Who is your favorite chewer from the video? And why is it that non-humans animals chewing is charming, but hearing the same from our own species drives some of us up the wall?
Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest
Coach Honey B
There is no one in the world like Honey B. She has so many different layers to her personality. She certainly has her mother’s charm and athletic ability. Missy loves making her caregivers run around the whole sanctuary while she only has to move a few steps. Missy as we all know is lightning fast. These traits may be genetically ingrained into Honey B. Honey B is FAST and on top of being quick, she has a thing for making her caregivers run around the entire building. Her preference is that we run inside, outside, up, down, back, forth, and through a construction site! If Honey B was a trainer she would be tough, but you would see results. Between Honey B’s workout routine and Burrito’s hill sprints you can see why we caregivers are out of breath and exhausted by the end of the day!
Mellow
Today was pretty mellow, which was great. We love mellow! Everyone seemed at ease. The weather was nice, so we had a lunch forage for the seven. Everyone was grooming and lounging in the warm green house. Honey B, Willy B, and Mave enjoyed hanging out in their playrooms and watching the painters paint the exterior of the new building. I think the highlight of today would be Negra and Jamie having a long grooming session in the green house! That interaction isn’t something we see often. Of course, there is no photo evidence either. So, since it was a pretty quiet day at the chimp house I thought I would leave you with a quote. I recently read the book, The Boy The Mole The Fox and The Horse by Charlie Mackesy. This book is filled with beautiful illustrations and kind thoughtful words. If anyone is ever looking for a quick and uplifting read please check it out. So I will leave you all with this: “Nothing beats kindness,” said the horse “It sits quietly beyond all things.”
Please enjoy some photos I was able to capture from this afternoon’s lunch forage.
Burrito was searching high and low for lettuce.
Foxie was pretty pleased with her findings.
Missy took her lettuce to go and found some good views too.
Jamie has many different strategies when it comes to foraging. For example, you can free your hands up by holding your lettuce with your foot.
I love this photo of her. She looks like she is up to know good, but really she is just enjoying some lettuce… and maybe plotting something too!
Annie was busy collecting all the food people left behind.
Jody <3.
And Neggie <3.
Honey B, Willy B, and Mave all looking out of playroom 2 windows, spying on Jamie out on Young’s Hill.
Yesterday, I was hanging out with Honey B in her new favorite place- the reading corner, the chubby, or the nook. She was being her silly self and letting me take pictures while she watched herself in the camera reflection and occasionally tried to kiss her reflection.
I hope you all have a mellow week full of kindness.
Negra and The Uninvited Lunch Guest
Today, staff put out a lunch forage of broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, tomatoes, and lettuce for the Seven on Young’s Hill. After staff vacated the hill and security checks were performed, the hill was ready for the Seven. As the door opened and the chimpanzees began to scatter every which way, there was an alarm.
Negra had spotted something. As she began to alarm call and asking for reassurance from anybody close enough, the others were set to find the source of her alarm: a coyote on the other side of the fence in the adjacent pasture.
Jody kept Negra company as they watched the coyote scamper away into the tree line after realizing she/he was spotted.
Once the uninvited guest was gone, lunch could continue.
Though Negra took it upon herself to be on the lookout for the coyote or any other uninvited lunch guests.
While Negra kept the lookout, the others foraged as usual.
Jamie:
Foxie:
Missy:
Jody:
Annie:
Burrito:
As they returned to the Greenhouse with their hauls, they all ate their lunch in the most relaxing positions.
And if you are able to, please help support us in this year’s Give Big Washington campaign. The Give Big campaign ends May 5th. We do have a pretty ambitious goal this year, but it’s because we have a lot of ambition and enthusiasm to continue to provide care for our 14 current residents, as well as welcome 6 more home later this year. All of your support, whether through donations, campaigns, fundraisers, the Chimpanzee Pal and Bovine Buddy programs, Sponsor-A-Day program, being a Produce Patron, or becoming a part of the sanctuary with a Personalized Stone, helps us to ensure days like today can continue to happen, as well as help us prepare for the Lucky Six when they arrive. Any thing helps! Truly, thank you all from the bottom of our hearts!
50 Shades of Hay
A friend of me recently told me that they find observing cattle to be emotionally grounding. For sure, a serenely grazing cow radiates peace.
It’s difficult to tell when cattle are truly happy since they express their emotions in a way that seems alien to most humans. Still, there is a notable contrast between a calm bovine and an excited or anxious one. We who work with these creatures learn to differentiate between these various behavioral states and use this wisdom to safely provide optimal care.
In a more spiritual sense, I also love to watch the Moo Crew peacefully munch on a bale of grass hay, browse through the willows along the creek, or mow down an overgrown pasture like a band of professional landscapers. They bring me joy.
Today, we’re sharing the Jerseys and their zen-like bliss with you all. Please feel free to hop in your Gator, grab a bale of your own, and join in.
Paper Play and Other Wish List Items
Yesterday, we made a banner for Love a Chimpanzee Day and left the roll of paper in the greenhouse. Burrito immediately took the roll of paper outside. Did he have a plan? It’s difficult to say.
One thing we can say for sure is that we need more paper! It’s just one of many items currently on our Amazon wish list right now. Please peruse the list of things we need for a well-functioning and fun chimp house.
Today, when we were cleaning the playroom, I spied Burrito playing with the empty paper roll. You just never know what’s going to tickle the fancy of the chimps!
If you were able to join our virtual visit yesterday, I hope you had a great time! Our GiveBIG fundraising is off to a good start, but we have a pretty big goal this year. There’s still over $1,500 in matching funds from me and Monica to double your gift. The fundraiser goes until May 5th, which will be here faster than Burrito can drop a roll of paper.
It’s Love a Chimpanzee Day 2021!
Supporter Monica Best named April 23rd Love a Chimpanzee Day and has sponsored this day each year since 2010 for her chimpanzee friends at Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest.
We’re using this occasion as the official kick-off to GiveBig. Monica and I have teamed up by creating a joint fundraising page with a $5,000 matching donation!
Love a Chimpanzee Day has become an official holiday around here. So much so, that we even include the day in the annual calendar.
Monica created Love a Chimpanzee Day in honor of her cat Ozzie on her birthday during a difficult and uncertain time when she was battling cancer. She credits the chimpanzees with helping her through that time and subsequent relapses.
Like many of us, even as a kid, Monica loved and was drawn towards nonhuman animals, especially wolves. She didn’t fall for chimpanzees until she happened upon a television show that featured Carole Noon, the founder of Save the Chimps. She immediately searched for other sanctuaries on the internet and found Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest.
We are SO GRATEFUL to Monica. She has been an incredible champion of chimpanzees and is always thinking of ways to make their lives happier. She’s also always thinking of ways to broaden the support of the sanctuary and encourage others to donate to help the chimpanzees she loves and chimpanzees everywhere.
We would not be in the position of being able to welcome the Lucky Six chimpanzees coming to the sanctuary later this year without her support.
Today we are celebrating with the chimps and inviting all of their fans to join a virtual tour, see the expansion in progress, and learn about the Chimps in Need campaign and all of the chimpanzees who remain at Wildlife Waystation waiting to go to their new sanctuary homes.
You can still register for this 4:00 p.m. PT virtual event here.
Even if you are unable to attend, you can help us celebrate today and the future with more chimpanzees to love by donating on Monica and Diana’s GiveBig fundraising page or the sanctuary’s main GiveBig page.
Let’s all lean on our love of chimpanzees today and celebrate all the joy they have brought to our lives.
Happy Love a Chimpanzee Day, everyone!!
