Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

Archives for June 2024

Trifecta Jubilee 2024!

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Today we threw a couple of big parties for Negra (51) and Terry’s (34) birthdays as well as celebrated our sweet 16 (years of sanctuary).  This video highlights just a few of the day’s events. I couldn’t possibly squeeze it all in.

 

My favorite part of the day happened early on as Negra was first outside and made a trip to a higher part of Young’s hill. She stopped to eat different edible plants and clearly enjoyed the sunshine on this beautiful morning.  It was a moment very reminiscent of that classic “Negra in the Sun” oil painting by our dear friend of sanctuary Margaret. That beautiful painting has since been transformed into a mosaic by Lisa Wathne and was purchased by another friend of the sanctuary Diane Mattis.  As Diana mentioned in a blog earlier this month, Diane passed away recently and re-gifted this AMAZING mosaic back to the sanctuary for re-auction. I’m super envious of the next owner of this remarkable piece of artwork. You can bid on this mosaic and other artwork during our Sweet 16 Online Auction, happening now!

In honor of Margaret and Karen, from Tobin

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Thanks so much to Tobin for also sponsoring this day of celebration with a special honoring! Tobin shared this message about today:

“Earlier this year, Diana wrote a post about her friends Margaret Parkinson and Karen Creason. It was heartening to read of their contributions to the sanctuary and the people who have received a home there. Diana described how, sixteen years ago today, these two women were present to greet the arrival of the first seven chimpanzees to arrive at their sanctuary home with a truck-load of blankets and toys.

Neither Negra (whose birthday we celebrate today) or her six companions could have known what awaited them at the end of their cross-country journey. They could not know that they were arriving at a home where they would be treated with love and respect, with their own hillside to explore and forage. Nor could they have known that, at their new home, the human primates would note merely “house” them but provide them with intelligent and compassionate care that benefits the quality of their lives.

As Diana mentioned in her blog post, her friends Karen and Margaret contributed to the care of Negra and her companions not only on the day of their arrival, but for several years thereafter. I was impressed by their corporeal acts of mercy and charity, and thus, on this sixteenth anniversary of the day when they greeted the arrival of seven chimpanzees to their refuge and sanctuary in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains, on behalf of Negra, I wish to sponsor this June 13 in honor of Margaret and Karen for the gifts of their time, dedication and spirit.

I am confident that today’s sponsorship in gratitude of Karen and Margaret merits something akin to a Royal Food Bark from Karen’s dear friend, Negra. And though he would arrive 13 years later, I am also confident that sponsoring this day in honor of Margaret and Karen merits voluminous and emphatic Bronx Cheer of Approval from Teeny Tiny Terry pan Troglodyte.”

Beloved Karen and Margaret:

Happy 51st Birthday, beautiful Negra:

A kiss from Negra:

Negra and her family on Young’s Hill:

And Happy 34th Birthday to sweet Terry!

Rayne and Terry:

Happy Birthday, Terry, and friends!

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Today is a big day here as we celebrate the 16th anniversary of the sanctuary AND birthdays for Terry and Negra! We have two donors who are generously sponsoring today!

Starting the day off, we send so many thanks to Holly Hayward for sponsoring this special day of celebration for the sanctuary residents and especially for her Chimpanzee Pal, dear Terry!

“Love to sponsor this day for the chimps for so many reasons! Negra’s & Honey B’s birthdays, my husband’s birthday, but most especially, Terry’s birthday! (Don’t tell my husband). To the most handsome, floofiest (I think that’s a word), sweetest guy, and my favorite YouTube influencer-Happy Birthday Terry!!!!!”

Firstly, “floofiest” is most definitely a word! And it’s one you would definitely hear the humans use in regard to Terry and his half-sister, Mave! Holly, thank you so much for seeing how special Terry is and for starting this very special day off with even more to celebrate! And Happy Birthday, to your husband, too! (Even if he’s not as floofy as Terry!). 😉

Terry is turning 34 today!!

