June is really more like a month long party here at the sanctuary. It’s a celebration of resident birthdays, birthdays of their extended family, and anniversaries. In many ways, it’s a full circle celebration, a testament to what true sanctuary is, and all that it makes possible.
Endearing Dora will be turning 37 on June 6th!
Brilliant spitfire Honey B (and Missy’s daughter!) turns 37 on June 11th!
And June 13th! When it all began. Now aka our “Trifecta Jubilee” celebration! It’s the 18th anniversary of the arrival of the original group of seven chimpanzees, Annie, Burrito, Foxie, Jamie, Jody, Missy, and Negra, dubbed the “Cle Elum 7” (and named as honorary citizens by the then mayor).
Boss babe, Jamie:
Annie and Missy:
Burrito and Negra:
Jody and Foxie:
Juen 13th is also the day chosen to celebrate Negra’s honorary birthday, this year being her 53rd! I lucked out and captured this photo of her a couple weeks ago on Mother’s Day, another big celebration here at the sanctuary. I love it so much. She was so happy this day and looking extra cute:
It’s also the birthday of sweet Terry, who will be turning 36!
Meanwhile, at Save the Chimps sanctuary in Florida, dear Annie’s son, Virgil, will be turning 37! He’s the spitting image of his mama and it seems just as sweet. He’s a deeply beloved guy in his sanctuary home. (Photo courtesy of Save the Chimps):
On June 21st, it’s hard to believe, but we welcome summer here in the northern hemisphere.
Betsy racing toward their summer pasture earlier this spring, as Honey looks on:
We welcomed our first guests for our summer visit program this last weekend and it was also the first of summer visits for George! Though we just celebrated George’s first anniversary here, last summer he had only just arrived and was in quarantine, and then busy beginning introductions with his new family. George hasn’t been particularly welcoming of unknown visitors over the past year, which is understandable as he adjusted to all the changes in his life, so we weren’t sure how he would feel about summer visits this year.
The chimpanzees always have the choice to participate in visits or not, and we consistently assess things to ensure their comfort and well-being remains the priority. And we were so happy to see that George handled the arrival of our first summer guests really well! He chose to demonstrate his awe-inspiring flying leaps off the structures and then charged past them along the fence line of his group’s outdoor enclosure, the Bray, a few times for dramatic effect (and normal chimpanzee display behavior) and wonderful Cy stayed glued to him, helping to ensure he wasn’t getting overwhelmed. Poor Cy was torn between wanting to say hi to the visitors while also making sure George was okay, but wonderful alpha that he is, his priority was George and the group’s comfort. George did let us know when we’d begun to overstay our welcome (with increased displays) and we promptly moved along. It is his home, after all.
We’re so thrilled that for the first time in his life, George finally gets to fully express himself and have a sense of agency over his life, all while supported by his new chimpanzee family. None of which would have been possible without you. He’s the sweetest guy:
And finally, June 26th is the 5th anniversary of the arrival of the “Lucky Six”, Cy, Dora, Gordo, Lucky, Rayne, and Terry, to the sanctuary!
Our beloved alpha, Cy:
Rayne receiving a kiss from Dora:
Beautiful Lucky (Cy’s full sister!):
Gordo and Terry:
While Mave and Willy B aren’t celebrating their own birthdays or anniversaries this month, they are of course just as much a part of all we have to hoot and holler in June!:
Thank you so much for being here with us through all these days and years of sanctuary you’ve helped create for each of our extraordinary residents! You inspire us every day with your dedication, your love for the chimpanzees and cows, and through showing us the power of community.
Party! Party! Party! What a busy month!! I can’t believe everyone but Willy B and Mave have a special day to celebrate this month. We’ll just have to celebrate them everyday to make up for this. So much fun packed into one month.
Thanks for including your photo of sweet Negra enjoying her lilac flowers on Mother’s Day. She most definitely looks happy to be celebrating the day. I have saved this image, it’s very precious.
Kathleen, Negra really is so precious in that photo. I particularly loved her coif of the day. 🙂
Yay, it’s the first of the month, time for a Katelyn blog!
Thank you for a picture of our lovely Queen! She did indeed look extra cute that day! It’s a pretty sad day for me here, but seeing Neggie approaching 53! and George defending a space that he now considers “his” is cheering. What a privilege, to witness his display!
I was just thinking of Neggie as I saw a cake recipe made of blueberries, coconut sugar, eggs, and cocoa–that’s it! I may have to try that one!
Thank you for always being here with us all, Linda! So sorry to hear it was a rough day and glad the chimpanzees brought some much needed joy. They do that. <3 The group was wowed by George's displays (as are we). Special indeed to see him claiming his home. Hope you made that cake and that today is a better day! 🙂
Thx. I haven’t made the cake, but was so intrigued by the thought of a flourless chocolate cake made with blueberries!
It’ll be a while. Lost a friend of 30 years to a glioblastoma. March scans said she’d be okay for a while and we’d have time to travel and spend at least a little time together. Colleagues saw her Thursday and Friday, everything according to the new norm. Tuesday, it’s hospice, and yesterday, she was gone. We didn’t even get a last phone call. And she never got to enjoy retirement or having paid off the mortgage…:sleepy:
Oh, I’m so sorry for the loss of your dear friend, Linda, and the time you’d hope to have together. We’ll be thinking of you and hoping you find some moments of comfort.<3
Todays blog was like reading a really exciting novel with the best pictures. I enjoyed it so much and didn’t want it to end. Outstanding pictures and captions and interesting information in general. George is so cuuuute!
Debbie, George really is wilding cute!! Chad really got such a great photo of him! 🙂
Wow! Party central and don’t they just love any reason for it. Wonderful photos of all of them, but Neggie stole my heart….she looks beautiful. I’ve wondered about George’s funny brow ridge/eyebrows…..they’re dimpled or something…..what happened?
They are rather unique, aren’t they?
Hi Carol, interesting how unique everyone is, isn’t it? And just like us humans, chimpanzees each have unique skin coloring, freckles, facial markings, dimples, lines, etc. Nothing happened, he’s just his precious George self. 🙂
So funny you mentioned George’s brow. While watching the series, the rescued chimpanzees of the Congo, I got very focused on the chimpanzees brows. Some are very smooth all the way across and some are very mottled all the way across, like Wounda. Some are very pronounced. Like way out there! From a side view. And others are barely protruding.
So much to celebrate!!! June is practically one nonstop party at CSNW! I wonder if George ever could have imagined such wonderful parties with so nuch delicious food before… Regardless, George and co. have a lot of partying to do this month!
Eli, George definitely has a lot of excited screaming and squeaking to do this month. <3