There is no theme for today’s blog! I have compiled several quick videos that are all random… chimps playing, laughing, working on an enrichment puzzle, building a nest, etc. All aspects of sanctuary that feel so sweet!
Enjoy!
Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest
Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary
by Jenna 3 Comments
There is no theme for today’s blog! I have compiled several quick videos that are all random… chimps playing, laughing, working on an enrichment puzzle, building a nest, etc. All aspects of sanctuary that feel so sweet!
Enjoy!
by Jenna 11 Comments
We are just 5 short days away from Annie’s 50th birthday celebration! Not all chimpanzees reach 50 years old, so this is something extra special to celebrate! We only have Negra in the 50’s club at CSNW, but next week, Annie will be the newest and second member!
I thought today I would give you a crash course on Annie, for anyone who is new to our blog, or for those who pop in/out.
Here are 50 things to know, love, and appreciate about Annie Chimpanzee!
1. Annie was born in 1974. We celebrate her birthday on September 10th, but we are not sure of her real birth date and believe she was born in the wild. She could already be 50 for all we know, but let’s not focus on that…
2. Unfortunately, Annie spent the first few decades of her life in the biomedical research industry at Buckshire Corporation in Pennsylvania. Annie was used in hepatitis vaccine studies as well as produced many offspring (potentially 7). Annie’s babies were taken from her each time.
3. Annie, as well as her fellow group members, arrived to sanctuary on June 13, 2008. Annie has been here at CSNW for over 16 years now!
4. Annie lives in a group with Jamie, Negra, Burrito, Missy, and Foxie. Jody was another member of their family but unfortunately, passed away last year.
5. Annie is a low-ranking chimpanzee in her group. She is submissive towards the others and let’s them take priority before her.
6. Annie’s best friend and go-to girl is Missy. Those who have known Annie/Missy for a long time say that Annie has gotten so much more independent over the years. She used to not be able to go anywhere without Missy. She still is with Missy A LOT, but she seems to be able to do much more on her own now.
7. Annie watches Missy out on Young’s Hill from inside if she doesn’t want to go out there with her. She always keeps an eye out for her. She is devoted.
8. “Annie bird” earned her nickname by making bird noises with her hands. She does this regularly while laying on her back, completely relaxed.
9. Annie is a sweet and gentle chimpanzee. She likes to give caregivers gentle kisses to the back of their hand in the morning and sometimes gives them a gentle tickle to the hand in the morning as well.
10. Missy is higher ranking compared to Annie. Since she is lower-ranking, Annie never takes it personally if Missy has to pull rank.
11. Sometimes, Annie gets a little nervous to play with other chimps. Foxie and Annie sometimes can misinterpret each other. However, that never discourages Annie from playing with her group members.
12. Annie values grooming with her group members. She takes it very seriously.
13. Despite Annie being low-ranking, she almost never gets wounds. Knock on wood.
14. Annie loves drinking from straws.
15. Like many of our chimpanzee residents, Annie is a breakfast smoothie enthusiast.
16. Annie is not a very picky eater. She loves so many fruits and veggies, it’s hard to narrow down her favorites.
17. We believe Annie has an allergy to mangoes. We take the allergy very seriously and keep mangoes quarantined in our clinic when we have them. The other group gets mangoes for birthdays occasionally, but Jamie’s group (where Annie lives) does not.
18. Annie walking bipedally (2 feet) is epic. She will walk bipedally out on the Hill when the grass is tall or when she is foraging.
19. Annie is friends with everyone in her group, including alpha female, Jamie.
20. Cucumbers aren’t a unanimous favorite in the chimp house, but Annie loves them.
21. Annie sometimes goes to the top of Young’s Hill to forage by herself.
22. Annie enjoys watching TV when it’s on.
23. Annie loves to eat grass out on Young’s Hill. Today, in fact, she was late to breakfast because she was doing just that.
24. Annie has very unique ears that are higher up on her head. It makes her easily identifiable.
25. Annie is easy-going. You know those people that are just happy to be there? That’s Annie.
26. Annie often lays in a “happy baby” pose (what caregivers call it).
27. Annie makes amazing nests. It is so sweet to watch her build nests. She is so focused and looks so relaxed.
28. You can tell when it’s almost summer because Annie will start sporting sweatbands around her waist. Surprisingly, she doesn’t do this year-round.
29. Annie loves all enrichment puzzles. She loves everything with peanut butter, or nuts. She’s not picky.
30. She likes when caregivers have painted toenails. She likes to groom their toes with a tool, but she’s a little rough with it.
