Chad de Bree

Come on Down!

August 27, 2023 by Chad de Bree

Animal exploitation begins with greed… They want to make money and they’ll make money at the expense of any kind of animal, be it a puppy or an elephant. It’s disgusting. ” – Bob Barker

Like a lot of Americans, I have spent some time curled up in a blanket, eating noodle soup, drinking 7-Up, eating saltine crackers, and watching Bob Barker on The Price Is Right when I was at home sick from school. Even though he always ended the show with his famous closing of “Get your pets spayed and neutered,” like clockwork, it wasn’t until I became older I found out how much of an animal lover he was, which in turn made me appreciate him even more.

As some of you know, he was very supportive of the plight of chimpanzees in the Untied States used as biomedical subjects, entertainment, or in roadside zoos. By now, you may have read some of the other accredited sanctuaries who have posted about the passing of Bob Barker and the amazing support he has given them. We are no different. Through his DJ & T Foundation, he has supported Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest and our efforts, and we will always be grateful of him.

To honor what I personally think his vision was, here are some photos from today of the chimpanzees enjoying their day free from testing, abuse, and neglect.

Burrito at the start of our morning patrol/run

Jamie at the top of Young’s Hill walking amongst the trees

And Missy… Missy was really all over the place during the first morning patrol.

Trying to get a peep at the neighbors from a higher advantage point

Sprinting off to her next stop

Running down the log used to get to Jamie’s Tower to make it in time for breakfast

Rayne not letting a hole in a cup getting in her way of enjoying a Gatorade pool

And then there’s Gordo.

Handsome

Lovable

Uniq… Gordo… What are you doing?

Oh! Please don’t!

Okay! I get the hint! The photo session is over.

Joking aside, Gordo was just in a playful mood. In fact, he has been in a really good mood all day. Suspiciously in a really good mood. I’m starting to wonder what is up his sleeve for the rest of the day…

Whatever it is, it is his choice.

As Diana said in this 2017 post, “Choice. This, above all else, is what increases primate welfare the most. When you think about it, much of what we share on the blog are the choices that the chimpanzees are freely making on a daily basis.”

The freedom of choice is by far the greatest enrichment chimpanzees in captivity can experience.

Morning Glow

August 22, 2023 by Chad de Bree

It’s amazing what a little wind can do to make a perfect day. As J.B. mentioned the other day, due to some fires to the north and east of us, we have been experiencing some hazy days.

This is a photo I took as I was walking into the Chimp House in the morning yesterday.

Yup. I said that was taken in the morning.

However, this morning was a completely different scene. After some wind rolled through last night, and an ongoing breeze in the morning, this is what the sky looked like as I was opening up the Chimp House.

This weather seems to have had an impact on the chimpanzees’ moods. Everybody in Cy’s group was playing when we walked in, either with a group mate or caregiver. And everybody in Jamie’s group was nice and relaxed this morning. In fact, as I was performing my morning checklist, Jamie was in a nest perusing through one of her favorite bonobo books.

When their group gained access to Young’s Hill, Jamie found a pre-breakfast in the form of a hidden giant Kong from yesterday.

This gave us the inspiration to let the chimpanzees have lunch forage on Young’s Hill and The Bray!

Jamie with a mouth full of mini bell peppers and hands full of endives.

Foxie and Burrito enjoying the forage together.

Missy

Side note: When I first saw this photo, I was instantly reminded of Josh at Center for Great Apes. Josh is Missy’s son and you can kind of see who he got his eyes from, don’t you think?

Photo courtesy of Center for Great Apes’ Instagram.

Back to today’s blog.

Missy heading off to collect more of her lunch forage.

On the other side of the sanctuary:

Gordo watching Diana, J.B., and Sabrina put out their lunch forage.

Terry grabbing some onions placed on the top of a structure.

Lucky surveying the area for a food cache.

Rayne eyeing her next position.

Willy B trying out a lackadaisical approach to foraging.

