Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

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What’s Your Favorite (Nonhuman) Animal?

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Texas, of course, is a long way away from Washington state. Heck, West Texas is a long way away from East Texas. (In case you were wondering, Cuba, Guatemala, Idaho and Michigan are all closer to the nearest point in Texas than that location is from the farthest point in Texas. Let that simmer, folks.)

That piece of geographic knowledge is one of the reasons why we caregivers were both impressed and thrilled to receive holiday cards from some very thoughtful elementary students who live, of all places, on the plains of Odessa, Texas.

None of these amazing young people in Mrs. Bille’s fifth grade class at Travis Magnet Elementary have ever been to the sanctuary. I’m not sure if any of them have ever seen a chimpanzee. Still, they have enabled us to decorate our veterinary whiteboard with colorful cards filled with holiday cheer, encouragement, and kindness. Their messages really warm up the foyer. For example, students wished that Missy enjoys lots of tomatoes this year, that Honey B. stays brave about all the new things in her new home, and that Burrito has lots of fun playing tug-of-war with J.B. With their help, we will do our best to make these things happen.

In my opinion, Mrs. Bille deserves some sort of award for organizing such an exceptional gift to the sanctuary (and for being one of our biggest supporters and fans, year after year).

All of the messages are directed towards individual chimpanzees and demonstrate how each student is familiar with the personalities and backgrounds of their respective favorites. It’s comforting to see young people from far away expressing empathy for and interest in the chimps, and it amazes me how much individual students seem to identify with individual chimps. It seems that they are well on their way to becoming bright and responsible adults, and I’m sure they would all make amazing chimpanzee caregivers someday.

When I was their age, I used to pester my parents constantly because I was so interested in animals, nature and science. Luckily, my family was supportive. They bought me used zoology textbooks and atlases, took me to educational programs at the local zoo, purchased a subscription to National Geographic and even sponsored sanctuary animals for my annual Christmas gift. My parents still love to joke about the night almost three decades ago when I tiptoed into their bedroom, opened my father’s eyelids with my stubby toddler fingers, and barked “Dad, what’s your favorite jungle animal?!” When he responded that he liked lions and instructed me to go back to bed, I informed him that lions inhabit open savannas and aren’t adapted to live in jungles. I didn’t go back to my room until he changed his answer to tigers.

Perhaps this is why one holiday card in particular made me smile. The bright red, glittery card reads:

To: Betsy
From: Isabelle
Have a happy mooadays.

Dear Betsy, I love your name. And I love cows. They’re my 6th favorite animal. I hope you have a very Merry Christmas.

Well, Isabelle, you should know that Betsy had an outstanding Christmas. She and the other cattle got alfalfa and minerals, two of their favorite winter treats. She held still while I brushed her fuzzy winter coat, and then licked all of the salty minerals off of my sleeves. We’re excited for the new year because Betsy and the others will get a huge new pasture with lots of green grass after the snow melts. It’s because of people like you and your classmates that cows, chimpanzees, and all the other nonhuman animals out there have a chance at a good life after being wrongfully used by humans. Keep up the good work, Isabelle.

Betsy.

Also, Isabelle, I am shocked that cows are only your 6th favorite animal. Why are they so low on the list? Which animals are ranked 1-5? Feel free to send us another card with your faves.

Here are my zoological power rankings:

  1. Spider monkeys. They’re a lot like chimpanzees AND they have amazing tails.
  2. Cows, obviously. This includes all cattle because Nutmeg is a steer, not a cow.
  3. Chimpanzees. They would be higher on my list if I didn’t have to clean up their messy playroom every morning.
  4. Trash pandas (also known as raccoons).
  5. Goats.
  6. Quahogs (a type of clam). They live longer than any other animal and they remind me of the place where I grew up, by the ocean.
  7. Wolverines. Their scientific name means “the gluttonous glutton” and I identify with that. They’re also stocky, athletic and fierce, like Missy.
  8. Spotted hyenas. They got a bad reputation from the Lion King, but they’re very smart and have an interesting society. The female hyenas are in charge of the whole group.
  9. Red pandas. They’re super chill. If taking care of primates ever becomes too stressful, a friend and I plan to start Red Panda Sanctuary Northwest (RPSNW). Stay tuned.
  10. Leaf-cutter ants.

Thank you all for your support and for loving the chimps (and cows).

