Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

chimpanzee sanctuary

Missy held hostage

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After the chimps returned from their morning foray around the hill, Annie climbed to the top of the greenhouse to make a nest and get warm. She immediately started clapping her feet together and making her patented bird noised (whistling through her hands) which if you’re new-ish to the blog is Annie speak for “I am extremely happy and content right now.”

Best friend, Missy, climbed up to join her where they had a sweet grooming session. Missy doesn’t often care to have her photo taken and I admittedly took advantage of the fact that she was held hostage by Annie who was grooming her back to snap a few quick photos with her permission. It didn’t take Missy long to turn her back so I’m happy to have captured a few of her beautiful self. Thanks, Missy!

When chimpanzees groom one another or themselves, they typically make a variety of distinct sounds with their mouths, tongues and teeth to communicate their intentions. We humans do this as well when the chimps invite us to groom with them through the caging. Each chimp has their own style to some degree which can include, lip-smacking, teeth-clacking or blowing raspberries. Annie was utilizing the raspberry technique:

Taking her job very seriously:

Missy said, “A little lower”:

Foxie moments

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We are privileged to witness so many moments in the chimps’ lives. Moments of courage, contentment, moxie, joy, adventure, anger, fear, curiosity, love…the list goes on. And many, many moments of endearment. They’re fleeting and it brings to mind things like incredible sunsets that happen every day whether or not we’re paying attention, but for a few indescribable seconds they make your heart soar and your eyes pop if you happen to turn your head that way.

I’m notorious for lamenting, feeling utterly blue over the thought of how many beautiful seconds in nature I miss. But I can’t help but feel just as grateful for the moments seen in the chimps’ lives as for those gone unseen. Why? Because it makes me happy to think we don’t know everything their days entail, every special moment they might have with one another or on their own. It gives me hope that they feel a sense of autonomy, some sense of agency over their lives without the humans being privy to it all.

And those moments we do get to share in, even when they’re a blur…so grateful.

Foxie kissing her doll:

Weekend construction

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Just because the construction workers and J.B. and Diana have Sunday off does not mean everyone considers it to be a day of rest. There were still projects that needed completing and thankfully, we have one lady who never rests: Jamie.

After her DYI project on the swinging bridge on Young’s Hill, she came back inside and promptly got to work on a corner of the wall in the chimps’ playroom area. In stealth, spider-chimp mode, she was even able to complete her project with no noise so caregivers were surprised/not surprised to see all she had accomplished. Once discovered I think she was happy that she could really let the hammering and sweeping up begin.

After her hard work yesterday, Jamie has been restful and content all this rainy day. J.B., however, is back on the job. He didn’t really want a full weekend anyway…

Intriguing browse

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This weekend the chimpanzees tried Lemmon’s Willow browse for the first time and they LOVE it! It has this amazing sticky sweet smell that reminds me vividly of hanging out in the shade along the local Yakima River during those warm summer afternoons.
Apparently, if you ask many of the chimpanzees, the leaves (and even some bark) make pretty great eating and wadging materials. Jamie found a dual purpose for the branches today, as I kept catching her using them as long supple tools. Luckily, she kept her mayhem relatively tame and didn’t try to spear any unsuspecting caregivers.

Here’s Jody working on a branch last night:

And Missy expertly snacking on the leaves:

It’s October!!

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It’s October!! And you know what that means…it’s the countdown to Jamie-ween!!!

For those of you who might be new to the blog/sanctuary, Halloween is probably the biggest party of the year at the sanctuary as we go all out to celebrate boss lady, Jamie, and her honorary birthday on the 31st (she turns 41 this year!). One can never plan too early. And it doesn’t hurt that we humans are all pretty crazy about Halloween. At least this human is…

Jamie had other pressing matters to attend to, but Burrito made a “new friend” during a game of chase in the greenhouse with Kelsi today:

“Can I eat this thing?”

It didn’t take him long to realize his “new friend” was a great back scratcher:

The surrounding mountains, hillsides and sanctuary property are turning all the beautiful shades of autumn:

Every season seems to gift the chimpanzees with so much abundance. They are currently enjoying freshly picked pears, apples, and Italian plums from the property orchard, and a new treat of freshly harvested Lemmon’s willow which seems to be a new favorite.

J.B.’s been working hard getting ready for our new bovine family members to arrive and has been making some adjustments to the fencing around the orchard. Our deer neighbor families are thrilled to finally have temporary access to all the pears they can possibly eat:

All the beautiful wild roses that Jamie, in particular, loves to eat during the summer have now turned to a bounty of rosehips:

Kelsi captured these lovely photos of Jody, who seems to have become the self-appointed sentry and guardian, posting herself at the opening to Young’s Hill where she takes in the early morning view of their outdoor habitat, scanning her family’s home for any signs of trouble or danger and watching over them all:

Look at that gorgeous eye healing up!

It really is such a magical, beautiful time of year. This time of harvest, full of so much abundance. Not just the local bounty of food and beauty available for the chimps to enjoy each day, but you. Every day we look around and see the abundance you make possible.

Phase I of the expansion of the chimp house literally grows by leaps and bounds each day. We’re still reeling from the overwhelming generosity and support you provided during our Summer Biddin’ online auction and the recent Giving Day for Apes event! You set up fundraisers on Facebook for the chimps, participate in your employee giving programs, supply us with all the in-kind gifts we could need to care for and provide entertainment and comfort for the chimps through our Amazon Wish List, you share your love for the chimps with others, and you show up, here, in this online space, every day to see what the chimps got up to, learn about them, and honor each of them for the amazing individuals they are.

In so many ways, you stand together with us not only in providing Jamie, Burrito, Jody, Foxie, Annie, Missy and Negra with the abundance of hope, love, and home, but also as we prepare to grow this special family in welcoming others in need of sanctuary. From our hearts, thank you for making the chimps’ lives rich beyond belief. And the lives of so many humans as well.

Sweet September

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This weekend we host our last two summer visits for our supporters for the year. These small visits feature an educational talk from one of our staff members and a chance to view the chimpanzees as they forage for their lunch on Young’s Hill. Today’s lunch forage featured highly prized whole sweet corn (husk and all!).

Burrito spent most of his time picking up primate chow, but managed to get some corn too:

Foxie enjoyed some corn and a good view from one of the towers:

Jamie:

Negra:

Missy:

Jody made several trips outdoors to get her lunch:

There’s no better time to eat corn on the cob than in September -or at least Annie thinks so. She “won” the forage today by collecting the most corn and scaling the Escher structure for that final piece!