Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

Archives for December 21, 2025

Sanctuary Community

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I’ve been thinking about you lately.

Yes, you!

As a blog reader, you are part of an amazing community of curious, caring, clever, and compassionate primates.

The community that has developed around the blog is very special.

It’s one of my favorite things about being a part of this sanctuary. I often look forward to reading blog comments as much as the blog posts themselves. I love hearing from people who are “silent” community members too.

Being the social primates that we are, having a community is important to us humans. Just as important as it is for our fellow non-human primates.

The idea that a human community has formed around the stories and care of a special non-human community is pretty cool.

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Like all primate communities, members join and leave, and the community shifts and adapts.

I have been thinking about this blog community and how to celebrate you more. How to bring us all together in other ways. How to inform you of community members who have passed on. How to celebrate you.

This season seems like the perfect time to ponder this, so please let me know if you have ideas.

As we look back on the year of CSNW, I wanted to share how much I value you. You bring inquiry, insights, and inspiration (I’m apparently into alliteration today) to the work that we do.

I can’t imagine this sanctuary without you.

Happy Winter Solstice!

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Many thanks to long time friend of the sanctuary, Dylan Most, for annually sponsoring the welcoming of the winter solstice with a day of sanctuary for the chimpanzees and cows!

“Happy Winter Solstice!”

One of the most frequent questions we’re asked is what the chimpanzees think of the snow here. The chimpanzees have access to their outdoor habitats year-round and while they get cold like the rest of us and don’t want to spend extended time outside when it snows, that doesn’t stop them from taking every opportunity to enjoy getting outside to explore their wintry habitats.

Winter weather can vary for us and while we’ve so far had more atmospheric rivers than snow yet, more often than not we at least get a few big snows. If not many big snows! In between snow events we will shovel pathways to the chimpanzees’ nearest structures in the outdoor habitats, sometimes lining them with straw. They really enjoy climbing up and taking in the winter views, especially on a sunny day. The chimpanzees never cease to amaze us in their ability to welcome all the things their sanctuary home brings to their lives.

Annie:

Missy:

A winter memory of Jody, Jamie, Burrito, and Annie fetching snow snacks:

Sweet Annie:

Foxie:

Burrito and his group don’t waste a single second when it snows before demanding their caregivers collect snow snacks for them. Smart! Why not stay in where it’s warm when you can get the humans to do it!:

Jamie:

Yep, even Negra enjoys partaking in snow snacks:

It took a little convincing, but their neighbors, Cy’s and Honey B’s groups (who had lived in California for most of their lives before coming to the sanctuary) have learned the joy of wintry snacks.

Terry:

Also former Californians, the bovine ladies, like Honey here, bring out their luxurious winter coats many weeks in advance in preparation:

Rayne:

Willy B:

This will be George’s first winter in his new sanctuary home. While we don’t know yet what he’ll think of it, we’re so grateful knowing he’ll be cozy:

Tracks of the elusive Pacific Northwest Mountain Chimpanzee. 😉 :

Happy wintering, everyone! May these days be as restful, restorative, and magical as possible, if even in the smallest of moments. Truly, every season has it’s wonder and beauty, and equal joy to those of you welcoming summer today in the southern hemisphere! 🙂