31. Annie has perfectly long nails. It looks like she shapes them.
32. Annie likes men with beards. We once had a visitor with a beard and Annie was mesmerized.
33. Annie is a pretty quiet gal. Except when she’s scared. Then, she screams and screams.
34. Annie’s upper arm hair looks cape-like.
35. Sometimes, Annie will want to groom her caregiver’s hands but then she just proceeds to poke them softly, instead of grooming.
36. Annie’s anxiety is simultaneously a superpower because she is able to read chimpanzees and humans very well.
37. A lot of Annie’s play sessions are her just smacking others with her long arms.
38. Annie loves to watch the boys in Cy’s group out on The Bray. Although, they make her nervous.
39. Annie is in fabulous shape. You would not believe she is about to be 50 years old.
40. She’s growing more confident every year.
41. She is not a fighter, she’s a lover. Neggie too!
42. She loves any kinds of baked foods.
43. She is very observant and usually the first to spot a snake nearby.
44. Annie and Missy make their nests next to each other.
45. Annie will steal food if the opportunity presents itself (e.g. if someone leaves their food unattended, she will grab it and see if anyone saw).
46. Annie always looks out for Jamie during meals (due to the dominance hierarchy). She is constantly scanning even if Jamie isn’t in the room.
47. Annie likes to eat snow during the winter. She likes when the caregivers bring snow into the enclosures for them.
48. Annie loves to eat sunflowers.
49. Annie washes the hair on her head with the lixit. We can always tell afterwards because her hair will be spiky.
50. Annie is the sweetest, most gentle chimpanzee. We are so lucky to know her. Happy almost 50th Birthday, Annie!
Tune in next week (September 10th) for her actual birthday celebration!
Please check out our Wishlists here to help us prepare for upcoming events!
by Kelsi 10 Comments
Rayne has many sides to her. She is sweet, intentional, fearless, brave, social, forgiving, and accepting (especially in her friends). While she is all of those amazing things, she is also funny and silly. The other day we kept finding Rayne in different positions on the firehose. Every time we walked by she was in a different position. Sometimes I think out of comfort and to watch what her caregivers were up to, but maybe also because she noticed it was amusing all of her caregivers! We will never know, but I have photos to share!
As I close in on one year of working at the sanctuary, I am still welcomed with many “firsts.” This past week I was graced with two firsts for me that both made my day, and surprised me! Watch today’s video before proceeding to the rest of the blog so that I don’t spoil anything!
Here’s a picture of Negra with pasta sauce lips after a recent party, making sure there are no accidental spoilers!
Now for those exciting “firsts”! As you all got to see in the video, I had my first long play session with Gordo, where he showed me his play face and laughed quietly as he let me tickle him and play chase with him. This is a big milestone in our friendship, especially considering that not that long ago, I was the one that hand injected him to allow for his veterinary check up. We spent several months training for that moment, but I wouldn’t blame him for holding a grudge. Thankfully he seems to have forgiven me, for which I am very grateful.
My next “first” was getting a kiss from MISSY. I could hardly believe my luck! And somehow I also managed to snap a photo, for proof!!
A kiss from Missy!
Missy has allowed me a few, very special one-on-one interactions within the past few weeks that leave me feeling so happy and fulfilled that I could take on the world. One such interaction included her putting out her toes from both feet through the caging for me to tickle with the back of my hand, then turning around to let me groom her back. Another morning, as I walked in to greet the chimps, Missy quickly jumped up from her nest and raced to the front of the playroom. I wasn’t quite sure what was happening at first, but am not one to miss out on an opportunity to play, so I started running too in hopes this was my shot at a game of chase with Missy. Lucky for me, it was!
It is hard to believe it has almost been one year since I started working with the lovely chimpanzees, humans, and cattle of CSNW. I am immensely grateful for the opportunity to love and care for such amazing chimpanzees and sassy bovine ladies, as well as to work alongside such a fantastic team of humans. Here’s to many more special moments!
Remember that tonight, Tuesday, September 3rd, is the third in our discussion series “Primate Perspectives: Unpacking Chimp Crazy. This discussion will focus on the third episode of the series, which first aired Sunday night and will continue to be available to watch on Max. This week we will be joined by Brittany Peet, General Counsel, Captive Animal Law Enforcement at PETA Foundation. Brittany appeared throughout the series and was very involved in trying to place Buck in a sanctuary before his tragic end. Once again, this episode was difficult to watch and there is a lot to unpack. Join Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest, the North American Primate Sanctuary Alliance and Brittany Peet at 6pm PT / 8pm CT / 9pm ET. Registration is required to join the Zoom meeting.
Willy B is a chimpanzee that constantly keeps those around him on their toes – both chimpanzees and humans. Often, you can interpret this to mean that Willy B may be disrupting the peace with a dominance display, which gets staff attention to see if the display may escalate to an altercation, and gets the attention of his group mates to avoid (or take part in) the potential impending drama. Today I was happy to catch Willy B keeping Dora on her toes in a different way…with a game of chase! Mave supervised, and eventually stepped in to play some herself. It is always a good day when Willy B is in a playful mood!
Here is a photo of Willy B from another day where he was feeling silly first thing in the morning, and held hands with Rayne while they waited for their breakfast. Look at that play face!
Tomorrow, Tuesday, September 3rd, is the third in our discussion series “Primate Perspectives: Unpacking Chimp Crazy. This discussion will focus on the third episode of the series, which first aired last night and will continue to be available to watch on Max. This week we will be joined by Brittany Peet, General Counsel, Captive Animal Law Enforcement at PETA Foundation. Brittany appeared throughout the series and was very involved in trying to place Buck in a sanctuary before his tragic end. Once again, this episode was difficult to watch and there is a lot to unpack. Join Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest, the North American Primate Sanctuary Alliance and Brittany Peet at 6pm PT / 8pm CT / 9pm ET. Registration is required to join the Zoom meeting.
There’s a lot to love about summer, but for most of us here at the sanctuary – not all, but most – the long spells of heat isn’t high on that list. So with the arrival of September, we usually get the best of both worlds with more respectable summer days (not this week, but it’s coming, right??) and the arrival of magical autumn days. That alone would be celebration enough in my world. But that just adds a special flare to the birthdays ahead this month!
Disclaimer: This is an even bigger month than I realized when I set out typing, so if you can’t pull up a chair, please feel free to just enjoy the photos of all the beautiful beings who we’re celebrating this month. 😉 We’re in awe and wonder of each of them every day.
First is beautiful, beloved Annie turning 50 on September 10th. 5-0!!!:
It wasn’t long after I’d come into the chimpanzees’ lives and they into my heart that Annie’s group gained access to their 2-acre outdoor habitat, Young’s Hill, for the first time. The first time any had stepped on the earth in decades, if ever. The first time seeing the sky overhead, unobstructed. As a still relatively new volunteer at the time, I wasn’t physically present during the enormity of that day. Understandably, they had no idea how things might go and with security a top priority thought it best to have only fully trained staff and volunteer caregivers onsite in the event of an emergency. A beloved friend who was here that day texted me a moment by moment report as I sat who remembers where, clinging to my phone. I have it printed out and framed and reading it even now makes my heart sway, especially those first words, “They’re out!! They’re all out together!”
All these Septembers later, we are somehow getting ready to celebrate Annie turning 50!! How is this possible?!
And in fact, this month (on September 20th) will be the thirteenth anniversary of her group’s first day on Young’s Hill. Whether you’ve seen the video from KOMO4 news of that day before or not, it’s not easily forgotten. PSA: Grab some Kleenex first. I’ve always loved this photo of her hugging Burrito in those moments in what I’m sure was a wild mix of excitement, fear, and reassurance (you can see this live in the video linked above):
After the initial days of excitement (Diana even noted in the blog that Annie seemed to be the one who spent the most time outside that first day), everyone took to the hill in their own time and way. In those days, Annie was glued to Missy’s side even more so than she is today, but she wasn’t as comfortable engaging much with the others, or sitting it out while Missy socialized. I remember so clearly one day Missy had raced outside to collect some of their forage put out to encourage them, but Annie held back. She seemed equally as distressed at being separated from Missy as she was at the idea of going outside with her. Sitting in the doorway leading from the greenhouse to the hill, eyes GLUED on Missy, Annie rocked back in forth with clear anxiety. It broke my heart to watch, but I also trusted Annie would get there in her own time.
And she sure did. Eventually, it became increasingly common to find Annie out on the hill all on her own, often at the furthest reaches taking in the view. It didn’t matter if it was a bluebird sunny and freezing 9 degrees and we had to coax her inside with gum when we began to worry for her, or if she chose to bipedal it in classic Annie-style across the snowy field, or if shifting the chimpanzees for cleaning was delayed by 30 minutes because none of us could find her, but knew she was on the hill somewhere even though everyone else had moved inside. And summer evenings, those became a favorite of mine. After saying goodnight to the chimpanzees and locking the chimp house up for the night I’d make a last spin by the greenhouse on my way home where I’d find Annie, in peaceful solitude as she sleepily gazed out over the hill from her nest. She’d acknowledge me, but her eyes never left the expanse of her hill lit up in the sunset.