One of the most difficult parts about planning parties is the weather. Though today is a beautiful day and tomorrow’s forecast is similar, we can never really tell which way the weather (or wildfire smoke) will go. When planning parties, I plan several different variations just in case of bad weather or other like circumstances. So here’s to hoping that tomorrow is as bright and beautiful as it is expected to be for Missy’s 48th!

Are you tired of looking at so many photos? Sorry, but here are some more bonus photos!

Mave relaxing the other day.

Wondering where Dora is? See that foot?

It’s Dora’s foot!

And Gordo right next to them taking it easy.

Finally, enjoy this series of Burrito enjoying a popsicle yesterday!

And if 100 photos isn’t enough, enjoy the extra long video!

Sorry. That play session happened as I was finishing up the blog. Every time I tried to cut it down to a reasonable length, I couldn’t get myself to do it. There’s so much that is happening in that play session between Honey B, Rayne, and Lucky, I just left most of it intact!

I hope you enjoy watching the sisters play!

National Relaxation Day

August 15, 2023 by Chad de Bree

Today is National Relaxation Day! According to the Economic Times, National Relaxation Day is observed to “encourage individuals to slow down and unwind.” Though chimpanzee life can be very chaotic and dramatic, they all find some time throughout the day to let their hair down and relax. It’s all about balance, right?

In homage to National Relaxation Day, please enjoy some photos of the chimpanzees in relaxation mode!

Honey B taking a quick nap after her play session with Lucky.

Foxie taking a rest after breakfast.

Gordo taking a breather after returning from the Bray.

Burrito taking a break in his Greenhouse (though I am convinced he was playing because seconds later he had caregivers playing chase).

Dora enjoying the shaded part of the Chute.

And as you might have guessed, right next to her is Mave.

Willy B taking advantage of the large fan in the front room area on a hot day.

And of course, the Queen of Relaxation, Queen Negra.

We hope you are able to find some time to get your relaxation in today!

All Around the Raspberry Bush

July 25, 2023 by Chad de Bree

When caregivers are assigned to be the lead caregiver on a certain day, one of our first tasks is to “open up” the Chimp House. For me, this is one of the best times of day because it’s still early in the morning and some residents are still not fully awake. Case in point: Negra

To walk in the morning to see Negra still in bed, you kind of watch in real time what kind of mood she will be in that particular day. And yes. She has been in a really good mood today.

Since she was in a good mood upon awakening, and because today’s high temperature in Central Washington is 70º, it was a perfect day for a lunch forage on Young’s Hill. As of this typing (almost dinner time), they have been going on and off Young’s Hill looking for anything they may have missed. On today’s forage menu was: baby iceberg lettuce heads, prickly pears, and sweet potatoes.

Foxie

Burrito (and Foxie) enjoying some baby iceberg lettuce

Missy does the same

Negra: (Iceberg) Head Hunter

With everybody in high spirits, it was also a great day to set up a browse of raspberry branches! Jamie could not have been more content!

And just like the chimpanzees’ night bags, here is a final treat of bonus photos to end today’s blog!

Rayne fishing for cherry tomatoes yesterday

Gordo keeping an eye on the medical staff during a tour after Willy B’s procedure yesterday

And finally, this guy! If you look carefully, you can find an “Easter egg” within this photo

The Cattle Apple Saddle

July 18, 2023 by Chad de Bree

Please join Betsy, Honey, Meredith, and Nutmeg for lunch! During the colder months, we supplement the cattle’s diet with grass hay, oat hay, and alfalfa. During the warmer months, other than the cattle’s other supplements that we provide, caregivers generally allow the cattle to roam and graze on whatever their hearts desire. In this video, Nutmeg and Meredith are eating some apples from the apple tree in their pasture, Betsy is munching on some willow near the pond, and Honey was just getting done grazing on some grass.

Here are some bonus photos from today!

With the weather holding out with temperate conditions, Negra’s group had a nice lunch forage on Young’s Hill.

Negra

Burrito and Foxie

Foxie

Missy

Here are some Bonus-Bonus photos!

