Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest
Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary
It’s not the wilds of Africa, but Young’s Hill is looking pretty good this time of year. Even nervous Negra is exploring more than ever.
Negra:
Missy:
Jody:
Burrito, Missy, Annie, Jamie, and Foxie:
Burrito, Foxie (with Dora), and Jamie:
Annie:
Foxie:
It’s been a beautiful weekend of celebration of our beloved Jody’s birthday and honoring both the mothers who the chimpanzees lost and the mothers who they are. We are honored to continue the celebration with today’s day of sanctuary in memory of Judy Matthews, sponsored by her daughter, Ronda Cluff. Ronda sent this beautiful message about her mother:
“This donation is in memory of my mother, Judy Matthews, who nurtured my love and respect for animals by teaching me from the earliest age that “do unto others” applies to all creatures. She continued her support of me as I became a vegetarian and animal activist and even thanked ME for teaching HER to see the world a little differently”
Ronda, your mother sounds like such a special person and we are so touched that you would choose to honor her through helping to provide the chimpanzees with the nurturing home and lives they deserve. Thank you so much for choosing to live your life in such a compassionate way and for all you do for animals. What a beautiful way to honor your mother’s memory each day. As we celebrate Judy’s life here today, our thoughts and gratitude are with you both! Thank you for making a difference in the chimps’ lives!
Grooming is a bonding experience for chimpanzees, and one reason is that it requires a lot of trust in one’s grooming partner. Chimps aren’t afraid to get quite personal with each other. The other day I caught Jamie very gently grooming Negra’s eyes and ears.
For each of us, every season holds favorite things to look forward to. That one special food, flower, sight, sound or scent that you can only enjoy at a certain time each year.
This spring I’ve watched the chimpanzees anticipating the growth of the wild greens on Young’s Hill and the fruits and vegetables in their garden weeks before anything appeared. For weeks Jody diligently marched to the top of Young’s Hill each day to see if the wild mustard or wild lettuce had begun to grow yet. The second the weather warmed up, Missy began asking us to open the barn doors to their playroom so she could see outside to her beloved garden. And every day she runs to the window next to where we plant her favorite cherry tomatoes each year, checking to see if they’ve magically appeared. This is the first year I’ve noticed the chimps demonstrating such clear anticipation for things to come with the corresponding season. It makes my heart so happy to know that they recognize they have favorite things to look forward to in their sanctuary home throughout the year.
Of course spring in particular offers a variety of favorites for each of the chimpanzees. Annie for example, loves racing across the expanse of Young’s Hill in a mad game of chase and wrestle with her best friend, Missy. But she also increasingly enjoys exploring and foraging on the hill in solitude. Just sitting and taking in the sky, the surrounding fields and watching the birds. Often she will be the only person out on the hill, perfectly content and serene.
And another of Annie’s endearing favorites as the season grows warmer? Toes. Yep, Annie loves to see human toes! The second she spots our feet in sandals she immediately blows raspberries (indicating she wants to see our toes right now!), grabs a tool, and races over to check them out, utterly mesmerized. Around here, the humans are pretty smitten with chimp toes and while I think their toes are a lot cooler than ours, I guess I can see why she might be fascinated by these strange things that probably seem so similar and yet so different to her own.
There is so much to celebrate today! Not only is tonight our annual auction and gala, Hoot!, but it also happens to be our Co-Director, Diana Goodrich’s, birthday! An anonymous friend of the chimps appears to have been in cahoots with their pal, Jamie, and “helped” her sponsor this day for Diana along with sending this sweet message:
“When Jamie asked to borrow my credit card, I got suspicious…more cowboy boots ??? Not this time, she wanted to sponsor a day for one of her best friends, Diana, on her birthday! She said she hopes it will be one of the best birthdays ever!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY DIANA!!! Love Jamie”
Thank you so much to Jamie and her co-conspirator for sponsoring this special day for Diana!! The chimps and humans alike couldn’t be more fortunate to have such an amazing, compassionate and dedicated person to call our friend and colleague. Happiest of birthday hoots to you from us all, Diana!! Thank you so much for all you do to make the lives of so many others the best they can be.
We receive so many beautiful Sponsor a Day tributes from our amazing supporters. We are always deeply touched by the inclusion of the chimpanzees in the many moments that make up such an important part of everyone’s hearts and lives. And today there is an exceptionally special and touching tribute. Megan Hood and her husband share this message:
“My husband and I lost our baby during pregnancy. He was due on April 25, 2016. I just recently read about Foxie’s story and instantly felt a connection with her and the loss and separation of her children. I’ve loved looking at pictures of her and her dolls. I’m happy that she has her trolls to care for as if they were her babies.”
Megan, sometimes there are no words for the experiences and heartbreak we endure in life. But we want to express our heartfelt sympathy to you and your husband for the loss of your son. We are so glad that you have found a connection to Foxie and her children that brings you happiness and we’re truly touched that you would choose to honor the memory of your baby boy by making a difference in the lives of the chimpanzees. Knowing all that each of the chimpanzees have been through and then seeing their capacity for love and healing astounds us daily. And we are sending you all the good thoughts and wishes for the comfort, love, joy and serenity that you are helping provide for Foxie and her family. Thank you so very much.
The Cle Elum 7 had a brunch forage to celebrate Love a Chimpanzee Day. Make sure to watch to the very end of the video to give yourself just one more reason to rejoice!
