carrys on her genes but remind us of her quirks and personality, and like Jody are getting to live out their lives in their chimp families in sanctuary.

Laying to Rest

by

This weekend, we will lay Jody to rest at the sanctuary, her home for the last fifteen years. Now, she will forever be with her chimpanzee family (Annie, Burrito, Foxie, Jamie, Missy, and Negra). It brings us humans great comfort to know she will be physically here with us, even though she is gone. If you missed J.B.’s blog post about Jody’s departure, I will link it here.

The memory of Jody is everywhere.

When I pass by Front Rooms 2 and 3, I am reminded of her naps in those rooms. Sometimes, she would graciously get up and gather her blankets, as she knew we were hoping to clean the front rooms next. When I serve cherry tomatoes to her group, I am reminded of how Jody popped each one with her front teeth and then ate it. Sometimes, the juice would squirt in various directions and it made me laugh every time. When I look at Young’s Hill, I am reminded of seeing her foraging with her group, collecting all types of foods. She would do this certain walk that only Jody could do, when she was exceptionally proud of herself. When I look at lilacs, I see Jody. Since Jody has been gone, I’ve noticed myself taking in my surroundings more, looking for the beauty in things around me. I know that may sound bizarre that it took Jody’s death to make me do this, but when I see something extra beautiful, like a beautiful tree in full bloom, I think to myself, “Jody would love that”.

Today, some beautiful edible flowers that Kelsi ordered arrived and we knew we had to spread them out for Jody’s family. Nobody loved flowers as much as Jody. We spread out the flowers in the Greenhouse, as well as filled the pools with diluted Gatorade and floating orchids.

Annie

Jamie

Negra (L) and Foxie (R)

Burrito

Annie

Burrito

Burrito and Jamie

Foxie (L), Burrito (center), and Missy (R)

Negra

Negra with one of Foxie’s dolls in her pelvic pocket

Burrito and volunteer Krissy playing

Foxie

We love and miss you, Jo!

Welcome to the Bray

by

(or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Step on Grass)

It finally happened. Cy’s group stepped out of the chute and entered the Bray.

It was a very different experience than watching the Cle Elum Seven enter Young’s Hill for the first (or even second) time. It may be because the Californians are a newer group than the Seven were at the time, or perhaps it’s because the Waystation chimps had spent more time outside of cages when they were young (and, as noted in a previous comment section, as adults in some unauthorized cases). In any case, while there was less hugging and screaming as they entered the habitat, watching them explore was every bit as emotional.

Willy B’s transformation from fearful and agoraphobic to Conqueror of the Bray is a testament to the power of friendship. Every minute we spent worrying while integrating his group with Cy’s was worth it to see him follow his friends out into the grass.

You’ll notice that Honey B, Mave, and Dora did not join their friends outside yesterday. That’s OK. I believe they will soon, as they will also benefit from Rayne’s confidence and the boys’ leadership. But if it takes longer, that’s OK too. They will get there in their own time.

Our most heartfelt thanks to all of you who made this day possible, especially to our friend James, in whose memory the Bray is named.