Burrito

Foxie taking it easy

Annie making her bird noises

And Jamie taking notes

Recently, we added Sprout Pencils to our Amazon Wish List as a new type of enrichment. These pencils have a capsule full of seeds where the eraser is supposed to be. When you are done with them, you can plant the pencil and different types of plants are supposed to grow. There are still some on the Wish List if you would like to help us stockpile some of them for the chimps!

Currant Events

July 11, 2023 by Chad de Bree

In today’s blog, we will do something a little different. Sprinkled within the blog will be some exciting announcements we have! Be sure to find out what they are as you read along!

This morning as I was driving in, there was a mother deer and her fawns in the sanctuary driveway.

Just a sign summer is really here! Another sign is the currant bush is full of berries. If you didn’t know, Jamie is a BIG fan of currants. It has been well documented that Jamie will always gesture for caregivers to give her some when they walk by the bush. She even has eagle eyes to spot a single berry hidden in the grass.

As a part of our browse program, today we decided to bring parts of the bush to her. Parts of the currant branches were placed in the braided firehose feeder and some berries were put into pools of water for them to fish out.

Burrito

Jamie

Before I continue onto the next event from today, we want to announce some exciting news! HOOT! 2023 early bird tickets are now on sale! We have re-imagined our annual fundraising event to be more mission-focused (and appetizer forward). You can join us in-person in Seattle on September 9th or you can participate remotely from the comfort of your own home. We can’t wait to see you in September to celebrate all things sanctuary! Read more about the event and get your tickets with early bird pricing here: https://onecau.se/chimp .

After lunch, the chimpanzees were given a treat! In honor of today’s date (7-11), the chimpanzees were given icy treats with blueberries for Slurpee® Day!

Terry

Burrito

Jamie

Honey B

Negra

For today’s second announcement, we are about a week away from Gordo’s 35th Birthday! Some new items were added to our Amazon Wish List to try to make it very special! I’m not going to spoil the theme for anybody, but you can kind of get a hint of where it’s going by seeing the items! We, especially Gordo, would greatly appreciate it!

As a bonus, here are some other photos taken from around the sanctuary!

Cy inspecting his hands

Foxie watching caregivers clean her playroom

This might as well be a sign that says “Missy was here!”

For some context, Missy is a highly intelligent chimp! To figure out the best way to extract some peanuts from her food puzzle, she did a trial and error session. She started of with the stick. After realizing the stick was much too big, she set off to find another tool. She found one of Burrito’s toy hammers. It did the job! All Missy left behind was evidence of her work!

Burrito wondering why I’m taking photos and not playing

Speaking of birthdays, next week is also this lovely young lady’s 16th birthday! Betsy!

Celebrating Freedom

July 4, 2023 by Chad de Bree

The Fourth of July holiday is a time when Americans celebrate their independence from Great Britain. For us here, we celebrate the freedom our residents have from the terrors of biomedical testing and harm from humans. For decades, many of the residents have spent their time in small cages and stripped of their freedom of choice. Today though, they have the freedom to make their own decisions, their own choices, and live the life they want to live.

I am fully aware it’s a bit ironic that I talk about their freedom, yet they are destined to live a life in captivity. It really breaks my heart and the rest of the staff here that we will never see Missy sprint in an un-fenced area, or see Rayne exploring new and exciting places. This is the life they have been dealt. The very least we can do is to provide them whatever freedoms and autonomy we can. When I arrive to the sanctuary every morning, I am no longer in my own world. I am in theirs.

To celebrate, the chimpanzees were treated to a forage of fan favorite: Watermelon Bowls! Each watermelon bowl contained: lettuce, a baked potato, baby back corn ribs, green onions, and blueberries! We even put some on the Bray! While everyone was foraging for the bulk of the watermelons inside, Rayne took the opportunity to collect nearly all the watermelon bowls placed on The Bray, as you can see in the video! It didn’t take the boys plus Lucky much longer to realize there was more food outside!

We wish you all a fun and safe Independence Day!

Here are some photos taken throughout the day!

Rayne