Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

chimp rescue

Knowledge and Responsibility

by

I’m often told how great it must be to have a job caring for chimpanzees and I have to agree. There are so many highlights of working at Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest. Of course, there are the chimpanzees, each with their own unique and inspiring qualities. And there are the incredibly compassionate and dedicated staff members, volunteers and donors that work on behalf of the Cle Elum Seven. Add in a beautiful setting and its the perfect job.

The truth is, I love my job, but I really wish it didn’t exist. The reality is there has to be chimpanzees in captivity for me to be a chimpanzee caretaker. But, chimpanzees do not belong in captivity. Period.

A past teacher of mine used to say “With knowledge comes responsibility”. I didn’t realize just how much those four words would mean until I started learning more about the fate of chimpanzees in the entertainment and biomedical industries and those kept as pets. Once I learned the fates of those chimpanzees, I stopped buying cards with pictures of chimpanzees “smiling” and I stopped watching movies with chimpanzees in them. But, I wanted to do more; I felt I had a responsibility to do more.

So, I am trying to do that, by helping to make captivity the best that it can possibly be for the chimpanzees of CSNW. This means respecting them as individuals, giving them choices, providing daily enrichment, sharing their stories and advocating for them and all apes.

These are the seven chimpanzees that I work for.

web_Jamie_sit_platform_look_toward_camera_top_YH_kh_IMG_4745

web_Burrito_closeup_wood_toy_enrichment_in_hand_GH_kh_IMG_5358

web_Foxie_sit_platform_arms_crossed_look_at_camera_YH_kh_IMG_4750

web_Missy_profile_sit_platform_look_away_YH_kh_IMG_4746

web_Negra_side_profile_walk_platform_toward_FRs_kh_IMG_5344

web_Jody_walk_platform_drooped_lip_YH_kh_IMG_4779

web_Annie_bipedal_walk_sequence_YH_kh_IMG_4756

Enjoying the Sunshine and the Tea Party

by

The chimpanzees were excited to make the most of the sunshine this morning by spending time on Young’s Hill. Jody was the first to venture outside, followed by Burrito, Jamie, Foxie, Missy and then Annie. Negra was close; she made it to the raceway that leads out to the hill, then sat down and looked outside.

Missy and Annie shared a few quiet minutes sitting together on top of the shaky bridge.

web_Missy_Annie_sit_together_shaky_bridge_YH_kh_IMG_4683

As soon as Missy spotted Jamie, she jumped down from the bridge and ran after her. And then Jamie took turns running after Missy.

web_Missy_follow_Jamie_quadrupedal_walk_patrol_YH_kh_IMG_4694

web_Missy_follow_Jamie_quadrupedal_walk_patrol_YH_kh_IMG_4695

web_Jamie_Missy_run_YH_kh_IMG_5337

And then Foxie joined Annie on the shaky bridge. (Annie is facing away from the camera)

web_Foxie_Annie_sit_shaky_bridge_food_in_mouth_YH_kh_IMG_4689

In the mean time, Negra sat quietly in the Greenhouse, near the raceway, alternating between looking outside and inspecting her hand.

web_Negra_profile_closeup_contemplate_GH_kh_IMG_5260

web_Negra_closeup_face_inspect_fingers_GH_kh_IMG_5264

Jody gathered some bamboo before heading back to the greenhouse to relax and groom herself.

web_Jody_bamboo_in_mouth_forage_walk_YH_kh_IMG_4713

web_Jody_closeup_inspect_arm_self_groom_lie_down_bench_GH_kh_IMG_5280

web_Jody_closeup_face_lie_down_bench_GH_kh_IMG_5277

Meanwhile, volunteers Erin and Jake set up a tea party for the chimpanzees in the Playroom for today’s “Tea Party” theme. Jamie was all about it. After drinking the tea, she inspected the inside of each cup; turning it upside down, sticking her fingers in the cup and then licking them. She gives meaning to the saying “Good to the last drop”

web_Jamie_tea_party_drink_cup_sit_floor_PR_kh_IMG_5288

web_Jamie_tea_party_finger_in_cup_sit_floor_PR_kh_IMG_5289

web_Jamie_tea_party_finger_in_cup_sit_floor_PR_kh_IMG_5287

web_Jamie_tea_party_lick_finger_sit_floor_PR_kh_IMG_5285

web_Jamie_drink_tea_cup_enrichment_tea_party_sit_top_barrel_FR3_kh_IMG_5307

And Burrito spent the better part of the rainy afternoon grooming his good friend Foxie.

web_Burrito_Foxie_groom_top_platform_GH_kh_IMG_5335

web_Burrito_sit_top_platform_take_break_groom_Foxie_GH_kh_IMG_5336

Best of today

by

There were so many good photos of each of the chimpanzees that I had to share them all on today’s blog. It’s really hard to pick a favorite.

