Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

chimp sanctuary

Happy Birthday, Erin!

by

We are so fortunate to have two of our amazing supporters sponsoring today’s day of sanctuary! This day was also sponsored by Erin McKenna, who has been part of the chimps lives for several years. Today happens to be Erin’s birthday and she is choosing to celebrate her special day by enriching the lives of the chimpanzees!

Erin, we hope you have a day fit for a Queen (Queen Negra, that is!). Thank you so much for all you do for the chimpanzees and for helping to ensure that all of Negra’s days are fit for the special person she is. We hope you know that you make a difference in all of the chimps’ lives and how much we (and they!) appreciate your support. Whether your celebration today includes a party, enjoying a peaceful summer day, or relaxing in a cozy nest (or all three), all of us here at the sanctuary wish you the happiest of days!

web_Negra_hold_pinata_GH_jb_IMG_3625

web_negra_sit_wild_mustard_look_kd_IMG_2001

web_Negra_lie_window_cage_behind_blanket_toilet_paper_nest_enrichment_dg_IMG_5899

Happy Birthday, Doug!

by

Today’s day of sanctuary was sponsored by Natasha Yankoffski in honor of Doug Engmann! Natasha is a long-time friend and supporter of the chimpanzees who also works to help rescue and rehabilitate sick and injured marine mammals. Natasha shared this lovely message about today:

“August 3rd is my boss’ birthday. He is a very kind, caring & generous individual who is very supportive of my passion for wildlife conservation. I wanted to give him a unique holiday present and what better way to honor his caring spirit than to ensure that your wonderful chimps live their days in a safe, happy & fun environment (with lots of good things to eat!).”

Natasha, thank you so much for being such a wonderful advocate for not only the chimpanzees, but all animals. We truly appreciate your desire to make a difference in the chimpanzees’ lives as you honor Doug today.

Doug, thank you for your support of wildlife conservation and the passion of those who advocate on behalf of so many special beings. We hope you have the best birthday yet and a day full of celebration and joy. You sound like a wonderfully special being yourself and all of us here at CSNW send birthday pant-hoots your way! Happy Birthday!!

Annie enjoying pea tendrils and corn on the cob (and lips 🙂 ):

Annie eat corn and pea tendrils

We are so fortunate to have two people sponsoring this day of sanctuary for the chimpanzees so please tune in later this morning to help us celebrate with our second sponsor! The chimpanzees have the best friends!

Happy Birthday, Diane!

by

This day of sanctuary was sponsored by Diane Koosed who shared this lovely note: “Celebrating my birthday by feeling a bit connected to CSNW!”

Diane, thank you so much for your generous gift to the chimpanzees on your own special day! We are continually amazed at all of the connections these seven special beings draw not only to their lives, but to all our lives. Thank you for helping to ensure that all their days are filled with hope, love, home and sanctuary. May your day be filled with the same in return. From all of us here at CSNW, we wish you the happiest of birthdays!

Jamie:

Jamie eating corn 5

Testing Testing…123

by

Hello to all the CSNW blog readers! My name is Anna Wallace and I’m the newest staff caregiver to join the team. I’m really excited to be going through training here and getting to know more about the Cle Elum 7! Today, as you may already know, is my first blog post. Not only is it my first blog post, but it is also my first time taking photos of these very photogenic beings. I thought I would share with you my favorites from the series of pictures I took this afternoon under Elizabeth’s watchful guidance.

Negra and her droopy lip.
web_negra_droopy_lip_nest_catwalk_PR_AW_IMG_6155

Handsome Mr. Burrito, lounging in the portrait studio.
web_Burrito_on_back_looking_at_camera_portrait_Studio_FR4_AW_IMG_6140

I hope to share many more photos and a more detailed account of my training in the weeks to come!

