Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

Katelyn

Happy Birthday, Meg!

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A special day of sanctuary was sponsored for the non-human and human primates at Chimpanzee Sanctuary NW today by our dear friend, Meg Lunnum! Meg shared this message about today:

“Since I am having a milestone birthday today, I wanted to share it with all the primates at Chimpanzee Sanctuary NW. Each one of them contributes so much to making everyday a happy day!! Thank you!!”

Meg, thank you so much! We are really touched that you would so generously include all of us in your special day and we’re so excited to be celebrating with you! We are grateful for your compassion and dedication in sharing with others the value of our fellow animals and the importance of protecting them, especially our chimpanzee and bat friends. (Yes, bats! Learn more about our Pacific Northwest bat populations and how to protect them through the non-profit, Bats Northwest).

We hope you have the happiest of birthdays yet, Meg! Hoots from the chimps and hugs from the humans and many wishes for a day filled with love, joy, and good stuff to eat! Happy Birthday!!

Negra:

Negra close-up

Foxie:

Jamie:

Burrito:

Jody:

Annie:

Missy:

Chimpanzee shenanigans

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Today the chimps started out arguing and fighting and ripping and hooting, a little more than usual. But whatever family business they had to work out seems to have been resolved and they’ve spent the afternoon lounging about and engaging in a variety of goofy and endearing shenanigans.

Jamie has a routine of building a nest in one of the front rooms and napping/supervising the humans as we clean the playroom. Even while at rest, she usually has a project or a plan in progress…

and today she chose this:

Jamie is very creative and often likes to repurpose her enrichment:

(Happy Jamie flailing about):

Viola! From sock to ankle bandana:

Later in the afternoon, Foxie joined Jamie nesting in the playroom. Here is a good example of different nesting styles – Foxie doesn’t like to use blankets, whereas Jamie gets pretty creative:

With these two, it isn’t long before wrestling ensues:

And here it is folks, the ever-elusive Jamie play face!!:

Foxie is the one person who can really get Jamie to cut loose. But Jamie takes everything pretty seriously (she is the boss after all) so even when she is in full play mode, we don’t often catch a play face. So we need that in a closeup:

Foxie laughing as Jamie play bites her hand:

And last, but certainly not least, I leave you with this guy:

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Are you a Negra or a Jody?

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Winter evokes a variety of emotions, thoughts and interests in each of us. Some of us love nothing more than bundling up in a cozy nest wishing to hibernate until spring, and some of us love the adventure that cold weather and snow bring. I definitely fall somewhere in the middle.

I think it’s safe to guess where Negra falls:

And while Jody is definitely a lover of a extravagant nest and a leisurely day, she always seems to enjoy the adventures each season brings:

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Annie’s Adventure Part II

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Picking up where we left off on yesterday’s blog, you’ll know that Annie’s heart was full of adventure yesterday as she raced out on a solo trip to a snow-covered Young’s Hill. After making it up the snowy path which caregivers had shoveled for the chimps earlier in the week, Annie made a beeline for the first structure and climbed up to enjoy the view.

Annie seems to particularly relish such cold, sunny days and the solitude she finds by venturing onto the hill on her own. When we call to her she’ll often simply turn her back to us, content to stay where she’s at. And who can blame her? So yesterday, when Jody became excited at seeing Annie out there and made her way toward her, Annie wasn’t in the mood for company apparently and quickly made her way back down the structure before Jody could reach her.

I thought she must be heading back inside, but she stopped and gazed out over the expanse of the hill. And then much to my surprise headed out across the sparkling field before her to see what she could see.

I could not love this one (or Annie) more!

Cold feet!

Curiosity satisfied, Annie finally decided to head back to the chimp house where she asked me to grab her some snow snacks to enjoy (she was too busy adventuring in the snow to grab any herself) while she warmed up those fabulous chimpanzee feet on the heated floor.

It’s hard to reconcile the Annie from merely a couple of years ago with the Annie we see new sides of each day now. I have a very vivid and heart-wrenching memory of her sitting in the raceway to Young’s Hill rocking with anxiety as she watched her best friend, Missy, ripping and running across the green fields. She was visibly distressed being separated from her beloved friend whose side she rarely left, but was too uncertain and fearful to follow her. It makes my heart sing to see the Annie we know today, courageous, curious, joyful, more comfortable, and full to the brim with moxie and spirit in every step she takes. But I think this was always Annie. Your support of her and her family gave them something even more powerful than their lives in sanctuary. You gave them a path back to themselves. And for that we are eternally grateful.

Annie’s Adventure Part I

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We are all so thrilled to be experiencing a dry spell with beautiful blue skies and bright sun and snowy fields that look like diamond dust was sprinkled over them. The chimps have really been enjoying taking quick trips out onto Young’s Hill (the chimps’ 2 acre outdoor habitat) to forage for snow to bring back to the sun-filled chimp house. But this morning Annie was literally stomping her feet at the door to the hill waiting for me to open it. You see, Annie had adventure on her mind.

The second I began opening the door to the hill Annie squeezed through – no time to waste – and immediately made her way outside to take in all that light and wintertime beauty surrounding her home.

And then she set off for the first leg of her adventure, in classic elegant, endearing (and bipedal) Annie style:

Having reached the first platform she sat to take in the view for a moment. As soon as the other chimps saw her a few of them decided to head her way and join her. But Annie, being full of moxie, soul and sass, had it mind to enjoy this particular adventure in solitude. Be sure to tune in tomorrow for Part II of Annie’s adventure!

The patient

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When I arrived to the chimp house this morning I went in the chimp area to greet everyone and found our patient, Queen Negra, fast asleep:

Another pass through and I found her enjoying a magazine from the comfort of her nest as she tried to wake up:

…and tried to wake-up:

But it was too early by the Queen’s standards so she swaddled herself up like a Neggie burrito and headed back to sleep until breakfast:

Negra is doing well and in great spirits! She is continuing to heal more and more each day and it seems the doctor’s orders to take it easy and rest are right up her alley.