Annie’s beauty is beyond words.
web_Annie_face_lie_on_back_face_catwalk_GH_kh_IMG_4774

web_Annie_look_at_camera_quadrupedal_beauty_GH_ek_IMG_4719

web_Annie_profile_beauty_face_GH_kh_IMG_4741

Missy actually sat still long enough for us to get a few photos.
web_Missy_closeup_face_GH_kh_IMG_4744

web_Missy_eat_chive_sit_platform_GH_kh_IMG_4769

Foxie enjoyed her pears at breakfast. Perhaps they taste better by the mouthful.
web_Foxie_hang_on_cage_eat_pears_in_mouth_hand_GH_ek_IMG_4710

web_Foxie_hang_on_cage_mouthful_pears_GH_ek_IMG_4714

Burrito spent part of the afternoon playing with his wooden blocks and his own arm.
web_Burrito_lie_on_side_wood_block_toy_in_hand_mouth_look_at_camera_GH_kh_IMG_4781

web_Burrito_lie_on_back_catwalk_hand_hold_foot_arm_in_mouth_GH_kh_IMG_4789

Jamie took a moment to pose for the camera before going for a walk on Young’s Hill.
web_Jamie_look_at_camera_quadrupedal_great_photo_GH_ek_IMG_4730

Jody took some time to groom herself and ponder her surroundings.
web_Jody_relaxed_face_lip_sit_on_ground_GH_self_groom_kh_IMG_4790

web_Jody_groom_self_arm_sit_ground_GH_kh_IMG_4806

web_Jody_sit_ground_groom_self_thinker_profile_GH_kh_IMG_4797

Negra in her favorite nesting spot on the catwalk.
web_Negra_in_blanket_nest_eyes_open_covered_body_PR_kh_IMG_4831

web_Negra_in_blanket_nest_catwalk_eyes_closed_sleep_PR_kh_IMG_4830

New Horizons

by

Negra doesn’t spend as much time outside on Young’s Hill as the other chimpanzees. She seems to feel safer and more comfortable inside. And when she does go out, she doesn’t venture far. So we’re always excited to see Negra explore new territory on the hill.

This morning we set up a breakfast forage outside, and included some lettuce (Negra’s favorite). Negra couldn’t resist, and she joined the rest of the group as they went out to forage for breakfast. As if that wasn’t exciting enough, she spotted some lettuce on top of a climbing structure. Negra’s not much of a climber, and most of the climbing structures on Young’s Hill have remained unexplored by her. This morning’s lettuce, though, was incentive enough to brave the unknown.

web_Negra_sit_look_up_YH_ek_IMG_0978

web_Negra_sit_bottom_of_climbing_structure_look_up_YH_ek_IMG_0980

web_Negra_climb_forage_YH_ek_IMG_0985

web_Negra_climb_forage_YH_ek_IMG_0986

web_Negra_climb_ladder_forage_YH_ek_IMG_0987

web_Negra_climb_ladder_forage_YH_ek_IMG_0989

web_Negra_climb_ladder_forage_YH_ek_IMG_0991

web_Negra_climb_focus_forage_YH_ek_IMG_0992

web_Negra_climb_focus_forage_YH_ek_IMG_0993

web_Negra_climbing_structure_forage_eat_YH_ek_IMG_0996

web_Negra_climbing_structure_look_at_camera_YH_ek_IMG_1002

Gifts From Friends

by

We’ve written on the blog before about supporters Diane and Syd Marcus’s amazingly creative and thoughtful care packages for the chimpanzees. They always choose personalized gifts for each of the chimps, tailored to their individual interests. In one of these packages last year, Diane and Syd included a French Dora the Explorer doll for Foxie, which became possibly Foxie’s favorite Dora of all time. French Dora was eventually loved to death, but today we received another package from Diane and Syd with another French Dora! Foxie was beside herself. I was unable to get any photos of Foxie with her new Dora for the first hour that she had her, because she took her to a private spot for some snuggling.

For lunch today, we set up a forage on Young’s Hill, and Dora accompanied Foxie on her travels. (She had already lost her pants by this time, but no one seemed to mind.)

web_Foxie_walk_new_Frenchie_Dora_in_mouth_YH_ek_IMG_9925

web_Foxie_walk_new_Frenchie_Dora_in_mouth_YH_ek_IMG_9924

When Foxie’s mouth was too full of food, she tossed Dora on her back for safe keeping.

web_Foxie_mouth_full_of_food_forage_new_Frenchie_Dora_on_back_YH_ek_IMG_9929

Thanks to Diane and Syd for always enriching the chimps’ lives in unique and special ways.

Annie and Missy: Now and Then

by

While staff and volunteers were cleaning the greenhouse before breakfast this morning, Annie and Missy bided their time with a little wrestling.

And just because, here’s one of my favorite classic Annie and Missy play sessions from about five years ago.

Here’s to another five years of play faces and breathy laughter.