Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

Anna

‘Twas the day before Christmas

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This morning the chimpanzees were greeted by a sparkling frosty outdoor wonderland on Young’s Hill. Frost licking (if you’re a chimpanzee), is the next best thing to snow snacking. Negra was first outside after breakfast and even chose to soak up a little sunshine after sampling some frost.  I always imagine Negra’s forehead acting as a solar panel when she needs a recharge.

Foxie frolicking through the frost (say that five times fast).

Frolicking- with an emphasis on licking.

Mr B:

Jody:

And Jamie:

Speaking of Jamie, the boss spotted one of her Christmas presents sitting out in the foyer before we could wrap it. Naturally, she demanded that Kelsi toss up her new pair of boots immediately.

Good thing for Jamie and her friends, there are plenty of additional gifts waiting in the wings for tomorrow’s festivities. Kelsi and Chad have been wrapping and assembling presents all afternoon long:

One more sleep till Christmas- Wishing everyone a happy and safe holiday!

Connecting

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Exciting things are happening at the sanctuary. The electricians and plumbers have been busy at work these last couple of days, connecting our existing building to the next phase of expansion!  This unusual flurry of activity inside the Chimp House has knocked us off our routine so we’ve been cleaning enclosures in a sporadic fashion and keeping some spaces closed off to give the construction workers room to work safely.

The chimpanzees have been patiently waiting to get some of their normal areas back and they seem to be taking everything in stride. We’ve heated the greenhouse temporarily to keep the 7 extra cozy with a bit less space and the Californians have been curiously watching all the activity from their front room and outdoor chute vantage points.

Here’s Mave in a post-nap “puddle” that Kelsi found her in:

And Jody grooming Negra in the greenhouse.

Negra has a lot of trust in her long-nailed friend:

Sorry for the few photos but it’s time for some more cleaning!

The Ghost of Upcoming Christmas

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When he wrote A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens forgot to mention the most important holiday ghost of all, the Ghost of Upcoming Christmas! This afternoon, Mave was visited by this joyful, sheet covered apparition. In case you were wondering, the only way to rid the sanctuary of this phantom is through tickles. Good thing we had Mave on the case.

Thanksgiving Day 2020

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Today I am thankful for the chimps and the way they are a steady anchor of normalcy in the sea of chaos that is this strange year. For many of us, Thanksgiving might look a lot different this year.  For the chimpanzees, it looked just about exactly the way it always does. It was filled with FOOD! Wishing everyone a safe and joy filled holiday -from all of us at the sanctuary.

Senior superlatives

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Today I revisited Diana’s Inviting your questions blog to look for some inspiration for my post. Tami asked which chimp is the class clown, most congenial, most beautiful/handsome, and most quiet? This reminded me of those awkward yet entertaining yearbook surveys where students get to vote for class superlatives.  I’ve taken it upon myself to nominate each of the 10 chimpanzees for their own superlative.  Dissent is encouraged in the comments section 😜

Let’s start this off with a pretty easy one.  Most Athletic has got to go to Missy Chimpanzee, the runner:

Class Clown?  Gotta be this guy, Burrito:

Miss Congeniality would probably go to the amiable Mave:

For Most Helpful, I nominate Jody Chimpanzee for her caring den mother personality:

There is no contest for Most Relaxed.  Negra wins in a landslide:

Most Loyal might go to Annie (right), for her staunch devotion to her BFF Missy:

Here’s a contentious one… I nominate Willy B for Most Handsome, based primarily on how he makes the female chimpanzees virtually swoon with excitement when they get a proper look at him (like I said before, post your objections in the comments):

Quirkiest Personality goes to the always unique Honey B:

And Most Likely to Brighten up your Day seems to be the right fit for the fierce and eccentric Foxie:

Oh yes and Jamie wins Most Likely to be your Boss of course:

Feel free to post your own superlatives nominations below!

Ice-capades

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Ahhhh that time of year has arrived where the chimpanzees scurry around Young’s Hill, picking up bountiful mouthfuls of snow and ice along the way.

Burrito is a real ice eating enthusiast. This afternoon we spotted him climbing all over the Escher structure searching for the cold stuff.

Snow is more fun to eat than to walk on:

Apparently, the best snow is the kind that you find on the outdoor platforms. Here Burrito waits in line behind Foxie so he can sample this particular snow pile.

Missy and her mouthwatering treat:

Annie:

Foxie: