It’s not everyday that we see Lucky engaging in a long play session with one of her group mates, but yesterday was one of those days! We were wrapping up the first round of cleaning on that side and stumbled onto a very sweet play session between Lucky and Willy B, with Cy and Rayne close by.
chimpanzee sanctuary
Community Comforts
A couple weeks ago, we put out an ask for your help to earn a Top-Rated Nonprofit badge for 2024. We received 16 wonderfully thoughtful reviews, bringing us up to 18 for the year. This has surpassed the number we needed to earn our ranking and we couldn’t be more grateful to everyone who took a moment out of their day to share their thoughts about CSNW. This helps CSNW in a multitude of ways- we receive the badge for our website, which helps us stand out in the nonprofit world, and it also increases our visibility to donors and supporters.
I wanted to take a moment to highlight some of your kind words and to say thank you to every person who wrote a review- and also to every person who follows this blog, who shares our stories, and who cares so deeply for CSNW. Connecting with you all in this community, over a shared love and responsibility to our deserving residents, is such a beautiful and special thing. If you are interested in reading the full reviews, you can see our page here.
“They present a realistic portrait of chimps as they really are which I think is sorely needed. CSNW is very transparent in all they do and why they do it.”
Lucky:
“Very impressive in many ways. The whole team, from leadership to caregivers are clearly very well informed and working diligently every moment to do the best for those they care for… CSNW is the “real McCoy”….they seem to attract like-minded supporters and connect them to their mission with success. Their Blog , authored by a different team member daily, connects us to their efforts, their challenges, their observations, and to their animals, human and non human, that they love, appreciate, and care for and about.”
Jamie:
“Saving these chimps and allowing these amazing souls to live out their retirement at an amazing facility, in such a dignified manner is absolutely heart warming… I would suggest that everyone get to know this facility by looking at their page and videos. What you will see is raw and real, and not the cleaned up version of things as to just generate support.”
Terry:
“This sanctuary is exemplary. The thought, care and creativity that goes into caring for the residents is top notch. CSNW is not only beautiful , it’s staffed with a great volunteer program and is a leader in the Chimpanzee Sanctuary community!”
Volunteers building Ryans Lookout on The Bray:
“…Some of these fellow creatures had never seen anything but the inside of a cage, while they were being tested on. Some had never felt grass under their feet. They can now, thanks to the caring staff at CSNW.”
Negra:
“The staff’s attention to each chimp and their individual needs and temperaments is commendable… I truly enjoy reading their blogs and viewing videos, it connects me to their purpose… There is no question where the priorities are in this organization, the staff are devoted to providing an amazing life experience and truly care about each chimp.”
“Out of all the non-profits I volunteered for chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest has the most dedicated and professional staff I’ve ever witnessed. They all wear multiple hats for the mission of giving The Chimps their best life. Their donors are incredibly generous and engaged in the organization.”
Dora:
“The chimps are not just cared for here, they are loved.”
“You can feel the love the caretakers have by the blogs and videos they share. They make us feel a part of the sanctuary family.”
“They go above and beyond for the chimps and cattle in their care.”
Burrito:
“During the time I have been aware of CSNW, I have been very impressed with the level of care, respect and compassion the residents there receive. The leadership and caregivers there obviously care deeply about the chimps, and provide them with top-notch daily care, nutrition, enrichment and medical care… They have a daily blog where followers can learn about the daily happenings at the sanctuary and ask questions. All staff members take turns with the blog so you get different perspectives but it’s all interesting, educational, often humourous, sometimes sad, but always reflecting brilliant care. I feel like I know all the chimps and caregivers through these daily posts, pictures and videos. It’s very cool to see for yourself where any donation dollars are going, and to feel good that your donation, however small or large, is truly going to ensuring these magnificent creatures who are so deserving of sanctuary have the best possible life.”
Gordo:
“So much hard work, care, and love makes CSNW a truly special place.”
“They’re quite generous with the details and also intertwine advocacy for the species in general; so CSNW is an all encompassing support for animals and humans alike.”
“The rescued chimps are living their best lives possible there. The Veterinarian crew is top=notch.”
Don’t forget that today is the last full day of our Comfort & Joy Quid Pro Throw Online Auction! Bidding closes tomorrow, Wednesday November 20th, at 6:00pm PT. We still have some to go before we reach our goal and we need your help! If you’ve picked your item for you and an item for the chimps and are looking to support one of our specific funds, consider a donation to our Media and Enrichment Fund! If donations in this category reach $5,000 then the full amount will be MATCHED by our generous supporter Monica! Plus, if you donate $20 or more you will receive a Book Club bookmark. Donate $100 or more and you will receive a Book Club sticker!
A Moment with Lucky
If you’ve been following the blog, you know that we are in the process of re-introductions for Cy’s group (you can read more about the re-intro process here: Rayne Joins the Men, Allow Me to Reintroduce Myself, and The Matchmaker). Cy, Willy B, and Rayne met the different benchmarks that we are looking for, so today Lucky joined them. They all seemed happy to have Lucky in their little group, especially Rayne!
The re-intro process means a change to our normal shifting schedule, as we shift the two groups on their side of the building around to clean the different spaces. The logistics are a bit different each day and this morning Lucky got to have some time by herself to allow for her caregivers to clean some spaces before she was reunited with Cy, Willy, and Rayne. She often hangs back from shifting to hang out by herself and today she seemed to really enjoy the time away. She made a comfortable nest and seemed to enjoy having some photos taken! 🙂 I couldn’t pick just one or two, so I thought I’d share many.
Don’t forget that our Comfort & Joy Quid Pro Throw Online Auction is in full-swing! Speaking of Lucky, she is featured in our auction on a Porcelain Ornament and also on a scarf for you and for the chimps! Be sure to check them out to see some amazing artwork from Thyra Rutter from Arte for Elephants and get in on the bidding action.
