Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

Archives for November 2025

Willy B’s 35th Birthday Party: Coconut Mayhem

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We’re so happy to be celebrating another birthday with Willy B!

Even though he is (one of) our resident agents of chaos, we love him and wanted to give him things he loves on his birthday.

Caregiver Sabrina planned his party to include mangoes, coconuts, slinkies, and things that bounce!

Thank you to everyone who was a part of making today special for him and all of the chimpanzees.

On another note, if you are signed up to the e-newsletter, you should have received an email earlier today kicking off our Giving Tuesday fundraising with a matching fundraising campaign. Learn more about it here. I cannot believe tomorrow is already December!!

Play Hard, Sleep Hard

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Since the winter days are short, it’s important to take advantage of every minute by doing what you love most. For Burrito, that’s playing by himself, often making the loudest noises possible, with a toy in his mouth. Later, when the sun goes down (at 4:30pm, of course), it’s time to crawl into bed. For Dora, that means it’s time to collect numerous blankets and other nesting materials (such as toys or paper) so she can begin to craft her nest for the night, carefully placing each item in the proper place for a good night of sleep.

 

Rest, Relaxation, and…Pomegranates?

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After a food and fun filled Thanksgiving celebration yesterday, the chimps are enjoying a laid-back day today. It is overcast and chilly, which has me feeling pretty envious of Negra who has spent much of her day in a very cozy blanket nest. Jamie too was tucked into an elaborate nest in an adjacent room as she supervised Anna and I cleaning her playroom. After a relaxing morning, we added some excitement to the day by serving whole pomegranates with lunch. Enjoy a photo series of Dora savoring every last bit of her pomegranate!

I hope you are also able to rest and relax (and enjoy a pomegranate of your own, if that’s your thing!) as you recuperate from your holiday festivities!

Thanksgiving 2025

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There is just so much to be grateful for around here. A huge feast is surely in order!

Here’s what’s on the chimps’ menu:

Pumpkin pie with coconut cream

Vegan field roast

Baked sweet potatoes

Mashed potatoes

Corn and green beans

Dinner rolls

Cranberry sauce

Cider and tea

Pomegranate

Wishing you all a very happy holiday, however you might choose to celebrate!

 

A message of gratitude from Tobin!

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Thank you, Tobin, for starting the sanctuary’s day of celebration and gratitude by sponsoring this lovely day of sanctuary!

“On this feast of Thanksgiving, there is much for which I am grateful. As always, I am thankful for those who work to provide this sanctuary home for the cattle and chimpanzees, who provide them excellent care and a beautiful land upon which they may live, and live in abundance.

I am grateful for all those who endeavored to bring George to his new home, where he enjoys a new life, with good nutrition, new friends, and only minimal interference from an inspector from the USDA.

And, finally, I am grateful for htat ‘one wild and precious life’, which was lived so well by Jane Goodall. As a scientist and as an activist, I think that there is a connection between her mission and vision and the gift of sanctuary which the CSNW provides to its residents. 

Thank you, Dr. Goodall. And, my gratitude to all of you.” 

Beautiful Lucky:

George:

Honey:

Willy B:

Negra:

Snow Snack Season

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Yesterday marked the first real snowfall of the year, and for the chimps here at Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest, that can only mean one thing, it’s officially snow snack season! Each winter, the chimps demand snow delivered to them whether they have access to their outdoor space or not.

Missy, in particular, is a snow fiend and insists on having snow all day long. So, today we filled up buckets with fresh snow and drizzled sugar-free flavoring on top. The whole chimp house seemed excited about the treat, even George! At first, Cy had to show him the ropes a little, but once George gave it a try, he was hooked and seemed to enjoy the snow snack just as much as the others. Snow snacks are just one of the many ways we help brighten their days during the colder months!

You Have Questions? We Have Answers… Hopefully…

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When we post the daily blog, the comment section are usually peppered with great questions you have, our beloved followers. Whether it’s about the chimpanzees’ personalities, the caregivers’ work, the ongoing introductions, medical procedures, and a vast array of other topics, you always ask great, sometimes hard-hitting, questions. It has been a long while since we have done this, but we would like to extend a warm invitation for any and all questions you may have. We will try to answer your questions as a blog topic of discussion to hopefully really answer your questions as detailed to the best of our abilities. I fall in the category of people who think there is “no dumb question” as it relates to the sanctuary, the chimpanzees, primates in general, advocacy, etc. If you’re thinking of question you’re hesitant to ask, there’s a big chance someone else is wondering the same thing. I know I probably was at some point.

Again, we will try to answer your questions to the best of our abilities or at the very least try to lead you in the right direction. You can always check out the previous call outs for questions (here, and here) if to see if any of those spark any ideas of things you were wondering.

Terry wadging a chow bag from earlier in the Riverview Greenhouse.
Cy perusing through an old copy of a Rolling Stone magazine.
Snow has started to fall in Central Washington, and our Jody memorial looks like she could use a blanket.
(Just a note the memorial statue was influenced by this photo. Not that Jody was actually cold when it was taken.)

And then there was Mave…

These next couple of photos were taken during Mave’s recent day with Cy and George.
Box goofin’.
Though this intro was a bit awkward, the lessons George learned from Mave seem to have carried over for the better with his and Cy’s day with Dora. (More on that later)
And Burrito, who decided it would be fun to tire this caregiver out right before dinner service is brought out.
And if you couldn’t guess who the main photo was; it’s George on the Bray!