In Negra’s alternate life – the one she should have had – she was born in the wilds of Africa, enjoyed a long, lazy childhood by her mother’s side, spent her days traveling with her group, climbing trees, and playing with friends, and grew up to have and raise her own babies and grandbabies.
In Negra’s actual life, she was born in the wilds of Africa, captured as an infant – probably after watching her family shot to make her capture possible – and shipped to the United States to be used as a research subject. She spent her days alone in metal cages no larger than a bathroom stall and experienced the world through filters of boredom, fear, pain, and loneliness. She had three babies in a five year span, all of whom were taken away from her within days or hours of birth, never to be seen or touched again.
Negra was about 35 years old when she stepped out of her last lab cage and into her new home at the sanctuary. That was a little over eight years ago. I sometimes wonder if there is some equation to represent the value of sanctuary to Negra and the others. Does one day in sanctuary cancel out one day in the lab? We can only hope.
Negra shouldn’t be here. She deserved to be wild and free. But her lot in life was determined by forces out of her hands, and out of ours. All we can do, and what we must do, is infuse her imperfect life with as much love and warmth and joy and comfort (and blankets and peanuts and sunshine) as we can, and then root for her as she steps toward recovery.
thank the lord for cle elum and all of you who are giving her beautiful days.
I can only echo that above statement by Janis Dolce. Saddens me beyond words to hear her history but by heart is filled with gratitude that she has found her way to your sanctuary. May she live out the rest of her life feelings loved and safe. Thank you so so much for taking care of her. Shame on our species for treating her as we did. I yearn for the days when we evolve and move beyond this kind of cruelty.
Well said Donna. I agree shame on our species.
My sentiments as well. She’s the one of the CE7 who seems the most Traumatized. We now need to fight for dogs and cats used and abused as was Queen Negra.
Negra looks wonderful running in the sun….. the “wild” is not always so great, it can be very dangerous, as a baby Negra was in the wild and bad things happened to her… we don’t live in the peaceful
Garden of Eden now…. so my point is you have done a very kind thing in helping Negra have a nice
life now….there is evil in this world and not all people are nice, and also natural forces can be
very destructive… but we can help others even though these bad things happen and we can still
find unexpected peace and happiness.
It is hard to imagine Negra’s alternate life without crying. And yet, when I see these photos of Negra, roaming free in her new life at CSNW I feel like crying. It is all so bitter sweet. We can’t undo what has been done. The best we can do is ensure that the wrongs that were instilled on Negra will never, ever happen to another chimpanzee again. May there be restitution for all chimpanzees who are still waiting for their well deserved chance to live out the rest of their lives in Sanctuary.
I believe Negra’s inner “wild” is just beginning to reawaken. The first sparks pushed her up to the top of Young’s Hill this summer for those wild yummy greens. I will never forget her past but I also look forward to discovering what she will do next. I love Negra.
All of the Chimpanzees still suffering in labs should at very least be freed to live the remainder of their lives with some degree of Freedom and comfort. An imperfect solution certainly, but you have done all that is possible for the 7 given the circumstances, and we are all thankful that you are there for them.
Very well said, Paul. I agree wholeheartedly.