Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest
Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary for primates.
One of my favorite times of the year in the chimp house is when the grass is green and tall. Like so tall that it’s hard to find the chimps. Though, it might make it harder to do checks, I love that they can explore Young’s Hill stealthily.
Jody walking in the tall grass.
Don’t forget, today is the last day of GiveBig! Help us reach our goal of $45,000. Six new chimps will be here very soon and we are so close to finishing the new greenhouses! Every little bit will help.
Today was pretty mellow, which was great. We love mellow! Everyone seemed at ease. The weather was nice, so we had a lunch forage for the seven. Everyone was grooming and lounging in the warm green house. Honey B, Willy B, and Mave enjoyed hanging out in their playrooms and watching the painters paint the exterior of the new building. I think the highlight of today would be Negra and Jamie having a long grooming session in the green house! That interaction isn’t something we see often. Of course, there is no photo evidence either. So, since it was a pretty quiet day at the chimp house I thought I would leave you with a quote. I recently read the book, The Boy The Mole The Fox and The Horse by Charlie Mackesy. This book is filled with beautiful illustrations and kind thoughtful words. If anyone is ever looking for a quick and uplifting read please check it out. So I will leave you all with this: “Nothing beats kindness,” said the horse “It sits quietly beyond all things.”
Please enjoy some photos I was able to capture from this afternoon’s lunch forage.
Burrito was searching high and low for lettuce.
Foxie was pretty pleased with her findings.
Missy took her lettuce to go and found some good views too.
Jamie has many different strategies when it comes to foraging. For example, you can free your hands up by holding your lettuce with your foot.
I love this photo of her. She looks like she is up to know good, but really she is just enjoying some lettuce… and maybe plotting something too!
Annie was busy collecting all the food people left behind.
Jody <3.
And Neggie <3.
Honey B, Willy B, and Mave all looking out of playroom 2 windows, spying on Jamie out on Young’s Hill.
Yesterday, I was hanging out with Honey B in her new favorite place- the reading corner, the chubby, or the nook. She was being her silly self and letting me take pictures while she watched herself in the camera reflection and occasionally tried to kiss her reflection.
I hope you all have a mellow week full of kindness.
We are really excited because today we put in our first online order for a Charlie’s Produce delivery that will come straight to the sanctuary! Before Covid-19, Charlie’s was our primary source for produce that we picked up at a nearby business. However, when Covid-19 hit, a lot of things changed and we had to start shopping for produce in person. In addition to the convenience for staff, Charlie’s also has an amazing assortment of fresh produce and the chimps will get to have a lot of variety in the food we serve them! On Saturday’s blog, Diana said that it never gets old to watch the chimps forage. That is so true and it never gets old watching them enjoy food that excites them!
There are a lot of different ways to donate to the sanctuary like becoming a pal to the chimps or bovines, sponsoring a day on the blog, but my personal favorite is becoming a produce patron. What is more rewarding than donating towards the thing that brings the chimps the most joy (their food!)?
Whenever I serve the chimps I feel so thankful for everyone’s donations and feel blessed to be able to hear the sounds of the chimps eating. Listening to Jody making dinosaur-like food grunts or Burrito food squeaking for sweet potatoes is simply the best. If you are ever looking to find a way to donate, become a produce patron and just imagine Foxie blowing raspberries for fruit smoothies, Honey B food grunting for a head of lettuce, Or Willy B eating his leeks like Bugs Bunny. That will always put a smile on your face.
Foxie eating her banana this morning.
Negra eating some celery.
And a carrot.
Jamie sitting on the firehose is the best and Foxie holding her carrot with her foot is pretty great too.
As much as I just talked about fresh produces, today’s real theme in the chimp house seemed to be grass. Everyone at some point was out on Young’s Hill foraging for grass!
Jody foraging for grass.
Burrito finding some shade and grass.
Missy searching high and low for some good grass.
Negra has been out morning around on the Hill a lot this spring.
Foxie doing Foxie things.
