One of Burrito’s favorite activities in the world is playing with his caregivers. Sometimes you can’t even walk by him without him stomping his foot and inviting you to play. This afternoon I caught him and volunteer caregiver Becca in a silly game.
chimpanzee sanctuary
Happy Birthday, Rachel!
This day of sanctuary was sponsored by Rachel Ruggeri! Rachel is such a wonderful friend to the chimps and she shared this lovely message about today:
“The chimps at the sanctuary are always first every year to send me a birthday card. And that card makes my day! So in honor of them, I want to celebrate by starting my year off with a donation to them. Happy Birthday to us all!”
Rachel, thank you SO much for celebrating your special day by ensuring the chimpanzees’ lives remain full of comfort, safety, adventure, love, laughter and goofiness! Our hearts are full of gratitude for all you do for these seven amazing people. Happiest of birthdays to you and we all send you wishes and hoots for a beautiful year ahead!
Annie:
Burrito:
Foxie:
Jamie:
Jody:
Missy (Annie in foreground):
Negra:
Chow bags to go
After breakfast was served this morning everyone took their chow bags to go, be it to work (Jamie walking the perimeter), explore (Foxie and her Doras), or just head back to bed (Negra). We serve the chimps two small bags of primate chow biscuits each after breakfast and lunch and the chimps are usually anxious to receive them. But Missy was so anxious to go outside that she didn’t even stay long enough to take both her bags! She took one and rushed up the hill behind Jamie before setting off on her own.
Jamie headed straight for her beloved lookout on Twister, below the crow’s nest, followed by Jody (at base of Twister), Burrito and Annie (in lower right corner). It didn’t take long for Burrito to realize he’d gotten himself into a long walk, so he stopped briefly to stuff BOTH bags full of chow into his mouth before continuing on his way with the others:
Jamie and Jody at the top, as Burrito and Annie look around below:
Jamie enjoying her chow while somehow managing to look cool and relaxed. That foot!!
Missy quickly made her way to the top of Carlene’s Tower to enjoy her chow in solitude:
Foxie initially stayed below and explored with her twin Dora dolls:
But she eventually decided to follow the others up to the top of the hill and stopped briefly to toss the dolls on her back. This is how chimp mamas carry their children when on the go. We don’t know if Foxie does this as maternal behavior toward her dolls or if it’s just an easier way to carry them when she’s on the move, but nevertheless it’s always endearing.
Happy Birthday, Kathy!
Today’s day of sanctuary was sponsored by Kathy Sorensen! The chimpanzees are so fortunate to have so many people who contribute to their lives in so many ways and we are so grateful. Kathy shared this beautiful message about today:
“I am sponsoring the chimps to celebrate my 60th birthday. I visited last year around my birthday and this year being a significant day for me I thought how better to celebrate! I get such joy each day from the group. Their new adventures and freedom are exciting and peaceful at the same time. I am so glad I found them and the organization.”
Happy Birthday, Kathy! Thank you so much for giving the chimpanzees this special day along with your own, helping to ensure that the hope, love, home and sanctuary made possible for them through people like you is something they get to celebrate and relish every single day of their lives. This was such a lovely thing to do and all of us here at CSNW hope you have the best birthday yet! Thank you so much for sharing your life and your heart with these amazing chimps!
Jamie surveying her home from the crow’s nest of Twister:
Missy and Jamie playfully brachiating (swinging arm over arm) through the green house:
Jamie, Burrito, and Foxie patrolling the perimeter of Young’s Hill together:
Jamie enjoying a magazine:
Jamie nesting with a beloved cowboy boot:
Happy Anniversary, Chris and Victoria!
Today’s day of sanctuary was sponsored by Chris and Victoria Jensen as their anniversary gift to one another! Chris shared this message about today:
“My lovely wife Victoria and I have always loved animals. We currently have 2 Dachshunds, Sally and a rescue named Stitch. We decided to stop getting each other presents, and give to the causes we believe in. We really appreciate the work you do, giving the chimps back their lives must be very rewarding. The animals of the world need our help, we can’t help them all so we do what we can.”
Chris and Victoria, thank you so much for celebrating your special day by making a difference in the chimps’ lives! What an inspiring way to honor your lives together. Thank you for all you do for our fellow animals and we are so happy to celebrate with you! Happy Anniversary from all of us at Chimpanzee Sanctuary NW and we hope you, Sally and Stitch have a day filled with the love of family, comfort and home that you help provide the chimps with!
Best friends, Annie and Missy:
Today is in memory of Kevin Clark
Today was sponsored by Shelley Winfrey in memory of her brother, Kevin Clark. Shelley is a long-time friend to the chimps and humans here at the sanctuary and generously sponsors this day each year in Kevin’s honor. She shared this message about today:
“For my brother, who passed away…he would have loved the chimps!”
Shelley, thank you so much holding the chimpanzees in your heart as you remember your brother today. We are so touched that you would think of them in such a meaningful way. We are happy to honor Kevin here today and all of us are thinking of you. We hope you have a day filled with good memories and the comfort, love, and peace that you help provide the chimpanzees.
Shelley’s handsome pal, Burrito:
A chimp’s eye view
Every morning before we give the chimpanzees access to Young’s Hill we do a perimeter check, walking the fence line to ensure everything is secure. I did this from inside Young’s Hill today as I was picking up around the chimps’ outdoor habitat. Every time I am out there I am in awe of the views so I can only imagine what it means to the chimps.
This is the chimps’ view as they enter Young’s Hill from the greenhouse. Imagine going from a view of the wall in a windowless basement from behind bars to having your door opened to this each day:
These are the chimps’ views from atop Carlene’s Tower of the wooded hillside across from the sanctuary and where Missy and Annie often like to enjoy their morning chow or wild greens:
And in the opposite direction toward the mountains and river below (and also Jamie’s current favorite when she sits atop the crow’s nest):
The beautiful valley below from the chimps’ log bridge atop the wild mustard and lettuce mounds (the spot Negra has been hiking to almost daily this summer!):
Negra:
Jamie’s pathway when she walks the perimeter every day with her caregivers following along on the other side of the fence:
Jamie:
The bamboo tunnel in the middle of the hill:
As the chimps had breakfast, lunch and dinner today there were so many fresh, healthy, yummy foods for them to choose from that I noticed the majority of them were quick to let us know exactly what they wanted to be served first, what they wanted to pass on and even what color of a certain food they preferred. To see the chimps not only have choices, but see them recognize and KNOW that they have choices and make those choices from a sense of abundance is an incredible thing.
This freedom, abundance and love that fills each of the chimpanzees lives is because of the many forms of support you provide them. Every day is one of celebration and we couldn’t be more grateful to you.
And because we believe the chimpanzees can never have too much to celebrate, if you haven’t yet heard we have some exciting Christmas in July festivities happening! Check out our Christmas in July video starring Foxie and Dora on the GoPro on Young’s Hill (trust me, you don’t want to miss this one) and then help us fill up our stockings! We’ve stocked up our Amazon Wish List with things the amazing chimpanzees need and things the caregivers need to take care of the amazing chimpanzees and we’re going to have a party for the chimps on July 29th to celebrate!
Foxie and Dora send hoots upon hoots of thanks to you (as do we all)!
