Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

animal protection

Happy One Year Anniversary from Monica!

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If you’ve been following the sanctuary for any length of time, you’ve definitely heard the name Monica Best. She’s a generous donor who loves to encourage other generous donors by setting challenge pledges whenever we have a fundraising initiative. She played a large role in the expansion construction that’s happening right now. The sanctuary wouldn’t be what it is today without her support.

Of course she didn’t want the significant one-year anniversary of the arrival of Mave, Willy B, and Honey B pass without her sponsor-a-day acknowledgement and donation.

Monica has personally been through a lot these last several years and the chimpanzees and blog have provided some solace during tough times. I know many of you can identify with that.

I have been thinking a lot about the role of hope in our lives, both related to trying to help chimpanzees and getting through to the other side of difficult times, which is something we are all grappling with right now.

I found a quote that reminds me of Monica for a few reasons, and I thought it appropriate to share on this day that she has sponsored which was full of hope one year ago as the van pulled up to the sanctuary with three chimpanzees we barely knew:

Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul
And sings the tune without the words
And never stops at all.

― Emily Dickinson

To put it mildly, not everything has gone according to plan this last year, but so much of the hope for the new lives of Willy B, Honey B, and Mave has already been realized as we have watched them play, explore, and relax in their new sanctuary home.

There are more chimpanzees at Wildlife Waystation who we must hold hope for as we collectively work to help them.

The construction crew is currently toiling away at the continued expansion so that we can welcome another group of chimpanzees to the sanctuary with Mave, Willy B, and Honey B supervising their labor that will also provide those three with more space.

Watching that scene this morning, and knowing it is possible because of Monica’s support and the support of so many of you out there, I found myself full of hope for the future, despite the current moment of unpredictability.

Happy arrival anniversary! Thank you, Monica, for sponsoring today and for inspiring hope.

Willy B on Repeat and Highlights of the Day

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The video above is a pretty good follow-up to the snippet of Willy B that I shared within this video a few weeks ago.

I took the footage for today’s video last week, but didn’t want to usurp Foxie’s birthday so I saved it for today.

For a glimpse of actual happenings today, visit our Instagram page, and behold some highlights below from the breakfast forage on Young’s Hill.

Missy slacklining on fire hose

 

Missy dismounting from the fire hose, showing off the benefit of opposable toes.

 

Jamie was just scratching her face in that image above, but I like how it looks like she might be saying, “oh, geez, Missy”

Jody once again dominated the willow forage:

and Negra seemed to be just fine with our secret lettuce-for-breakfast-outside weight loss plan aimed to slim her down a bit:

The Great Watermelon Haul on Foxie’s 44th Birthday

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This video above of Foxie’s 44th birthday celebration has a little something for everyone. Well, except we did not get any photos or video of Mave or Honey B enjoying their watermelon boats. They did enjoy them, rest assured.

In addition to the watermelon bowl forage, which was a tradition began many years ago by volunteers, we also served smoothies (normally a breakfast-only thing) at both lunch and dinner. Foxie was appropriately appreciative.

Foxie’s was the first birthday we celebrated when the chimpanzees arrived in 2008. We knew her exact birth date because she was born in a laboratory and we had scant records of her years as a biomedical test subject that included her birth date, place of birth, and the number they assigned to her and tattooed on her body.

Those days must feel very, very far behind her today as she celebrated her 12th birthday in sanctuary.

What a gift to have all of these chimpanzees in our lives and to be able to give them good days.

Raise your watermelon bowl to many more!!

snippets of the day

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The video above shows a few things that some of the chimpanzees were up to during random moments of the day.

The willow and the cattails that the chimpanzees were enjoying grow wild on the sanctuary property. The cattle love to browse the willow too – creating some funny-shaped willow trees.

I didn’t get a photo of it, but, to my surprise, Mave really liked the cattails. She ate the brown flower first and then stripped and wadged the stem like Jamie was demonstrating in the video.

I hope everyone reading this had a good Saturday, even if it didn’t include wadging cattails.

Jamie Helps with Renovations

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Today was full of excitement. It started with a breakfast forage on the hill for the group of seven. While you might not choose to eat lettuce for breakfast, the chimpanzees were pretty thrilled with it.

We just got back our long telephoto lens that supporter Kathy Cochran donated to us many years ago. We’ve been having trouble with the focus so I sent it in to be repaired. It was expensive, but so worth it. They must have cleaned everything too because the photos are not only in focus but vibrant.

J.B has been working really, really hard this last week repairing and renovating the playroom. The other staff have lent a hand here and there, but he’s put in the bulk of the work and all of the worry about whether it will withstand the test of Jamie (see video above).

I decided that the chimpanzees needed something special for dinner after putting up with us all week, so I made some waffles out of the “dust” from their primate chow mixed with blended bananas, raspberries and soy milk. According to Kelsi and J.B, the waffles received 9 out of 10 thumbs up from the chimps. Willy B politely took a bite, but then just as politely put his waffle on the floor.

I keep looking at the camera monitor and having to do a double-take on the playroom. The light is streaming in and I hear Jody ripping up blankets to make her nest.

That’s probably my cue to get out of here and, like the chimpanzees, have a nice long sleep tonight after a long week.

In honor of World Chimpanzee Day!

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Today is World Chimpanzee Day! And this amazing day was sponsored by Erin Yuhas and her incredible colleagues at Hartford Healthcare Medical Group Norwich! Erin shared this wonderful message about their generous gifts for the chimpanzees:

“Our medical office wears “Jeans for a Cause” every Friday and my cause for the month of June was your sanctuary and these special chimps. Together we raised over $300 and, in addition to sponsoring a day, we also sent the chimps many items from their wish list–including tons of blankets for nests! With all of us having worked in the medical field for many years, we can appreciate all these chimps went through in the name of science. I was happy to be able to share my knowledge of chimps and of your sanctuary with my coworkers helping to create awareness. I’m not sure my coworkers really liked my fact sheets and quiz, though! (This made us smile, Erin! 🙂 ). Thank you for all you do for these beautiful chimps and for the ones still to come!”

To everyone at Hartford Healthcare Medical Group Norwich, thank you so much for your generous hearts, your willingness to share your knowledge of, and learn more about, chimpanzees! You couldn’t have chosen a more perfect day to sponsor. Always, but especially during these uncertain times we all face, your support means the world to us, and most importantly, to the chimpanzees. From our hearts to yours, thank you!

You can learn more about this special day and hear a message from Dr. Jane Goodall here: “July 14, 1960, is the day Dr. Jane Goodall first stepped foot in what is now Gombe Stream National Park, Tanzania, to study wild chimpanzees. In honor of humankind’s closest living relative, World Chimpanzee Day is a celebration of chimpanzees and an opportunity to raise awareness about the vital need for worldwide participation in their care, protection, and conservation in the wild and in captivity.”

Jamie:

Jody:

Mave:

Annie, Missy, Foxie and Jody:

Honey B:

Burrito and Negra:

Willy B:

Remembering Ned and Noreen

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Today was sponsored by Joan O’Flaherty in loving memory of her parents, Ned and Noreen O’Flaherty, on their wedding anniversary.

“My parents loved animals and supported conservation. They would appreciate all the care and hard work you do to give the cows and chimpanzees lives worth living.”

Joan, we can’t thank you enough for continuing your lovely parents’ legacy by always thinking of the chimpanzees (and now cattle!) and for the lasting difference you’ve made in their lives in Ned and Noreen’s honor. We hope your heart is full of comfort and peace today, just as you help ensure for the chimps and bovines.

Honey B:

Willy B:

Mave:

Nutmeg and Meredith: