Click on the words “Negra’s Home” at the end of the paragraph for a video of Negra filmed yesterday coming into her new home!! She was the last chimpanzee to be tranferred in. You can see in the video that she comes right in and excitedly greets Sarah, who was taking the video. When the door is opened for her, she goes through to meet up with her chimpanzee friends waiting in the other front rooms. Negra’s home
Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest
So much to say about the chimpanzees…
Wow. The first full day with the Cle Elum Seven at Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest. There’s just so much to share – we already feel behind in updating folks. They are all just doing so well and are so much fun – it’s unbelievable. Here are my personal top ten moments (in no particular order) over the past day and a half:
1. Negra sleeping in a comfy nest on the highest platform in the first front room
2. Jamie playing chase while carrying a purse, a t-shirt, and a large kong toy
3. Foxie looking out to the big playroom – they’ll be going in tomorrow!
4. Jody’s enthusiastic greetings whenever we walk into the human hallway
5. Missy head bobbing frantically for more sweet peppers
6. Burrito playing with Jamie
7. Annie chasing Missy throughout the front rooms – all day
8. Jamie wiping out the food door lazy susans with the t-shirt she was wearing around her neck
9. Missy’s hair blowing in the breeze from the window of room four
10. Burrito lying down, holding his feet with his hands
Diana
More beautiful photos of the Cle Elum Seven
Can you believe how beautiful these chimpanzees are? Imagine how great they will look once they have soaked in the sun, their hair has filled out, and their muscles are stronger. They are a remarkably calm group and they are adjusting so well to their new environment – as though they’ve been here for months.The window which looks down the driveway is definitely the current favored spot by all, and the mural painting that volunteer Julie Nealey of Posh Pallette designed and volunteer Kim Michaels painted just a couple of weeks ago makes an incredible backdrop for these photo portraits of our new friends. Scroll over the photos to see the names of the chimpanzees.
Serving dinner now
I know you all are anxiously awaiting photos – and I promise to post some more tonight. Right now J.B. and Keith are serving dinner, and I’m in the kitchen listening to very content sounds as J.B. gives out fresh peppers, carrots and apples. I’m preparing oatmeal – the Cle Elum Seven’s first cooked meal in their new home! Diana
Cle Elum Seven home at last!
All seven chimpanzees, now to be known as the Cle Elum Seven, are safe in their new sanctuary home! The transfer went incredibly smoothly and the chimpanzees are very calm and clearly happy to be here. Negra, Burrito, Missy, Annie, and Jamie have been taking turns looking out the window (Negra seems to dominate that space). They’ve been playing with each other and eating the fresh fruit that was donated this morning. You might see the chimpanzees on King 5 or Komo 4 tonight if you’re in Seattle or KAPP 35 in Yakima! And the story of their arrival will be showing up in various newspapers too. This photo, though, says it all.
Twas the Night Before Freedom
It’s 8pm on Thursday night, and I’m so excited to share the latest report on the “Freedom Van,” as one of our favorite people is calling it. We expect them to pull in tomorrow morning around 8:30am PT.
Things are so exciting around here! Amidst all the preparations for the chimpanzees (like sorting enrichment, chopping fruit, and organizing the kitchen) I keep thinking about what a new beginning tomorrow will be. It holds a lot of potential firsts for our seven new friends: first blankets, first smoothies, first oatmeal, first view of the beautiful Yakima River! But most importantly, the first day of freedom. We hope our new friends will never look back. Wouldn’t it be great to be able to tell them what’s in store? Stay tuned for more tomorrow!
Sarah
Post from the road
On the Road
Wednesday, June 11
1:30 p.m.
I am thrilled to finally be writing to you en route to the sanctuary. We began Day 1 in Pennsylvania with temperatures nearing 100 degrees. While the chimpanzees have a tough trip ahead of them, they do at least have air conditioning. Now in Day 2 of our trip, we are abandoning the a/c for heat – the temperatures in Minnesota are struggling to get out of the 50’s and the rain is incessant. We are keeping our fingers crossed 
that flooding in this area does not affect our trip.
The chimpanzees are in good spirits considering the circumstances. We stop to check on them and give them meals and treats every 3 to 4 hours, and they are of course happy to see us. We only wish there was a way to let them know that they have nothing to fear from this trip.
We are driving almost non-stop. With two drivers in each vehicle, we take turns driving and sleeping so the entire trip should take only 2 1/2 days. By Friday, the chimpanzees should be moved into the front rooms at the sanctuary, and if all goes well, they will soon be exploring their new play room and enjoying some of the wonderful gifts that our Open House guests delivered last week.
JB
