Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

Burrito

Happy Birthday, Burrito!!

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We’re celebrating our first chimpanzee birthday of the year with Burrito, who turns 34 today! This special day of sanctuary for our beloved Bubs was kindly sponsored by Trish Loesch (you may recall her husband, John, also sponsored a day earlier this week thanks to Trish’s love for the chimps!). Trish shares this message: “Happy Birthday Burrito!!!  I hope your special day will bring you lots of happiness, love and fun with your friends!!!”

If you’ve been following the blog for long, you may have gathered that we do a lot of partying around here. Parties are a wonderful source of enrichment, anticipation and excitement for the chimps. But they are also much more than that. These seven amazing chimpanzees, everything that makes them the unique individuals they are, and all the incredible humans – each of you – who make their lives in sanctuary possible, are to be celebrated. Each and every day. So really, we need to party even more!

And I’m sure as long as it involves food – lots, and lots of food – Burrito is on board. For every adorable and charming move he makes, every ruckus he raises, all the crazy food squeaks, the deadly accurate spitting upon humans, the brain-rattling cage rattling, and heart-melting play stomps, play bows, head-stands, kisses and smiles, we celebrate this amazing guy. Burrito is an important part of this family and we couldn’t love him more. We’re so happy to honor him today.

Thank you so much for your generous gift, Trish! The fridge is stocked and the celebration of Burrito (and food!) is getting underway. Be sure to tune in later today to see the festivities!

Happy Birthday, B!! We love you so much!!

Burrito lookout

Happy New Year

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Happy New Year everyone!!

Many of you avid blog readers know that we like to celebrate the holidays here at Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest and since it’s New Year’s Day, we decided to throw another party! Parties are a great way to celebrate holidays, birthdays, the changing of the seasons, and just-because days.

What gets the chimpanzees so excited about parties you might ask? Well, I’d like to sometimes think it’s all about how we decorate the various enclosures…

…but really, it’s more about the food and drinks. In fact, food and drinks tend to be the central theme to most any party.

Little did I know, until Diana brought it up, that there are traditional foods eaten the night before and on New Year’s Day. Black eyed peas, green foods, grapes and cabbage are a few foods considered to bring abundance, luck and prosperity in the New Year. And circle-shaped foods signify the year coming full circle. So, in keeping with the green foods tradition, we set out green grapes, lettuce and alfalfa cubes and included round nuts for the circle shaped foods…

…and sparkling apple cider for toasting.

To keep with tradition, the dinner for tonight will include black eyed peas with rice, topped with roasted onions and sweet potatoes.

Here are some of the pictures from this morning’s party in the Playroom.

Jamie

Missy

Burrito

Foxie

Annie

Negra

Jody celebrated the New Year upstairs in the loft, so I was unable to get any photos of her.

Wishing you and yours a most happy New Year!!!

Happy Birthday, Tracy!

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Today’s day of sanctuary was sponsored by the chimpanzees’ dear friend, Tracy Headley! Tracy is celebrating her CSNW family on her birthday and we couldn’t be happier to celebrate HER today! Tracy is one of the kindest, most compassionate souls and seems to bring light and love to all those fortunate enough to know her. The chimps and humans here are thrilled to have her as part of our chimpanzee family.

Tracy, thank you for honoring the chimpanzees in celebration of your life today! You and your family do so much to ensure your chimp family will only know lives of joy, celebration, hope. adventure, and love. We are grateful to you for cherishing the chimps for the amazing individuals they are. Happiest of birthdays from all of us! We are so fortunate to have you in the world. And happy birthday hoots and squeaks from your pals:

Burrito:

Foxie:

Jody:

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:

Another Christmas Celebration

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With so much love and support (and toys and decorations) from all over the world, we decided to celebrate Christmas again today!

Party setup in the Greenhouse, complete with grapes, LEGOs, and little hats for ornaments on the Christmas tree…

…and more boxes, toys, piñatas, food and presents in the Playroom.

Jamie headed straight for the Christmas tree, just like she did yesterday! This time, she found the hidden grapes.

Jody’s focus seemed to be on the colorful boxes (with primate chow hidden inside).

Negra helped Jamie pick grapes from the tree and munched on primate chow she found in the boxes on the ground.

Annie went straight for the food (leeks, purple cabbage, red onions, mushrooms and primate chow).

Foxie went through the enrichment that Negra left behind, including a snowman piñata and some of the colorful boxes.

Missy also focused on the food we spread throughout the Playroom first before inspecting the decorations.

Burrito spent a lot of time shaking the boxes before opening them (we hid primate chow inside each one.)

We’re so thankful for all of the love and support the Cle Elum Seven have received this past year. Thank you everyone who helped make the festivities continue through today!!

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!