Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

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Be Mine, Lucky

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Happy Valentine’s Day from CSNW! 

Lucky is a sweet, quiet, independent, and excitable chimpanzee. She is low-ranking among her group of nine, but seems pretty content with her social status, except when her big brother, Cy, occasionally steals her corn.

Lucky was born in 1991 at the Laboratory for Experimental Medicine and Surgery in Primates (LEMSIP). She lived in the laboratory for five years until it closed in 1996.

Lucky at LEMSIP: 

From there, Lucky and 30 other chimpanzees, were sent to Wildlife Waystation (WWS) in California, where they would live for the next couple decades. In 2019, WWS announced its’ closure due to financial difficulties. At the time of closing, WWS housed 42 chimpanzees and over 430 other wild and domestic animals. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife were able to find homes for the other wild animals, but not for the chimpanzees. The “Chimpanzees in Need” fundraiser began from there, with the goal of finding all of the WWS chimpanzees new forever accredited homes, which required many facility expansions, and also to get the chimps from California to their new homes, safely.

Lucky, as well as her group mates, Cy, Terry, Gordo, Dora, and Rayne (known as “The Lucky Six” in the “Chimpanzees in Need” campaign) arrived here at Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest in June of 2021. The “Chimpanzees in Need” fundraiser was a success, raising over $4.7M and rehoming all of the WWS chimpanzees.

One of the original “The Lucky Six” pictures for the fundraiser (top L-R: Cy, Dora, Gordo; bottom L-R: Lucky, Rayne, Terry): 

Lucky was quite a bit heavier when she arrived in 2021: 

 

Lucky 6' chimps on the move: Forgotten Wildlife Waystation animals ...

Once “The Lucky Six” were settled in at their new home in central Washington, they began to slowly be introduced to Willy B, Honey B, and Mave, a group of three chimpanzees that had also came from Wildlife Waystation two years prior (2019).

Spoiler alert for new blog readers: the introductions went well and the group of 9 (commonly referred to as Cy’s group on our daily blog) have been living together full-time since April 2022 (that anniversary is coming up fast!).

Lucky is full siblings with her group leader, Cy, as well as half-siblings with group mates, Rayne and Honey B.

When Lucky is very excited, whether it be because of an upcoming party, a delicious lunch, or a human friend visiting her, she will breathy pant with her tongue out, while shaking her head excitedly. It’s guaranteed to put a smile on our faces!

She also heavily communicates with her caregivers through grunting. I have been out of the chimp house lately while I recover from a non-work related injury (just to clarify!) and Lucky and I have a pretty close relationship. As soon as she spots me while I’m visiting, she will grunt loudly, even if she is a room away, and I immediately know I’ve been spotted. She will then hurry over to grunt and then breathy pant with excitement. She sure is good at making me feel special and missed! Thanks, Lucky.

Lucky’s favorite activity is to groom with others. She loves grooming her caregiver’s boots since she loves footwear.

Lucky is a fashionista. She likes to wear scarves or sweatbands around her neck like a choker necklace. My personal favorite part of her wearing a sweatband around her neck is that she has so much hair, you can’t see it when you look at her head-on, you will only notice the necklace once she climbs up high or you catch her at the proper angle. Blue and red are her colors, in my opinion.

One of my favorite days I have ever experienced while working with chimps, was the day Lucky went out on The Bray for the first time. She needed some verbal affirmations while she was building up the courage to leave the chute, and then she went for it. I remember throwing my fists in the air like my team had just made the winning touchdown of the Super Bowl. Ever since, Lucky loves spending time outside on The Bray and ventures out to all of the wooden structures to relax, take in the scenery, and forage.

Lucky’s first days on The Bray:

Lucky loves most foods. Her favorites are cherry tomatoes, berries, corn, mangoes, fennel, and baked sweet potatoes. She also loves her daily breakfast smoothie. She always licks her lips before she starts drinking her smoothie. Oh! How could I forget? Lucky is a gum enthusiast. Once she has gum, she will savor it for a few hours and chomp away.

A huge thank you to Lucky’s Pals: Vicki, Monica, Debi, Lindsey, Síle and Rachel.

If you think Lucky is as sweet as I do, make her your Valentine by becoming her Pal today! We appreciate it! 