Happy Mooadays to all of you and a Happy Moo Year to everyone! Feel free to comment with your favorite nonhuman animal species.

Happy Birthday, Tracy!

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Tracy Headley sponsored today to celebrate her friends on her birthday! Tracy is a dear friend to the chimpanzees and humans alike and we’re so thrilled to celebrate her and her gracious, kind heart today.

Tracy, thank you for all that you bring to the world and to the lives’ of others, including these ten amazing chimps and four amazing bovines. I suspect you make more of a difference than you’ll ever know. May you have the most joyful of days! Happy Birthday from all of us here!

Foxie, of course:

Happy Christmas Eve Eve

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Beautiful Ms. Foxie, working the camera. I have to say, Foxie is pulling off the one-eared look quite well, somehow looking more adorable than ever. But then she is Foxie. She can’t help it, she was just born that way.

As I write this, Burrito is having his first double play date with Foxie and Jamie and not only that, but they are in the greenhouse in the midst of a slow motion game of chase, Burrito laughing and breathy panting his heart out! We are trying to capture photos with the beautiful new camera lens we received (thank you!!!).

The human-side of the chimp house is also a hub of exciting activity right now as we act as the chimps’ elves unpacking all of the amazing gifts that keep arriving for Christmas, thanks to you. It’s a flurry of opening boxes, rifling through paper and the hammering together by Chad of one tiny, pink car that we can just picture Honey B zooming around in.

**As a side note, if you’ve sent gifts via our Amazon Wishlist (or otherwise) you’ll be receiving acknowledgment of your wonderful gifts as soon as this particular staff catches up on that end of things. We don’t always receive supporter information with Amazon gifts so feel free to reach out if you’re wondering and thank you in advance for your kindness (and patience!).

And for all the folks holding fundraisers and donating through Facebook, thank you! Facebook does not share contact information with us unless donors choose to do so, so if you need a receipt please feel to free to reach out to us or the fundraiser coordinator so we can get you one. It’s so important to us to acknowledge each of you and the generous contributions you make to the chimpanzees’ lives so in the meantime, please know how very much we appreciate your generous, heartfelt support in whichever form it is so graciously shared.

Happy Christmas Eve Eve everyone! No matter how, or if, you celebrate, may the magic you bring to the chimpanzees’ lives be cast over your own lives as well.

A Traffic Jam in the Snow

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Sharing space with other people can be difficult, especially when one of those people is Jamie.

This week, Jamie has been a little bit more irritable than her usual baseline. This may be because we have just finished weaning her off of the contraceptive that we used as a safeguard during social integrations. Jamie’s genitalia have consequently resumed their regular cycle and are presently enlarged, presumably altering her mood. She’s even more dramatic, determined, and dominant than her normal self. She’s even grown possessive over snow despite the fact that it will be practically unlimited over the next few months.

Jamie
Jamie’s swollen genital area acts as a rosy, heart-shaped beacon to male chimpanzees.

The other females have been giving Jamie a wide berth to stay clear of her path. Today, when Chad and I gave the chimpanzees access to Young’s Hill, she was the first one out into the slushy yard. A few of her female peers followed her out at a safe distance. Annie, Missy, and Jody wanted to explore the snow-covered meadow, too.

Annie
Missy
Missy (left) and Annie (right) with Jamie on the structure in the background

The four girls dispersed out onto the wooden structures that watch over the sanctuary. They had been taking in the winter scenery and dining on wet snow for a few minutes when Foxie poked her head out of the Greenhouse and tip-toed out onto Young’s Hill to join them. Chad and I had just seen Foxie playfully twirling and bouncing around the warmer indoor spaces, but we were surprised to see her outside. To be honest, she did not seem to enjoy being outdoors in the cold. Her hair stood out straight and her face contorted into a tense sneer. She was only brave enough to venture out onto the bridge of fallen logs that forms a solid path between the Greenhouse and the closest structures. She sat there quietly for several minutes.

Foxie

Of course the other females did not want to remain outside in the damp mist for very long, either. Missy was the first to make her way back, followed by Annie and Jody. However, Foxie was still perched on the log bridge and seemed to be blocking their path. The ground on either side of the bridge was soggy and cold, so Missy and Annie seemed determined to get around Foxie somehow. Annie even tried to walk with one foot on the fallen logs and the other on the tiny islands of dry earth. Her flexibility and determination were impressive but unsuccessful.