Negra is turning 51 today!:

Negra’s group is celebrating sixteen years in sanctuary! Jamie, Missy, Annie, Burrito, Foxie and Jody:

Terry’s group is celebrating almost three years in their new sanctuary home!

Gordo, Terry, Lucky and Rayne enjoying their new outdoor habitat, the Bray:

We love this sweet, floofy guy so much!!

This One’s for the Girls

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Nothing is more important than your girl friends. As you will see in the video, Honey B and Dora agree! Today, Honey B and Dora held back in the front rooms so that they could have some one-on-one gal time. Sometimes you just need a break from the men, ya know! Watching these two play really warms my heart. I often get asked by people, what sanctuary means to me. For me, it’s the little moments, like watching Honey B build friendships within her group, or to watch Dora flourish and become a social butterfly, or to watch someone like Neggie turn 51 (tomorrow!) and thrive in sanctuary: making choices that was not allotted to her in her previous life.

Tomorrow is the Trifecta Jubilee, celebrating our sweet 16! I cannot believe it has been 16 years since the Cle Elum 7 arrived to the sanctuary or that Negra will already be turning 51 years young. But, lets not forget our sweet friend Terry who is turning 34 tomorrow! It will be quite the celebration! If you would like to help us celebrate, check out our Sweet Sixteen online auction.

I think it will come to no surprise that I personally love this painting, Jamie’s Boot by Cheryl Feng. I love how Cheryl captured Jamie! Place your bids today!

Honey B’s 35th Birthday!

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Today is Honey B’s 35th birthday! We celebrated by having a “contraband” themed birthday party (all things that they normally wouldn’t get) because one of Honey B’s greatest pleasures in life is when the humans mess up and leave something in the enclosures, such as a scrub brush. If you’re new to the blog, Honey B is the queen of obtaining contraband (check this hose heist video for a reminder). Therefore for her birthday, we intentionally left cleaning items inside (nothing dangerous, obviously) for her to “find”. The chimps also enjoyed a popcorn forage and a delicious lunch forage which included pasta, two of Honey B’s favorite foods.

Honey B is a spunky, intelligent, often unpredictable chimpanzee and while that keeps us caregivers on our toes, it makes things that much more fun around here as well.

Happy Birthday, Honey B!

Krissy and Honey B:

Bonus photo of Honey B’s half sister, Rayne:

Don’t forget! Our online auction started this week! There are so amazing items to bid on. One of my favorites is a painting of Rayne by caregiver Ellen. I will be bidding on it myself because it’s just that amazing. She did such a wonderful job. Check it out and bid on the painting here!

The 6th Annual Running of the Cows

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We got a bit of a late start moving the cows this year but they are finally enjoying the first part of their summer pasture rotation. This year they’re back on the south pasture, next to the Bray, which was inaccessible and remained fallow during the last few years of chimp habitat renovations. Once the weather warms up, they’ll move to the upper pond pasture where they’ll have plenty of shade.

Normally, the running of the cows is a more exuberant affair, but this year things were a bit different. First, a lot has changed between the winter and summer pastures, and cattle aren’t big on change. They’d much prefer to follow a familiar path. Second, Meredith was held back this year so that she could be walked along a route that would be safer and easier on her arthritic feet, and cattle are less confident without their herd mates. And of course, this is the first year that they are moving to the summer pastures without Nutmeg.

But everyone made it (with one short detour), and Honey and Betsy were quickly reunited with Meredith. Now they can kick back and enjoy summer.

The Sweet Sixteen Online Auction is now live! Check out the amazing selection of works from talented artists, including this beautiful oil on canvas portrait of Nutmeg by Leslie Bell:

Image is copyrighted by artist

Wrestle Mania!

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Jamie’s group was SO happy this morning!  We had 3 different groups of wrestlers in 3 different front rooms!  Today, enjoy Negra and Burrito mixing it up in front room 1.

And, don’t forget!  The Sweet 16 Online Auction goes live tomorrow, June 10th, and ends the 16th.  Check out Spring Rayne by our very own Caregiver Ellen.  Although, I might fight you for it!