Tomorrow, we will be sharing more of today’s Valentine’s Day party! Here is a sneak peek:

Can you guess the party theme? Hint: February 14th is World Bonobo Day!

Honey B My Valentine

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With Honey B recovering from her eye injury, we felt it would be nice for her if she got first dibs on a brand new enrichment toy before the rest of her group. The Round Thingie from the Wildlife Toy Box was one of the items in this past Comfort & Joy auction. A huge thank you to long time sanctuary friend Monica B. for winning this item for Honey B and all the other residents of Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest! Thank you so much, Monica!

Honey B was born at the Laboratory for Experimental Medicine and Surgery in Primates (LEMSIP) to mother Missy and father Herbie. Her mother, Missy, has been a resident of Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest since the beginning and was part of the original Cle Elum 7. Honey B was taken away from Missy only a few short hours after she was born to be raised by humans. Her father, Herbie, was not only used in testing, he was also used as a breeder and sired a decent amount of offspring, which include Cy, Lucky, and Rayne!

Honey B, along with Willy B and Mave, arrived at CSNW from the now defunct Wildlife Way Station animal rescue in California on August 18, 2019. In April 2022, Honey B, Willy B, and Mave were integrated into a larger group of chimpanzees who also came from WWS. This group also included her half-siblings Cy, Lucky, and Rayne!

Honey B is a very intelligent and very intense individual. When she is getting to know you, she will stare you down to try to figure you out. Caregivers joke around that in these moments, Honey B now knows our social security number, credit card numbers, and what grade point average we got in 4th grade. She is ever observant and loves keeping tabs on the humans, hoping they will slip up at some point (see A Little Bit of Mischief, The Great Hose Heist, CSNW Candid Camera).

A new to you photo of Honey B with a forage bowl accidentally left in the Riverview Green House by a caregiver

The Honey B Stare was how I was introduced to Honey B. I remember it with crystal clarity. It was right after her quarantine period when volunteers were finally given access to that side of the sanctuary, which at the time I was still a volunteer. At this point I heard the hazing stories from other volunteers who served her a meal for the first time. From screaming to spitting smoothie at volunteers to kicking the caging to dominance displays, Honey B was not going to make it easy. I had to psych myself up before I served her lunch for the very first time.

The second I walked into the front room area, her eyes locked on me. The intimidation game had begun. I started with a carrot (a food item that is long enough to if she did try something, I would have time and space to react). Without breaking her stare, she let me put the carrot in her hand and she slowly pulled it through the mesh. She didn’t eat it right away. She just sat there staring at me with carrot in hand.

Finally she brought the carrot up held it with both hands, and snapped it in half and began slowly eating the top end. Keep in mind, she did not break her stare the entire time. This lasted the entire lunch service. It ranks up there of times in my life where I was genuinely intimidated and uncomfortable. Luckily for me, it ended well and she didn’t have any hazing in store for me, unless she’s playing the really long game… which I don’t think anyone would put it past her to play.

Honey B is such an amazing individual. Highly intelligent, very sweet but also very sassy, imaginative and fun loving,  and a woman who knows what she wants. It’s been such an honor to watch her be her individual self and making some new friends (I still think her and Lucky plan beforehand to throw a wrench in caregivers’ shifting plans so they can have the front rooms to themselves for play sessions).

Now that Honey B has more pals who live with her, she would love to have more pals from all over the world to become a Chimpanzee Pal and help keeping the gears in that wheelhouse of a head of hers going with more puzzles!

It’s impossible to not fall in love with Honey B.

And a huge thank you to all of her current Pals!

Monica, Sharlene, Darcy, Carrie, Barbara, Paulette, Sarah, Lana, and Alexsandra. 

Be Mine, Cy

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Cy is the leader of his family of nine chimpanzees. Contrary to popular myths about alpha male chimpanzees, he is kind, gentle, and caring. He is at times a reluctant leader—one whose dominant status has been bestowed upon him out of admiration and respect rather than being sought after and achieved for its own sake. But when called upon, he never fails to meet the needs and expectations of those who count on him.