Foxie’s evening

by

Each night after dinner the chimpanzees receive their food puzzle for the evening. This is typically a pretty exciting time and once everyone has their puzzle they find a quiet spot to enjoy their treats in peace and the chimp house begins to wind down for the day. This evening’s puzzle was frozen applesauce and banana in PVC tubes and I caught Foxie enjoying hers:

web_foxie_eat_applesauce_pvc_tube_kd_IMG_6104

web_foxie_tongue_out_pvc_tubes_kd_IMG_6105

When the chimps finish their food puzzles, they usually head straight to their chosen sleeping spot for the night, blankets in tow, and begin making their nests (with the exception of boss Jamie who still has a lot of things to do). But this evening, Foxie decided to hang out as we finished the closing routine and seemed to be enjoying the peaceful time, occasionally glancing out the window next to her as the sun began to sink lower over the sanctuary.

web_foxie_knees_together_feet_out_kd_IMG_6113

web_foxie_smile_look_out_window_kd_IMG_6109

web_foxie_sit_fr4_bench_look_camera_kd_IMG_6114

web_foxie_fr4_arms_crossed_kd_IMG_6107

web_foxie_portrait_happy_kd_IMG_6108

web_foxie_feet_bench_fr4_kd_IMG_6115

About this time we gave Jamie her “boot package” for the evening. Jamie often requests her favorite “boots du jour” before we leave which we fill with enrichment items for the evening (such as a toothbrush, cup, comb, nail file, scarf, etc) and pass to her through a chute. As she also requested the boots she had me wearing at the time, I happened to be barefoot. And at the sight of bare human toes, Foxie thought it would be a fantastic time to play one last game of chase, interspersed with pirouettes, through the chimp house (never mind that people were settling down to sleep).

After a few minutes of play, we said goodnight to everyone and turned off the lights in the chimp area, answered by the chimpanzees giving nest grunts goodnight in return. Nest grunts are a vocalization that chimpanzees make when they are settling into their nests for the night as a way to check in with each other before they go to sleep. (Admittedly, it’s one of my absolute favorite moments of the day).

As I was closing the door to the chimp area I saw Ms. Foxie head out to the solitude of the greenhouse. I went to say goodnight and found that she had decided to camp out on the top platform, looking out over Young’s Hill, as she held Dora (with some wild hair) close to her. Goodnight dear Fox.

web_foxie_dora_gh_platform_night_kd_

Happy Birthday, Rachel!

by

Today’s day of sanctuary was sponsored by Rachel Ruggeri! Rachel recently sponsored a day of sanctuary in memory of her father, Robert. And today she generously chose to celebrate her own special day with the chimps and sends this message: “It is my birthday and since the chimps sent me a card, I want to send something to them!”

Rachel, it means so much to us that you have chosen to mark these special days in your life by making the chimpanzees’ lives better. And it means the world to them. All of the primates here at CSNW wish you the happiest of birthdays and hope your day is filled with all the love, compassion and joy you share with others!

Missy:

web_missy_under_blanket_face_camera_kd_IMG_1593

Taking in the view

by

When the weather is just right, Negra likes to make a nest in one particular corner of the upper platform in the greenhouse. After breakfast when the other chimpanzees head out onto Young’s Hill, Negra grabs an armful of blankets and climbs up to her spot.

web_Negra_gaze_at_valley_chin_in_hand_under_blanket_GH_ek_IMG_3046

Sometimes she sleeps, and sometimes she just lies there and gazes out over the valley. This is her view:

web_view_from_platform_GH_ek_IMG_3060

I often wonder what the chimps think of the outside world. Most of the chimps were in their thirties when they arrived at the sanctuary seven years ago. We believe that most of them had never been outside before. After decades in cages inside windowless buildings, the first glimpse of the outdoors must have been startling and a little awe-inspiring.

web_Negra_gaze_at_valley_chin_in_hand_under_blanket_GH_ek_IMG_3047

By now, Negra is accustomed to fresh air and sunshine and the wide open spaces at the sanctuary. But the view never seems to get old for her.

web_Negra_gaze_at_valley_under_blanket_chin_in_hand_GH_ek_IMG_3050

Still, one does need to sleep occasionally.

web_Negra_sleep_under_blanket_platform_GH_ek_IMG_3045

web_Negra_sleep_under_blanket_platform_GH_ek_IMG_3061