Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

Animal Welfare

Today is in memory of Bill Clark

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Today’s day of sanctuary was sponsored by the chimpanzees’ long-time friend and neighbor, Shelley Winfrey, in memory of her dad, Bill Clark, on his birthday. Shelley sponsors this day each year and we’re honored to celebrate Bill here at the sanctuary today. We are so moved that the sanctuary has become a place for so many to remember, honor, cherish and celebrate the special individuals and events of their lives through the lives of the chimpanzees.

Shelley, thank you for always thinking of the chimpanzees and for all that you do to provide them with love, care, family and home. We are so grateful to you for your compassion and generosity and feel so fortunate to have such a good community neighbor in you. Our thoughts are with you and your family today as you remember your dad.

Your pal, Burrito:

A day of celebration from Laurel!

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This Christmas Day of sanctuary was sponsored for the chimpanzees by Laurel Hecht! It also happens to be Laurel’s birthday and for the past several years this is how she has chosen to celebrate her special day!

Laurel, thank you so much for holding the chimps in your heart year after year and for ensuring their Christmas celebrations are full of all the wonder, magic, joy, and of course Burrito’s most important life ingredient, food! And thank you for turning your own special day into such a unique and compassionate gift for the chimps. We are so grateful to you for loving them. All of us here wish you a Happy Birthday and Merry Christmas!

From a few Christmases past, here’s Burrito enjoying the day:

Burrito chimpanzee gazing at tree

Burrito gazing at tree

Burrito spinning tree

The chimp house is a flurry with preparations for the chimpanzees’ Christmas party so be sure to check back later today to see the festivities!! To every single one of you who has sent donations, gifts, good thoughts, cheer and love, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Every moment of the chimps’ lives in sanctuary is made possible because of you. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, everyone!

In honor of the Cle Elum 7!

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This Christmas Eve was sponsored for the Cle Elum 7 by friends and advocates of not only the chimps, but all our fellow animals, Kery Shaw and Terran Baylor! Kery and Terran give so much of their time and hearts to advocating for the well-being of animals and creating a compassionate world community. We are thrilled to start off almost a full week of sponsorships and celebration with their generous gift for the chimpanzees.

Kery and Terran, thank you so much for all you do to make the world a kinder, gentler, safer sanctuary for us all, especially for those who are most in need of it. Thank you for always holding the chimpanzees in your hearts:

Annie (bottom) and Missy (top):

Annie and Missy top of Twister

Burrito:

Burrito lookout

Foxie and Dora:

Master Forager, Jody:

Negra picking wild lettuce:

And Jamie, Queen of her world:

Staff and volunteers have been like elves in the chimps’ workshop these last weeks processing all the incredibly generous and compassionate gifts pouring in for the chimpanzees, not only for the holidays, but for an even brighter future. From our hearts, thank you. Thank you. You have all given the gift of sanctuary and we are profoundly grateful to you.

However, you choose or don’t choose to celebrate this time of year, all of us here at CSNW wish you holidays and a season full of joy, hope, comfort, kindness, beauty and gratitude. Be sure to check in for the chimpanzees’ Christmas extravaganza tomorrow and have a magical Christmas Eve!

Chimpanzee Displays: Causing a Ruckus

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J.B. shared a slo mo video of Jamie displaying yesterday (her slowed down vocalization sounds pretty intimidating!).

In keeping with the theme, below is a video of all seven chimpanzees taking part in displaying earlier today.

If you are interested in this sort of thing, you might also find this video that shows and explains a conflict among the chimpanzees, a fascinating watch.

 
Missy pant-hooting

 

It.is.cold.

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In the years I have worked at CSNW I have yet to have a day where I was unable to get at least one somewhat decent photo of one of the chimps. Until today. We haven’t had a lot of additional snow since last weeks storm, but it’s remained below freezing for days. It hovered in the teens today without even a glimpse of blue sky or sun. And for the majority of the day the chimpanzees have been gathered together in the loft area of their home, nesting, grooming and staying warm and cozy. This is also an impossible area to get photos of.

We had the grand idea that today would be the day we shoveled paths to a couple of the nearest structures for the chimps and we did this, but when I opened the door to Young’s Hill, it was like a ghost town. Late in the afternoon Jamie did make one attempt to go for a walk and made it down the pathway to the gate and then decided that was enough of that.

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In the chimp house, things are kept in the toasty 70’s and the chimps’ Christmas tree is making things feel more festive (this is the chimps’ view from a front room looking into the kitchen). Anna spent the afternoon roasting good things to eat as the chimps watched with enthusiasm from their loft area:

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Sweet, beautiful Annie for a brief moment on Young’s Hill during somewhat warmer temperatures last week:

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That’s all I’ve got folks! I will leave you with a funny story of the day though. Missy often asks to have us open up the barn doors that face the chimps’ garden area even when it’s freezing outside and we try to explain to her that it’s too cold. I am convinced the chimps think we are holding out and it’s secretly summer on that side of the building. Well, today Jamie AND Missy thought they wanted those doors open. So I said, “Okay, if you really want to see what’s out there, let’s do it!”

So for a brief moment I flung the doors open and you should have heard the excitement. Jamie was pant-hooting at the top of her lungs and running around the playroom, Negra looked at me from above as though I’d lost my mind, and Jody and Burrito ran over to look with their hair standing on end (pilo-erect) in excitement then quickly left with their “cold” grimace faces. Everyone had a quick peek outside and a bite of snow and then I closed the doors up. They continued to hoot and holler and chase each other around the playroom, raising a ruckus for several minutes. Maybe cursing me out in chimpanzee? Or maybe happy to have been able to feel the elements on their faces, breath the fresh snow air, and feel a moment of exhilaration from the safety and warmth of their home? Or both! Who knows, but it’s nice to be able to answer their requests even when it’s not what they had perhaps hoped for. And it was still a choice they got to make and explore. And really, isn’t that what we all want?

Sweet, beautiful juncoes in the chimps’ garden:

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Jamie’s Snow Day

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Winter can be tough on Jamie sometimes – her frequent perimeter walks have to be put on pause if she doesn’t want to trudge through inches of snow. But winter’s not all bad. When the chimps don’t want to go outside, we bring the outdoors to them.