Between autumn, October, and Jamieween/Halloween, I’m not sure it can get much better. If you’re newer to the blog, October 31st is when we celebrate Jamie’s birthday and it’s one of the biggest and most anticipated celebrations of the year here at the sanctuary! Hence, “Jamieween”!
Jamie will be turning 47 this year! I had to count that a couple times…unreal. We don’t know the actual date Jamie was born, but I can’t think of a more apropos day to celebrate her. She can be both a delight and kinda scary, and everything in between. While most are probably aware of her love for footwear and her “Lucy the Bonobo” books, fewer may be aware of her love for all things macabre. Skeletons, mummies, anatomy…she loves them.
We don’t know much about Jamie’s childhood other than the fact she was raised in a human home by a trainer for the first nine years of her life. She was then sold to a dealer who sold her into biomedical research where she spent over three decades of her life. Of all the chimpanzees, I often feel that Jamie is perhaps the most aware of her captivity. She isn’t always the easiest person to be around. She can be demanding, intimidating, hyper-vigilant in her controlling, impatient, intolerant, rude, and sometimes, downright scary. But I get that. Given that her entire life has existed within the varying bounds of human control, it makes sense that these can serve as ways for her to regain a sense of agency over her life in response to those around her.
Jamie is also incredibly intelligent, creative, curious, silly, joyful, brave and profoundly resilient. For all that she has endured in her nearly 47 years, I could not have more awe and admiration for her. She speaks her mind and you always know exactly where you stand with her. For the kaleidoscopic being she is, I love everything about her and it’s a privilege to call her friend. I’m profoundly grateful that for all her days forward she will be respected and loved for exactly who she is and however she chooses to express herself.
Someone else we will be celebrating is Negra’s son, Noah, who will be turning 35 on October 17th! Noah lives at Save the Chimps in Florida and it’s a true gift to be able to see him safe and thriving. (Photos of Noah courtesy of Save the Chimps):
His beautiful mama, Negra:
Noah was born to Negra and Mack, who also happens to be Burrito’s father. This is from Noah’s page on the Save the Chimps website: “I am a happy and incredibly playful guy and I make sure everyone knows it! There isn’t a single chimp or caregiver that can resist the urge to play with me.” Sounds like shenanigans run in the family. 🙂
Noah:
Burrito:
Happy autumn, happy spooky season, happy Jamieween!! And if you’re so fortunate to share this magical and mystical birthday month with the boss lady herself, Happy Birthday to you as well! Thank you for being here! We appreciate you all more than you can know.
Can’t wait for Jamieween! I have a couple of things for her!
Now we know where Burrito’s energy and charm come from!
Happy October, Katelyn!
Oh, thank you, Linda, we will be on the lookout! Happy October to you as well! Woot! It’s finally here!
i look forward to Jamieween. Calling her personality kaliescopic is very clever. Thanks for the photos of Noah and those trolls gathered round the pumpkin is precious.
Jamieween is so good! 🙂
Hooray for Jamie !
Great pic’s today, and how cute is Noah?
I can’t wait for Jamieween.:jack_o_lantern:
We can’t wait either, CeeCee!
AND, Jamie is a fashion Diva! it’s amazing to see how she can tie a scarf around her neck.
Oh my, Noah does seem an awful lot like Burrito. Is Mack in sanctuary somewhere? He must be or have been the biggest ham.
Hi Paulette,
Mack lived at Save the Chimps and unfortunately passed away many years ago. Here’s a brief blog post by J.B.: https://chimpsnw.org/2010/08/mack/, but the STC link about Mack isn’t working, but this is from their website: https://savethechimps.org/rest-in-peace-we-go-si-bak-mack/. He and Burrito look SO much alike. <3
Thank you Katelyn!
As a side note, Mack’s history is not easy to read – common with all of the chimpanzees. But in his wonderful time in sanctuary, it does sound like we can see at least in part who Burrito gets his amazing spirit from. <3
The season of everyone’s favorite boot and bonobo-loving lady is finally upon us! I’m sure Jamie has many tricks and treats up her proverbial sleeves for the coming season. I always love hearing what new ways she has devised to shake things up around the sanctuary!
And a happy early birthday to Neggie’s precious boy, Noah! He really looks lot like his momma (those fabulous lips run in the family, all of her kids have them!). Seems like his personality comes from his dad. What a goofball!!!
It’s a shame humans failed Jaime until she reached the sanctuary no wonder she’s can be angry and impatient with everyone and everything at times.
As usual you have dazzled us with a gorgeous “photo shoot” of our darling chimps capturing their many many moods ( I also loved the human chimps photo racing alongside of the chimp.What energy!). Noah looks very vivacious and what a pity that he like so many other chimps have to live away from their mothers/fathers. Another year and another Jamieween with all the fun and games. All I can say is “I wish I could be there with you all” celebrating birthdays and Halloween/Jamieween. Ah, well, I shall be with you in spirit.
Happy month of Jamieween, Katelyn! I savor every luscious word of your monthly posts. It’s wonderful to pay tribute to each birthday resident and their family members (like Noah and Mack) every month!
I adore and admire Jamie deeply. How can anyone go from what I assume was constant attention living in a human home (hopefully at times pampered and treated with care and love) but at the same time being forced to learn and preform tricks so unnatural to you. And then, in drastically stark contrast…BOOM, you go from bad to worse. You are pulled from the only environment you know, and left in a biomedical facility, where humans torture you in a cold, metal, lonely, environment. How could any living creature make sense of such inhumane cruelty? How could anyone as intelligent as Jamie make sense of it let alone come out the other end as a survivor? But she did survive! Whatever Jamie chooses to do within her loving sanctuary home— boot hugging or book reading or poop throwing — it was all hard earned and so well-deserved.
I looked forward to celebrating Jamie all month long! Here’s to the good life sanctuary brings! Go Jamie!!