Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest
Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary
We take so many photos that sometimes it’s hard to decide which ones to post on the blog, and so we have a collection of several that haven’t been posted before.
I found a few from the big Easter party last weekend that haven’t been shared yet. Take a look at the previous post to see how awesome their party was and set some context for these photos, and enjoy CSNW Easter 2.0!
Foxie:
Jamie:
Jody:
Negra:
The sun is simply splendid here in eastern Washington today and I had an urge to celebrate it. Brainstorming ideas, I resolved to put together some of the chimpanzees favorite things for an early morning partial breakfast forage on Young’s Hill. First, JB served fruits and smoothie in the greenhouse, then the chimpanzees foraged for iceberg lettuce and chow on the hill. The thing about spring here is that the weather can be, well, capricious, to say the least, with the trademark of a beautifully sunny day combined with decidedly chilly winds. While the chimpanzees were certainly enthusiastic about their good fortune they elected to enjoy it in the more agreeable, less windy, greenhouse. I can’t say that I blame them and they look pretty content with their haul.
Burrito:
Missy:
Negra:
Annie:
Foxie:
Jody:
There is no photographic evidence of Jamie because she chose to take her share off into the building to enjoy at her leisure without any social pressure. Nevertheless, I am sure she savored it to the fullest extent!
It’s not hard to tell who the boss is around here. Jamie struts more than she walks, and she stands with a straight-backed posture that conveys an appropriately “I’m in charge” attitude.
It takes a lot of energy to keep everyone in line, though, and Jamie takes her rest seriously, too.
Last night we put kong toys out with a couple of almonds in each, and this morning I found one that the chimps had missed hidden inside a tire! So I put it in the food chute in the front rooms when no one was around, thinking someone would find a nice treat later. I assumed that chimp would be Jamie, because she is always aware of her surroundings and would quickly take note of its sudden presence. But, I guessed wrong! Jody found it first and knew how valuable it was so she carried it around with her for a large chunk of the day. She didn’t even set it down to take part in the Young’s Hill forage—she just took it along with her.
Speaking of high value items, the Hoot! gala auction is coming up in just one week! Be sure to get your tickets now before they run out. You can even preview some of the auction items here to get an idea of what you’d like to bid on.
When former CSNW Executive Director Sarah Baeckler left the organization early last year for her new position as Director of the North American Primate Sanctuary Alliance, she couldn’t bring herself to say goodbye to the chimpanzees. So even though she and her family relocated to Portland, she stayed on as a volunteer caregiver and drives up to the sanctuary regularly to help clean enclosures and hang out with her chimpanzee friends. As you can see from these photos taken this morning, they’re always happy to see her.
Five years ago, our long time supporter, Monica Best, lovingly crowned April 23rd as “Love a Chimpanzee Day” and has sponsored this day for the chimpanzees every year since! And given the fact that today also happens to be Monica’s birthday, it’s even more incredible that she would create a special day in honor of the chimpanzees! In keeping with the celebration of some very special beings, Monica shared that she would also like today’s day of sanctuary to be in memory of her grandmother, Dorothy, and our dear friend, Dr. Mel Richardson.
Monica, thank you so much for honoring the chimpanzees in such a special way! May all the love and kindness you share with others come back to you tenfold. And from all of the primates here at CSNW, we wish you the happiest of birthdays! We hope your day is a Negra style celebration of life with a cozy nest to lounge and nap in, and good treats that make you food squeak.
One thing is for sure—the chimpanzees definitely don’t take their environment for granted. Here are some pictures that demonstrate how Missy is enjoying the spring weather these days!