Countdown to Jamieween!
October is one of the most exciting months here at CSNW. Between the respite of cool weather after a hot, dry summer and the excitement of Jamieween around the corner, it’s a month that everyone looks forward to. Speaking of Jamieween, we are only two sleeps away from the big party day!
As we countdown, I thought it would be fun to take a trip down memory lane and look back at previous Jamieween celebrations. 🙂
Of course, our Great Pumpkin Thief herself a la Jamieween 2011:
Jamie, circa 2013, enjoying party festivities:
2013 Negra enjoying a chunk of the great pumpkin:
2013 Foxie & Great Pumpkin:
2015 Burrito enjoying a pumpkin bowl:
2021 Annie, A Scarecrow, & A Pumpkin:
Missy, last year, with her pomegranate loot:
We’re prepping and getting excited for this year’s Jamieween celebration! Let us know your favorite Jamieween party memories in the comments so we can re-live all those good memories, together.
Also! There’s two other exciting things happening on October 31st. First, our annual Comfort & Joy Quid Pro Throw online auction opens up! Register to bid on items for the chimps that we will give to them on your behalf and also bid on unique items for yourself or for a loved one! We will be adding new items regularly, so you’ll want to check back in throughout. Plus, registering means you will have the opportunity to join us for a live zoom on Lucky’s birthday (November 6th). Be sure to register and get your account set up today, so you’re ready for when it goes live!
Also, Jamieween is the last day to vote for our 2025 CSNW Calendar Cover Photo. You can vote once a day through October 31st, so be sure to vote for your favorite!
A Moment with Gordo
Today has been a very busy day here in the chimp house, so I am here with a photo blog from today’s lunch forage! It’s been a bit of a rainy fall day here, but the rain came later in the afternoon so we were able to do lunch forages for both groups. I took the camera out to see what everyone was up to and boy, was Gordo ready for a close-up!
Also- a reminder that one of our favorite holidays is right around the corner, Jamie-ween! We have some new boots for her up on our Amazon wish-list, because what better way to celebrate than a new pair of boots? 🙂
A montage à la our handsome Gordo:
Bonus shot of Lucky in the latest fashion:
Grooming with The Boss
The chimp house is laid out such that depending on where you are standing in the foyer, chimps from either group could see you and might be working to get your attention. Whether it’s Burrito trying to get you to come over for a game of chase or Terry inviting you for a grooming session, it’s easy to get pulled in different directions.
Jamie is another who will work to snag a few moments of your time. 🙂 She might want to go on a patrol around Young’s Hill, or maybe she wants a specific book that’s on the windowsill, or perhaps she is wanting to groom.
Earlier this week I shuffled through the foyer and into the kitchen to work on some afternoon task list items, when I looked down the hallway and spotted Jamie sitting in one of the front rooms, staring right back at me- intensely. I thought she might want a book or a boot, so I went over to see if I could get something for her. When I got close and crouched down, she shifted her sitting position and pressed her right arm / side against the caging. This was her way of inviting me to sit for a grooming session, so I asked her to wait while I went and grabbed a grooming tool.
An example of Jamie presenting her arm for grooming.
We engage in protected contact with the chimps and we will often use our knuckle (with our fingers tucked into our palms) to knuckle rub them when their body is pressed against the caging enough so that our fingers do not penetrate through the caging. We will also use tools (in this case, a long flexible plastic tube-like thing) to groom with them and this allows us more range. I was hoping for a longer grooming session, so I went and grabbed one and Jamie kindly waited for me to hustle back.
Jamie presenting her shoulder / side for grooming (from another grooming session, this one in the greenhouse).
We sat together, quietly, for about twenty minutes while I groomed Jamie. We use species-specific behaviors with the chimps, which means that I was teeth clacking and lip smacking throughout. Every now and then I would pull the grooming tool back and breathy pant, to gauge if she wanted to continue or if she was done. She would make eye contact with me and give slight head nods, which was my cue to continue. Every now and then she would shift her position to give me access to her back, or her shoulder, or her left side. We would also pass the tool back and forth, with her taking turns grooming the dirt off my legs or my scrubs. When she was ready to be done interacting with me, she got up and walked into the playroom.
Jamie taking a turn grooming me with our grooming tool.
Grooming is a great way to spend quality time with the chimps. It builds your relationship with them and allows for quiet moments in each other’s presence. I eventually found my way back into the kitchen and continued on with the to-do’s of the day, but it’s those moments that stay with you.
Also! In case you haven’t heard, Giving Day for Apes is coming up on Tuesday, October 8th. We need your help to reach our fundraising goal and every dollar goes to the care of our deserving residents and two important projects here at CSNW. We have grown quite a bit over the last few years and one of these projects is building a support building for staff. The other one is to honor the individuals who have called CSNW home and passed on. This will be a space to honor the individuals we have loved, said goodbye to, and continue to love. It is located at the base of the hill where both outdoor enclosures are built. I have to say that watching the construction over this last week has been emotional for me personally. It will be a lovely area to reminisce, honor, and ensure that their stories live on.
Construction on the Memorial Garden.Â
Early Giving is open now, with day of prizes for organizations in a variety of categories (Most Donations Raised between 10:00-11:00am PT, for example). Be sure to save it in your calendars and maximize your generosity!
And a preemptive thank you, for all that you do to support the work we do here. The support of this community is truly felt every day.
Quality Time
It’s always lovely to catch the chimps in moments of play, relaxation, or grooming. Last week I caught Foxie & Jamie spending some quality time together and it was a nice moment of calm in the middle of a busy day. I hope you enjoy it, too!