Cy was born in 1990 at the Laboratory for Experimental Medicine and Surgery In Primates (LEMSIP). He was taken from his mother and raised by humans, splitting time between the nursery playroom and a small cage suspended off the floor. He would likely have been subject to HIV or hepatitis vaccine trials but LEMSIP closed their chimpanzee research program in 1996 before he could enter the the adult wing of the lab. Cy was then transferred to the Wildlife Waystation in California, where he would live for over two decades. In 2021, he came to Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest along with his full sister, Lucky, and his half sister, Rayne, as well as Terry, Dora, and Gordo. A year later they were integrated with Willy B, Mave, and Honey B, who is also Cy’s half sister.

Cy at LEMSIP:

When he is isn’t called upon to lead his family, Cy can often be found sitting by himself in a corner, flipping through magazines. His favorite subjects are animals (but no cows, please!) and the latest celebrity photos from People and Us Weekly. He also loves spending time with his caregivers, playing quiet games of “tickle” or raucous games of chase. Among his favorite foods is corn on the cob—one of the few things for which he will exact a tax on his group mates (but even when he steals food, he does it in a kind and gentle manner!).

One of Cy’s most important roles is that of mentor and protector to his second in command, Willy B. His ability to accept Willy B’s anxieties and social challenges and approach them with patience and understanding is practically saint-like, and almost certainly a primary reason that Willy B has finally been able to live in the larger social group he deserves.

Cy’s new life at Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest has been made possible, in part, by his Pals Monica, Daniel, Aprile & Robert, Emily, Thomas & Ranu, Katherine, Matthew, Penelope, Fritzie and Tami, who sponsor his care. You, too, can become Cy’s Pal or give the gift of sponsorship to someone you love.

After all, it’s hard not to fall in love with Cy.

Be Mine, Jamie

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If we’ve said it once, we’ve said it a thousand times, Jamie is a complicated individual.

I love her for (and sometimes relate to) her complicated nature. She has intense interests in very specific things – like boots, and books, and bonobos. And occasional interest in even more things, like mummies.

She is demanding. She gets upset rather easily, and doesn’t shy from showing when she’s upset.

She loves pears, and smoothie, and food puzzles. She’s so intelligent, sometimes it’s scary.

Funny story about the above image – we used to give the chimpanzees raisin board food puzzles that were portable, but Jamie realized that she could use the space above the playroom doors to throw things at the humans from above. A flying boot is one thing, but a flying hunk of Trex is actually pretty dangerous. Since then, all of the raisin boards are on chains and affixed to the caging with a secure lock.

Jamie with food puzzle

I don’t fault Jamie for being on the grumpy and demanding side. She is in an unfair situation, and I think, more than other chimps (as I’ve written about before), she is aware that her situation is unfair.

Jamie began her life, as far as we know, living with an animal trainer. She spent nine years in this world of limbo – somewhere between being a chimpanzee and being a human, and then she was sold to a research facility where she was used for hepatitis testing. You can read more of Jamie’s story on her bio page on the website or this post from many years ago.

But today, Burrito worked his wiles on Jamie and got her to smile and play. Here is the video:

Today was a good day. A relaxed and playful day. But even a challenging day with Jamie is a gift.

For me, Jamie was an easy chimpanzee to fall in love with, despite her challenges:

Thank goodness I’m not alone. Huge thanks to Jamie’s current ten Pals: Monica, Donna, Pam & Marc, Carrie, Sharlene, Kris, Therese, Dusty, Cori, and Heidi.

More people should become Jamie’s Pal!! She is the boss, after all! If my words about her have moved you, perhaps you will become her pal or gift a pal sponsorship for someone you love in honor of the month of love.

Be mine, Nutmeg

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Today we celebrate Nutmeg’s 9th Birthday! He came here to CSNW with his mom Betsy, along with their friends Honey and Meredith from a sanctuary in California. Nutmeg is a lucky guy since he has been able to live his entire life in sanctuary!

Here at CSNW Nutmeg likes to spend his day with his bovine family eating from the apple trees scattered around the property, getting head scratched from his human friends and enjoying his cob and applesauce for a treat!

 

 

You can read more about Nutmeg here!  Nutmeg is blessed to have two Bovine Buddies, Monica and Jackie, but if you are interested in joining them you can find information about the buddy program here!