Thanks to a generous offline donation from Barb, we’re $500 closer to reaching the $7,000 goal! Only three days left – donate today for Negra and in celebration of the Cle Elum Seven’s first year in sanctuary: http://www.firstgiving.com/chimpsanctuarynw
Four Days, $1565 – can we do it?
Thanks to really awesome supporter-fundraisers, we have raised $5,435 on our Firstgiving pages towards the goal of $7,000 by the end of June. I have been amazed at the success of the supporters of the Cle Elum Seven, and can’t thank you all enough!!
We’re still $1565 away from reaching our goal, and there are only four days left. So, I’m writing this post while I’m on vacation and way past the time when I should be sleeping because I’m wondering if we’ll be able to do it.
I know we can.
Please donate to Negra’s page today or take a look at the other wonderful pages set up by supporters. Margaret is still offering to paint a portrait of the chimpanzee of your choice in exchange for a donation (her paintings are absolutely amazing), Grace is still offering cards with animal illustrations by artist Colin Redmon (who is uber-talented), and Tamela is still offering to make chimpanzee footprint pendants (I have one and it is really cool!). Plus there are many other people who have pages set up and are offering fabulous things in exchange for a donation (including simply the good feeling you get when you support a friend and a good cause) – check them all out, give, and help me sleep easy knowing we’ve reached our goal.
Do chimpanzees chew gum?
Yes. Yes, they do. See video below
All of the chimpanzees at CSNW enjoy gum as an occasional treat. Foxie is particularly enthusiastic with her gum chewing.
Paula Wade’s tribute
Paula Wade of Colorado, a supporter of CSNW and a friend to the Cle Elum Seven, died on June 10th. Paula began following the CSNW blog early on and made comments on some of the posts. She sent in a photo of herself as a child that is now included in the chimps’ photo album. In October, she gathered photos of the chimpanzees from the blog and put them into a video slide show. I had always intended on sharing this video with everyone.
Although I regret that I am only sharing it now that Paula is gone, I am so glad that she created this and was able to connect with the Cle Elum Seven, even at a distance, before she passed away. This was a tribute to the Cle Elum Seven by Paula, and now I see it as a tribute to Paula. We wish all of Paula’s friends and family the best during their time of grieving.
Exciting Foxie stories
On Saturday, the night of the Cle Elum Seven’s one year anniversary, Jackie and I were hanging out with the chimps after dinner and we witnessed two amazing things. I do not have photographic evidence of these events, but I was so glad that Jackie was there to also see them.
First, long after the other chimpanzees had finished eating, Jamie was still hanging onto a bit of cantaloupe. Jamie seemed content to delay finishing her fruit as she carefully inspected Jackie’s boot. After several minutes, Foxie came over. There were probably a dozen troll dolls that were part of the party enrichment, and Foxie had three of them with her, one that still had on a wedding dress. Foxie put this troll doll in Jamie’s free hand, while looking away. Foxie continued to hold onto the troll doll until Jamie’s fingers closed around the doll. Then Foxie pulled her hand away and very slowly and carefully took the cantaloupe that was sitting by Jamie. If you’re a regular blog reader, you know that Jamie is pretty possessive of her food, and she is the highest ranking chimpanzee. This means that other chimps, as a rule, generally do not take food from Jamie. But this really appeared to be a trade. Apparently troll dolls served as a version of currency between these two!
The second equally amazing thing that occurred also involved Foxie. Jackie and I were handing out blankets in the front rooms, and Foxie took one through the fencing. This in itself is a bit unusual, but not unheard of – sometimes she’ll playfully take blankets or clothes, and then drop them. Every once in a while she’ll play a quick game of tug of war. But Foxie took this blanket (a very big fleece one) and eventually climbed up to the bed in Room Four and began to nest!! The blanket was long and hanging off of the bed, and Jamie immediately came into the room and began to pull on the end hanging down. Foxie’s played for a bit, at one point trying to still nest by wrapping the blanket around her, while Jamie continued to pull on the blanket. After a while Foxie dropped the blanket and Jamie left. Then Foxie got up and walked into Room 2, passing several blankets along the way, and picked up a pink one. She carried the pink blanket back to the far room, went back to the bed, laid the blanket down, and laid down on top of it.
It was a beautiful sight to see, and so special that it happened one year to the day after she arrived at the sanctuary. I’m so excited for what year two will bring!!
One Year Later
We’ve all been reflecting on how much the chimpanzees have changed over the last year and going through old photos and videos of when they first arrived. Sometimes photos tell the story better than words, so I put together this video.
Happy Birthday Negra and a very happy anniversary to the Cle Elum Seven. I look forward to many more to come!
Negra’s new life
Tomorrow we are celebrating Negra’s honorary birthday and the Cle Elum Seven’s anniversary of their arrival to Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest.
Negra is about 36 years old. She was captured in Africa as an infant and brought to the U.S. to be used in biomedical research. She had four babies during her decades in research. She had over sixty liver biopsies while being used as a test subject for hepatitis vaccines. She has spent the vast majority of her life in small cages in various laboratories. She lived without access to the outside. Without windows. Without the chance to feel the sun on her face.
I think this photo, taken a couple of weeks ago, illustrates what sanctuary means to Negra:
You can support Negra today and wish her a happy birthday by giving a donation on her fundraising page. CSNW couldn’t exist without the support of so many. You provide the chimpanzees with a new life.
