Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

Annie

Roses with dessert!

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Before caregivers close the chimp house each evening, we make sure to hand out or set up an evening puzzle for the chimps to work on. Yesterday, as the chimps came forward to get their peanut butter/banana filled PVC tubes, they each were offered a fresh Valentine’s Day rose to go with their puzzle.

Annie:

Chimpanzees appreciate roses in their own unique way..

Missy:

Several members of the Cle Elum 7, discovered a practical tool to scrape out the delicious contents of their treat tubes.

Clever Missy:

Time For Cake

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Most meals for the Cle Elum Seven include fresh fruits and vegetables, along with primate chow biscuits. Nuts and seeds are also given to the chimps each day. And on occasion, we prepare special treats for the chimps and today was one of those special occasion days. We served the cake that was made for Dr. Elliott Sumers birthday. Cake ingredients included grated butternut squash, homemade applesauce, chow “dust”, and raisins, then topped with more applesauce, coconut flakes, and banana chips.

To say that the chimpanzees enjoyed the cake would be an understatement!

Jamie

They loved it so much they couldn’t stop licking the plates even after the cake was gone!

Missy

Negra

Jody even brought her plate with her when she ventured outside onto Young’s Hill.

Burrito was pretty excited about the almond milk too!

Tonight, we are also trying a new evening enrichment for the chimps, which we’re calling “grab bags”. It is inspired by a children’s birthday party I went to recently, when each child received a small bag filled with an assortment of goodies and toys; each bag different from the others. Included in tonight’s grab bags, are things like socks with nuts and seeds hidden inside, crumpled up paper with peanut butter smeared on it, kongs tied inside bandanas, etc. We hope they like them!

And here are a few pictures of Annie and Foxie looking beautiful as ever today.

Annie

Foxie

Happy Birthday, Dr. Elliott Sumers!

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Anne Sumers sponsored this day of sanctuary in honor of her husband, Dr. Elliott Sumers, to celebrate his birthday! Anne shared this special message about today:

“Dr. Elliott Sumers is very fond of all the chimpanzees at the Sanctuary, and enjoys reading about the enrichment activities of Annie, Burrito, Jamie, Jody, and all the others as they enjoy the outdoors, playing with each other, and food treats. It makes Elliott very happy that the chimps have such a loving, good place for them to live, and that they have each other!”

Anne, thank you so much for your generous and compassionate gift for the chimpanzees and for wanting to share your husband’s special day with them.

We made a cake in Elliott’s honor yesterday for the chimpanzees. It’s probably not the kind of cake most humans would enjoy, but we’re betting the chimps like it!

elliott cake

 

Dr. Sumers, all of the primates here wish you a wild rumpus chimpanzee kind of celebration! Thank you for helping to fill the chimps’ lives with the joy, comfort, and family they are thriving in. Happiest of birthdays to you!

 

Jamie and Foxie:

Annie and Missy:

Annie Missy best friends

Negra play-biting Missy’s toes:

Jody in forage heaven:

Jody close-up forage queen

Burrito in a blanket!

Together:

Foxie and Jamie:

Save

Remembering a friend

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Today’s day of sanctuary was sponsored by Nicki Walters in memory of her husband, Bill Walters. Nicki and Bill have been such good friends to the chimpanzees and we’re honored to celebrate Bill and the difference he made in life. In fact, we are privileged to celebrate the difference his life made here at the sanctuary every day. Nicki shared this special message about Bill:

“We lost Bill last year in July but not before he got to see in person the amazing Twister & the beloved Chimps playing on it. Missy was first up! It all started by sponsoring a day in honor of his Birthday, that ended up spreading to last more days. He loved animals and life and is very missed but knowing a tribute that benefits the magnificent 7 named after him with his nickname truly provides peace and happiness to all who loved him. This is a tradition that will continue on. He loved what all of you do, thank you for helping to give him so many bright spots on the dark days with your incredible posts and to all who made the Twister possible.”

Nicki, thank you so much for choosing to honor and celebrate Bill’s memory with the chimpanzees. All of us here at CSNW hold you and your loved ones in our thoughts and hearts.

I believe most of us have the desire to somehow say we were here, to mark our time and to know that our life made a difference – that we left the world a better place for having been here. The possibilities are as far-reaching and unique as each one of us. And I think all of us will leave having made differences we will never be aware of. But for seven chimpanzee people who live on a hillside outside a small town in eastern Washington, Bill and his loved ones made a difference which will continue to ripple throughout all their days forward.

The chimps’  first inspection of the Twister:

Missy, first to the top!

Bill and Nicki watch the unveiling:

Annie and Missy playing chase underneath:

Jamie keeping watch over her home from under her beloved crow’s nest:

Foxie and Dora on an adventure:

Burrito’s courage:

Jody:

Missy (top) and Annie (below):

Annie and Missy top of Twister

The Twister quickly became an important part of Jamie’s daily routine territory checks. Weather permitting, it’s the first place she heads each morning and the place she ends her day…or in many cases, her evening:

Jamie on Twister dusk

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!