Missy…
… and Annie…
… who tries to use gymnastics to get back down the Hill.

This subtle drama unfolded gradually and quietly, but everyone started to look more panicked when Jamie came trudging down the Hill, hauling an enlarged backside and an inflated attitude along with her. Missy desperately tried to get Foxie to move as if Jamie was a freight train that was about to run them over. Eventually, after some coarse vocalizations and physical pushing, Foxie turned around and the chimpanzee pile-up was cleared just as Jamie arrived. The imminent crisis was averted.

Jamie saunters down the log bridge towards the Greenhouse.
Missy (left) and Annie (behind) try to push past Foxie (right).

Back in the building, we have been provisioning all of the chimpanzees with plenty of fresh snow. Even Willy B and Honey B have been sampling this Washingtonian delicacy and seem to be developing a taste for it. This way, even those who don’t want to brave the cold can still get some of this seasonal treat and partake in the winter fun.

Missy, Annie and Foxie eat snow on Friday
Foxie
Missy
Foxie

Warming up to the cold stuff

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Was it just a week ago that I was wondering out loud if the new three would grow to appreciate snow?!

Check out the video of Willy B and Honey B clearly appreciating the buckets of snow we have been bringing inside.

The first clip of Willy B cracks me up every time – drop one ball of snow and another magically appears!

In honor of Carole Galuska

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Janice Clayton sponsored this day of sanctuary in honor of her dear friend, Carole Galuska. Today also happens to be Janice’s birthday! She shared this lovely message about her gift:

“I would like to dedicate today to Carole Galuska, who would go to the ends of the earth for a friend.”

Janice, thank you so much for celebrating friendship in such an inspiring way. And on your own special day! Happiest of birthdays to you from all of us here!

Carole, we hope you enjoy this beautiful day! We’re so grateful for your and Janice’s long-time friendship with the chimpanzees and truly appreciate the lasting difference you’ve both made in their lives.

Beautiful Jody, the most wonderful friend to her chimp family:

Foxie, Jody and Jamie:

Foxie’s the best medicine

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As you may have seen on the blog over the past couple of days, we’ve begun 1:1 “playdates” between Burrito and the girls. Burrito feels that he is absolutely ready to be out of his recovery rooms and back with the six girls. I absolutely do not blame him. He’s had a long, tough road and he’s handled it better than anyone could ask of him. His foot, however, says otherwise and we want to make sure the stubborn infection hanging on is resolved before he returns to the group. He’s oh so close. Other than that Burrito is more fully Burrito with each passing day and to say that is a profound and joyful relief is an understatement.

Burrito and Foxie are really close friends and they haven’t been together in a long time with the exception of meetings at the mesh. I’d hoped that Foxie would be interested in joining him for a visit today. She was, but Foxie is also leery of unfamiliar things and routines so she opted not to come in at first. Jamie though, ran right in, naturally. But after awhile Jamie decided she had more pressing business to attend to (Willy B was in the chute outside the playroom and all the girls were screaming like they’d seen a rock star). I figured that was it for visits for the day, but much to my surprise and delight, Foxie ran in to replace her!

When I opened the door separating her and Burrito, well, OH. MY. HEART! They both screamed, Burrito held his arms out and Foxie ran right into them. They were inseparable! Hugging, hanging onto one another, grooming, softly “hooing” to one another, holding hands. Two old friends together again. Foxie’s the best medicine.

A note on that hand. Yes, I imagine it looks pretty bad from where you’re sitting, but trust me, it looks absolutely fantastic compared to what it was and is healing beautifully so don’t let it alarm you.

And a couple of bonus Annie photos! We’ve had a particularly wintry season so far with a fair amount of snow and lots of freezing fog. But today was sunny, bright blue and coooollldd! But that didn’t stop the girls from ripping and running and climbing all over Young’s Hill. Checking tire swings for ice treats, eating snow and I suspect, just feeling the pure relief of sunshine. Annie is often the one we find braving the coldest of temperatures at the very top of a structure, just taking it all in in solitude. And today was no different.

And double bonus! I was scurrying in and out of Phase 1 where Mave, Honey B and Willy B reside trying to figure something out with the heating and had to rudely keep turning the lights on as they’d gone to bed for the night. I happened to glance over on my way out and saw Mave in her amazing nest!

Goodnight, folks. May you all be as warm, safe, and cozy this cold wintry night as beloved Mave.