On day 1 of Young’s Hill, we saw a lot of wrestling from Annie and Missy (shocking, I know!), but since then, we haven’t seen a whole lot of playing on the hill, most likely because there has been so much to do and explore out there that they just haven’t “had the time”. Over the last few days, however, I’ve been noticing them get more and more playful. Chase has been a favorite game lately (apparently, even Gators make good chase partners!). I’m sure after watching the construction all summer, the chimps (or Missy and Jamie at least) have just been waiting for the opportunity to get up to a full speed run! But with 2-acres to explore, even just walking around is such amazing exercise for them. I’m sure they are sleeping like babies at night!
chimp
I just posted this to the Out of the Box event page. Check out the slideshow below and this link for even more photos. What a night!
Chimp Sanctuary NW 2011 slideshow – Images by Karen Ducey
Jamie chases Jacki-gator
Today I was watching the chimps running around on the hill. Jamie and Missy were way in the distance. Missy was sitting on the log bridge up top and I couldn’t even see Jamie! Jody was sitting under the hammock and Foxie was running out and then back in over and over. Jackie hopped into the Gator (our farm utility vehicle) to try and find Jamie, and Missy started to play chase with her. Missy gave up quickly but Jamie was way more excited about it.
Sometimes when we play chase with the chimps, they will fake us out—meaning they will run one direction and then abruptly turn and go the other direction, and we have to try and catch up to them. Well, this is a lot harder to do when you have to turn around a Gator on a steep hill! You’ll see Jamie playing this “fake out” game with Jackie in the beginning of the video.
Online Auction Ends Tonight
We would love to follow the success of the Seattle Out of the Box 2011 event by reaching our $20,000 goal for the online auction. We have $3,826 to go in just six hours and 30 minutes. So far we have $1,192 toward the on-site medical clinic through the online auction. This is the best way to give back to the chimps – you can donate in any amount. Do it for Negra!
Although several were snatched up fast, there are still plenty of items available to bid, including a five-night stay at the Ihilani Resort in O’ahu, a private tour of the sanctuary that includes dinner with the staff and an overnight stay, limited edition signed prints of the Philip Herman illustration The Chimps on Young’s Hill (only four left in the auction), a week-long stay on Grand Cayman Island, an opportunity to be a virtual caregiver to the Cle Elum Seven for a whole day, a two-day pass to the Northwest Yoga Conference, and copies of Troll Mania, A Comfy Home and Present Moment, Perfect Moment with photos of the chimpanzees at the sanctuary. On the auction site are the last remaining copies of these books in hardback – no more hardback versions will be printed, so get them now!
Relax at this private pool on the Cayman Islands:
Get the very last available hardback copy of Troll Mania:
Jody’s exploring
If you checked the blog a couple days ago, you’ll know that Jody and Foxie are making some big steps toward finding their place out on Young’s Hill. Well, as I mentioned on her Facebook page, yesterday Jody decided to start exploring all on her own! She even skipped lunch entirely to check out nearly every inch of the enclosure.
When I think about how the chimps must feel about the open space we’ve given them, I imagine they must feel so many different emotions—joy, excitement, fear, anxiety, curiosity, and so many more I’m sure. After living behind steel bars for over 3 decades, it’s fairly overwhelming to step out into grass and open sky.
I was in front of the tunnel yesterday (while cleaning Young’s Hill to get it ready for the chimps) and I was able to see how things are from their perspective. Although Young’s Hill is an enclosure, when you first leave the tunnel it does not feel that way.
Jody was captured from Africa and put into a cage, so it’s really awesome and inspiring to see her gain the confidence to step out into the unknown.
Happy Birthday, Anne Roberson!
Mary Ann Baltich has sponsored this day of sanctuary in honor of Anne Roberson’s birthday. It’s a fitting gift for someone who generously supports the chimps monthly through our Chimpanzee Pal program (Anne sponsors Annie). Mary Ann, Annie, and all of us at CSNW wish you the happiest of birthdays, Anne!
Here’s Annie celebrating her own birthday a few weeks ago:
Burrito’s journey with you
A lot of you began following the story of the Cle Elum Seven even before their arrival to the sanctuary in June, 2008. I was thinking today about how far we’ve come together. I started to think about Burrito.
This is for friends old and new.
Burrito was the first one to be moved from the truck that took the chimps from the basement laboratory in Pennsylvania to his new sanctuary home.
Everything was new to him
We soon discovered his passion for all food
Not always brimming with confidence, he was the most anxious when the chimps were given access to the steel outdoor area shortly after their arrival. And in 2010, after the greenhouse panels were put up for the winter, he went through a period when he seemed anxious about being in the greenhouse. But he overcame whatever was holding him back.
And now look at him
If you live anywhere within a 300 mile radius (or larger) of Seattle, I hope that you’ll join us at the Out of the Box auction on Friday. Join 200 other Burrito fans – there are still some tickets available. Along with the great auction items, including exclusive “chimp stuff” (like Jamie’s hand-colored mask I forgot to include in my post yesterday), we’ll be celebrating the journey of Burrito and all of the Cle Elum Seven. It will be a magical evening – I guarantee it.