Those became some of my most cherished memories of Annie because we’ve had the incredible privilege of seeing just how far she would come once she was ready. It speaks so quintessentially of true sanctuary, what it means, and what it provides each of the chimpanzees. It’s a story I used to share at most of the summer visits I led so that people could see what they helped make possible, how much Annie has transformed as a result of being provided a second chance at a life closer to one she deserves. I realized this summer that I never quite have time to get to that one now. The chimpanzees each have so many stories to tell now we can’t begin to share them all. Isn’t that a gift?
Annie and her bestie, Missy:
Annie is a kind, gentle, curious, and endearing person. She fills the chimp house with her “bird noise” whistles when she’s extra content, delights us with her headbands-as-waistbands fashion, hates snakes with the fire of a thousand burning suns and lets everyone in earshot know, screams like a banshee when wildcard Burrito blusters into the room (who can blame her), loves wild games of wrestle more and more with said wildcard, and has moxie enough for us all. Sometimes I can’t help but love the moxie the most. Why just last week I watched her stand toe to toe with boss Jamie and smack her during a strongly worded disagreement and as Annie is someone who is lower in the hierarchy, though we don’t recommend this line of action, sometimes our hearts can’t help but secretly root for her sheer courage alone in occasionally standing up for herself. Oh, and sandal season for the humans? It’s possible she loves our bare feet as much as we love chimpanzee feet. I adore her. We’re so grateful we get to celebrate this incredible birthday with her.
We also have the privilege of celebrating Miss Meredith Cow, who is turning 9 on September 23rd!:
Meredith is another endearing being with her own unique sense of independence and it’s the thing about her that makes me smile the most. (Which one of these is different? 😉 ):
Meredith and her mama, Honey:
Look at baby Mere! (photo courtesy of Farm Sanctuary):
Meredith has been through an awful lot in the past year. She was diagnosed with osteoarthritis and underwent significant treatment which required a lengthy recovery period with limited activity. In the midst of her recovery her sweet family lost Nutmeg, Betsy’s son. No matter the age, bovines are extremely bonded with one another and having grown up with Nutmeg we have no doubt his absence is deeply felt by Meredith. As by us all.
Despite everything Meredith and her family have faced this year she has been such a trooper throughout it all – they all have – and when she, Honey, and Betsy were ready to make their way to their summer pastures I’m sure they could not have been happier. They’ve spent all these weeks up there, lost in the tall grass and summer breezes, at ease, together.
As you may be aware, in most any other life, or had Meredith and her family remained in the dairy industry, none of these options would have been provided for her. So while we are full of gratitude to you, our amazing supporters who make Meredith’s life in sanctuary possible, we’re also full of gratitude for the privilege of seeing cows living out their natural lives with their families, getting to know them as the unique individuals they are, and for the hope-filled awe of seeing so many humans coming together creating a different way. For Meredith, for others who may be so fortunate, and for each of us humans. And for the longed for ripple effect we hope goes far and wide.
Gorgeous Meredith:
And on September 25th we celebrate Mave who will be turning 35! Mavie!!:
If you follow us regularly you know that Mave’s big news of the year so far is that after months of feeling too unsure to venture into her group’s outdoor habitat, the Bray, she’s courageously finding her way out there now! Here she is with Cy:
One might even say this has been her version of a social butterfly year. From day one, Mave has been an utter delight. We just had no idea that Mave with an even happier heart was someone we’d yet to see. Though a devoted half of her beloved “Mora” (Mave+Dora), she now occasionally morphs into “Mora B” (Mave+Dora+Honey B). We just celebrated her, Willy B and Honey B’s fifth anniversary here at the sanctuary and though we’ve said it before it bears repeating: Mave isn’t the same person we knew her to be five years ago. Going outdoors, making friends, going from being a member of a group of three to a group of nine, might sound simple enough (well, okay, that last one makes introvert me shudder), but it takes an enormous amount of courage for someone for whom these choices and opportunities weren’t always possible.
“Mora”:
Oh Mavie, how we adore you:
We’d also like to celebrate the September born daughters of three of our chimpanzee mothers, all of whom we are so entirely grateful to say are living wonderful lives at Save the Chimps in Florida.(Photos courtesy of Save the Chimps).
Negra’s beautiful daughter, Angel, is turning 39 on September 4th! She looks so much like her mama:
Annie’s gorgeous look alike daughter, Mariah, is turning 33 on September 19th! Just look at her!:
And Jody’s stunning daughter, Andrea (the 2nd), is turning 34 on September 30th! Oh, she looks so much like her beautiful mama. And while it squeezes our hearts, we celebrate seeing Jody in Andrea and knowing she is living a wonderful life at Save the Chimps. After all, Jody wouldn’t want it any other way:
And to all of you Annie, Meredith, Mave (and Mariah and Andrea!) birthday twins, we’re celebrating you, too! Thank you for being here everyone, and whether anticipating autumn or spring, happy September!
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