Burrito is the best kind of distraction. This video of Burrito doing a headstand and rolling in paper is a perfect example. He can certainly entertain himself, but it’s hard to get any work done around here! He is always getting someone to play with him, human or non-human. Just ask Chad!
The weather today was amazing. And it looks like it’s only going to get better. We have been trying to take advantage of this weather, so we did a lunch forage again!
Missy was very pleased when she found a head of lettuce!
Burrito had his hands full of tomatoes and lettuce.
This was such a sweet moment, Missy giving Jody reassurance.
Jamie with a beautiful troll scarf.
This is how I found Mave this morning :).
Now I shall leave you with one last photo of sweet Negra.
Yesterday, I served Honey B, Willy B, and Mave lunch. Honey B could not have been more excited about sweet potatoes! She was food squeaking and breathy panting before I could video most of it. It is a true pleasure to serve the chimps meals. I can be so fun because it’s the simple things like sweet potatoes, lettuce, cabbage, or even ice that they just go crazy for. Today was another busy day of construction on the new playrooms and a staff meeting. So please enjoy this video of chimps eating and some photos!
This morning Missy and Annie were playing. I tried to snap some photos, but the lighting wasn’t great. However, these silhouettes photos actually turned out kind of cool!
Missy has such a great play face in these photos.
Missy in the green house.
This morning as the seven where given access to Young’s Hill, Jamie took a friend along. Foxie has been obsessed with this St. Patrick’s Day themed soft troll, but this morning Jamie was carrying it around :).
Jamie taking a nap in the playroom.
Or so I thought…
The weather was so amazing today. While the three were hand served and soaked up the sun in the chute, the seven had a Hill forage.
Burrito found some lettuce in Negra’s cabin.
With a mouth full of lettuce, he went to find some more!
So, he climbed.
And climbed!
Negra was spotted foraging for one of her favorites, lettuce.
Jamie of course got a good haul.
While we cleaned the playroom, I found a ripped out page from Jamie boot book in a very cozy nest. I am not sure if I should feel humbled or nervous. Is this a message of some kind ;)?
I will leave you all with a kiss from Burrito.
The other day I was able to capture such a tender moment between Jamie and Burrito. To witness these moments is a true honor. As we have shared in blogs before, recently Jamie and Burrito will share a barrel seat for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. On this day Jamie and Burrito shared a barrel while they groomed each other. They were perfectly situated by the playroom window so that they could have a view of the neighbors, you know, in case things went awry, but could also be relaxed enough for a grooming session. This newly blossomed friendship is so fun to watch. We all know Jamie as a serious and tough individual, but it’s nice to see her patient side, especially with a friend like Burrito.
This to me is such a power pose from Jamie. Can you feel that energy?!
This photo has a glare from the window, but I thought I would still share. Both Jamie and Burrito have their feet up, sitting on the barrel, watching the neighbors in the chute!
My goodness today was a busy day! We had two great parties for the chimps and a staff meeting too! The seven celebrate with a Hill forage and the weather couldn’t have been more perfect. On the other side Honey B, Willy B, and Mave celebrated with some pots of gold in the chute as well as a St. Patrick themed meal. What was on the menu you might be asking? Of course, there was lots of cabbage, beets, potatoes, and corn! Since today was so busy I thought maybe I would let the photos speak for themselves.
Here is a photo of the three’s pots of gold(en potatoes). It was a great day to eat in the chute and sit in the warm sunshine.
And another photo of what was for lunch!
Negra was the first one out for the party!
Jody got a few good hauls of cabbage.
Burrito didn’t do too bad either.
Missy zipped around everyone snatching up cabbage and potatoes left and right!
Annie took a more low key approach than Missy.
Foxie took a birds eye view approach.
And Jamie, well Jamie did every well for herself :).
I love this photo of her.
The three didn’t really want their photos taken today, but I managed to get a few.
When Mave saw lunch she got very excited! You can see she is pilo in this photo. Mave was hooting and asking for reassurance.
Willy B enjoying some corn!
And Honey B enjoying her pot of gold(en potatoes).
