Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

Elizabeth

Then and Now

by

Caring for chimpanzees with traumatic pasts is probably a lot like caring for anyone with a traumatic past. You’re aware of the person’s history and how it has affected them, but you probably don’t dwell on it on a day-to-day basis. There are even moments when you don’t think of the past at all; you’re just focused on the here and now.

Interestingly, the times I find myself reminded of the chimpanzees’ histories are the moments when they seem to be feeling particularly happy or relaxed or free. I think about how moments like that were few and far between until they made it to sanctuary. I hope that in those moments, the chimpanzees are thinking about anything but the past.

web_Jamie_high_on_structure_YH_ek_IMG_9556

Commander in Chief

by

There are certain people that have such presence that you can’t ignore them. Jamie is one of those people. She runs the show around here, and you know it at first glance, from her perfect posture to her cocky strut to the steely glint in her eye. When she is focused on something, you can feel all her energy coming through her gaze.

web_Jamie_hold_boot_concentrate_GH_kh_IMG_9309

From the moment staff and volunteers arrive at the chimp house in the morning, we are aware every second of being in Jamie’s home. She doesn’t let us forget it. We are expected to keep her company when she wishes (and get lost when she wishes), to retrieve things for her that she can’t get herself, to be available to her at all times. She lets us know if we are being too this or too that, or not enough this or not enough that. Jamie has unapologetically co-opted the humans in her life as her minions, and for someone who was powerless for so long, we think that’s pretty great.

Quiet

by

Negra is an introvert. While she enjoys the occasional grooming session or gentle play with the other chimpanzees, she chooses to spend the vast majority of her time by herself, usually under a blanket, napping or gazing out the window at the valley below the chimp house. As the grandma of the group, she sometimes has to tell the other, more rambunctious, chimps to settle down so she can have some peace and quiet.

It’s not unusual to catch Negra in pensive moments like this one.

web_Negra_arms_crossed_sit_catwalk_PR_ek_IMG_9341

web_Negra_arms_crossed_look_down_sit_catwalk_PR_ek_IMG_9345

web_Negra_arms_crossed_chin_on_arm_sit_catwalk_PR_ek_IMG_9340

Dance, Human, Dance

by

If you visited the sanctuary on any given day you’d probably see the humans behaving very strangely. We’ll do just about anything to make the chimps happy, and sometimes that means swallowing our pride and acting like fools for their entertainment. For Foxie, you might see us balancing a troll doll on our heads or doing pirouettes. Jamie likes us to wear a couple of cowboy boots (usually mismatched and two sizes too big or too small) and take a walk with her.

For Negra, we dance. The majority of the time, Negra has little use for humans. But when we dance for her, she can’t help but bob her head in appreciation.

A Nightly Treat

by

Each night after a dinner of fresh fruits and veggies, the chimpanzees are given a “night bag” consisting of a handful of nuts, seeds, dried fruit, and other healthy treats. This tradition began on the chimps’ first night at the sanctuary, and they’ve enjoyed night bags every night since.

As soon as we pass out the night bags a hush falls over the group as everyone digs in. The chimps are masters at shelling the nuts and seeds with their mouths and then discarding the shells. Burrito demonstrates below.

The New Annie

by

Just a few years ago, Annie was glued to her best friend Missy’s side. Missy was Annie’s security blanket, and she followed her everywhere. Annie was afraid to be alone.

That’s not the case anymore. These days it’s not uncommon to see images like this one of Annie enjoying some solitude on Young’s Hill this morning:

web_Annie_sit_log_triangle_snow_YH_ek_IMG_7705

She sat there for several minutes until Missy, who had been doing her own thing further up the hill, came over to say hi.

web_Missy_walk_snow_YH_ek_IMG_7690

web_Missy_Annie_snow_log_triangle_YH_ek_IMG_7694

web_Missy_Annie_snow_log_triangle_YH_ek_IMG_7696

Missy sat down next to Annie and they hung out together for awhile, taking in the view.

web_Annie_Missy_sit_snow_YH_ek_IMG_7697

web_Annie_Missy_sit_snow_YH_ek_IMG_7700

web_Missy_sit_snow_YH_ek_IMG_7699

Eventually, Missy decided to head inside to the greenhouse. Old Annie would have followed.

web_Missy_sit_snow_YH_ek_IMG_7701

web_Missy_walk_toward_greenhouse_snow_YH_ek_IMG_7702

But new Annie is plenty confident in her own company.

web_Annie_sit_log_triangle_snow_YH_ek_IMG_7706

web_Annie_sit_log_triangle_snow_look_at_camera_YH_ek_IMG_7711

web_Annie_sit_log_triangle_snow_YH_ek_IMG_7712