Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

Lisa

Time To Fly

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Life is made up of the smallest moments strung together like pearls that, when you add them up, become the most beautiful story, more beautiful than you could possibly imagine at the time they are happening. Today is my final day caring for the chimpanzees at Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest and all I can say is how extremely grateful I am that I have had the opportunity to be here now. Getting to be a part of the lives of both the chimpanzees and all the people who care so deeply for them has been unbelievably incredible. I do not know what comes next, but I do know that my life has been made fuller for having shared it with Jamie, Jody, Missy, Annie, Negra, Foxie and Burrito. (Not to mention, JB, Diana, Elizabeth, Debbie, Katelyn, Keri, Denice and all the volunteers!) I can only hope that I have helped to bring as much joy into the lives of everyone involved as I have had the privilege to experience.

Today could not have been more perfect. I have had the time to hang out with some truly amazing friends one last time whether grooming Missy, chasing Burrito, walking with Jamie, giving Negra a kiss, or playing with each of the others. It is a gift I will cherish in my heart as I continue on my journey. Here are a few favorite pictures from this year for you to enjoy.

Jamie:
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Burrito:
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Foxie:
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Missy:
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Annie:
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Negra:
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Jody:
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I would like to leave you with this quote from Edward Teller that gets me through my moments of doubt as I keep moving forward. “When you get to the end of all the light you know and it’s time to step into the darkness of the unknown, faith is knowing that one of two things will happen: either you will be given something solid to stand on, or you will be taught how to fly.”

Let’s Get It Started

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Even though the chimpanzees enjoyed a fabulous day long celebration last Friday for Foxie’s birthday, they’re not done partying just yet. Life in the sanctuary today was sponsored in honor of supporter Erin Yuhas’ birthday. Erin also donated some fun enrichment items and decorations for today’s affair. Thank you, again, Erin for your generous gift! The chimpanzees seemed to thoroughly enjoy their breakfast forage in the greenhouse this morning.

Jamie was quite content to forage her breakfast:
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And to relax in the cool playroom after a successful party:
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Annie and Foxie took particular advantage of the chow forage included in breakfast. Here is Annie:
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And Foxie:
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Foxie also continues to enjoy the new troll dolls she has recently received:
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Burrito tried to carry as much food as he could all at once:
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Missy found one good spot and stuck pretty close to it:
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While Jody was a woman about town this morning. She enjoyed the forage from the top of the greenhouse to platforms below and afterwards relaxed with a good book.
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Negra, who has just recently started showing an interest in enrichment items, took a definite shine to the donated stuffed monkey in these pictures. She carried it around with her for most of the day, bringing it to meals and napping with it in between.
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Night Bag Noises

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Nightbags, or night bags, are the post dinner treat for the chimpanzees here at Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest. Jamie, Jody, Missy, Annie, Negra, Foxie and Burrito all love these nut-filled bags and each has a preferred practice for how to get the most out of these small but delectable treats.

The sound of the chimpanzees crunching on nuts and seeds is, in my opinion, the sound of satisfaction and a job well done. No other noise is more evocative to me of hope, love, home, and sanctuary. But you don’t have to take my word for it. Listen for yourself and decide.

Spending time in sanctuary

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As a caregiver at Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest one of our priorities is trying to come up with entertainment, enrichment, and various engaging activities for the chimpanzees’ daily lives. We are keen to provide them with as much choice and autonomy in captivity as we can.

For all our effort towards this end, it is always a gift to be reminded that as much as the chimpanzees might appreciate it, they also do not rely solely on it for their happiness and well-being. The chimpanzees are as adept at enriching them-selves (and each other) as we are at enrichment and I wouldn’t have it any other way! It is a privilege to care for these seven chimpanzees but I believe they know far better than I what would be the best way for them to spend their time. Here is just a taste of how they choose to live today.

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Alone time is good for the soul

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**Last week I experienced some technical difficulties trying to post my blog. If you are on Facebook you will already have had the opportunity to watch the video but for those of you who aren’t, here is last week’s blog post, finally!! Please enjoy and check back later for today’s real blog post.**

Chimpanzees are highly social creatures. They rely on a social hierarchy and daily networking as part of the glue that keeps their society functioning. But, just like humans, the chimpanzees benefit from some quality time alone as well. With the temperature in the playroom providing a slight relief from a recent humid heat wave, the chimpanzees took advantage of the opportunity for time to cool off and recharge their social batteries.

Fun with Water

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Yesterday someone asked whether the chimpanzees like to use water to cool off. The answer, as it often is, is both yes and no. Yes, the chimpanzees do enjoy water, quite a lot in fact! But, no, they don’t really jump in the pool to cool off. Rather than hanging out in water they prefer to use water to cool off in other ways. For example, bottled water can be a fun treat, drinks from the hose are a daily favorite, and ice cubes are a rarer treat but greatly appreciated nevertheless. Water can also be useful, for cleaning faces, or cleaning other things.

Today’s weather forecast called for heat in the ninties with little wind and a lot of humidity. Thanks in part to yesterday’s question I considered filling things up with water to be a great enrichment idea for the day. The chimpanzees appeared to appreciate it as well!

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Negra:
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Missy:
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Jody:
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Jamie:
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Foxie:
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Burrito, however, chose to get his water from the spigot instead!

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Nesting, Napping, and Sharing

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Today is hot, hot, hot here in Central Washington and the chimpanzees are making the most of the day by relaxing in style. Each chimpanzee has been resting and nesting according to his or her personal preference.

Jamie enjoying the cool, shaded front rooms and, of course, a boot or two:
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Negra relaxing in one of her favorite playroom hangouts, the catwalk with a view of the valley:
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Jody resting comfortably beside the open barn doors of the playroom with a view to the garden:
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Burrito lying on his back in the warmth of the greenhouse:
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Foxie lying on her side, also in the greenhouse:
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Missy took quite a while to construct the absolute perfect nest for herself in the greenhouse:
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And almost immediately upon completion of it, promptly ran off onto Young’s Hill. So, while Missy was off on an adventure, Annie took full advantage of her friend’s skilled nest building.

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