Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

chimpanzee

Keeping Traditions

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This day of sanctuary was sponsored by Judy and Thom Nash in honor of their family! Judy shared this beautiful message about their gift:

“Last year we sponsored a day as our gift to our four grown daughters and grandchildren and want to continue that tradition. We believe it’s extremely important to care for our earth and all inhabitants. These seven chimps have found a special place in my heart and I feel ashamed as humans that we treated them so horrible. I am eternally grateful for the sanctuary and the wonderful people that take special care of these seven beautiful beings.”

Judy and Thom, this is such a lovely, heartfelt day of sanctuary in honor of your daughters and grandchildren and the chimps! Thank you for holding the chimps in your hearts and for making a lasting difference in their lives. Happiest of holidays and winter seasons to you and your family from all of the primates at CSNW!

On this first day of winter we’ve had happily nowhere near the snow we had last year yet (knock on wood), but chimp family snowdays are nevertheless a sight to behold. Here are Jamie and Missy ingeniously avoiding the snow from last year:

Jamie:

Missy:


Jody bringing in a snow treat:

Jody holding snow 2

Jamie and Annie improving upon the humans’ shoveling skills:

Foxie and Burrito:

Of course, snowdays call for plenty of warm tea and cozy nests:

Negra:

Jungle Day

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In celebration of today’s winter solstice, we threw a jungle party for the chimpanzees. Why? Because we can!

After the food, the highlight of the party was the giant stuffed animals collected and sent to us by some good friends of the chimps. Stuffed animals this large are a rarity around here – most of the chimps are more interested in destroying them than playing with them. Burrito, however, is a big fan.

A model chimpanzee

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Foxie has been incredibly playful ALL day. She is a joyful spirit, but for whatever the reason she’s been exceptionally exuberant and happy today. I caught her in our so called portrait studio this afternoon and she graciously allowed me to take some photos. But not without adding her signature Foxie Flair to each one. Every time I would put the camera down and look at her she’d smile at me, nod her head and laugh, and as soon as I’d bring the camera up she strike another pose. She’s pretty spectacular.

The Bonobo Book

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Today is sponsored by Kenneth Epstein in honor of Nicki Walters and in memory of her husband, Bill “Twister” Walters, on his birthday. Kenneth shared this message about today:

“Nicki Walters honored her husband Bill by sponsoring the chimps on his birthday. That beautiful gesture of love inspired me and many of their friends and family to share their love of the chimps. So much so that the Twister structure was built the following year in Bill’s honor. We lost Bill to cancer a few months later but he got to see the chimps play on the structure named after him. While we miss Bill we know that nothing would make him happier than knowing that the chimps are partying in his honor.”

We at CSNW are so thankful for the generosity of Bill, Nicki, and their family and friends. The chimpanzees continue to receive so much joy from their wonderful gift of the “Twister” structure! This morning as the chimps ventured out onto the Hill, Missy raced up the Twister as Jamie and Annie watched from below. When Missy started to climb down from the top she began to do somersaults all the way down, from firehose to firehose! We’ve never seen her do this before! It continues to be a favorite lookout for Jamie to oversee her home, especially during the long summer evenings. The joy the Twister has brought to the chimps is unforgettable, just like Bill.

CSNW had a very busy Sunday! Old friends visiting, our wonderful interns taking ID tests (and killing it!), materials being dropped off from the Chimpanzee and Human Communicate Institute, and of course cleaning. Jamie also received a new pair of boots yesterday, which she is very happy about. In the morning after I gave the chimps access to Young’s Hill, Jamie sprinted through the raceway very pilo and very excited for us to put the boots on and walk around the Hill! Young’s Hill was a hot commodity this morning. It felt like a warm spring day and the chimps were all about it! But at last the cold breeze came and it went back and forth between almost a rain storm and being sunny. The chimps enjoyed their sun while they could and Jamie persevered as usual being the amazing person she is. Here are a collection of photos throughout the day:

Missy ripping around the Hill this morning:

Missy waiting for Annie:

Annie:

Later Annie & Missy basked in the sun, grooming and playing with each others toes:

Jamie our fierce leader:

Missy was backing Jamie up on the Hill, helping with surveillance:

Jamie:

Jody was the gate keeper waiting for everyone to get in safely:

Foxie spending some time with her doll:

Readying for winter

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We are continuing to luck out with dry winter weather so far, but that doesn’t mean it’s warm. We have a wind chill in the low twenties today so the chimps have been going from nesting to grooming to playing like wild indoors for most of the day.

Burrito took a brief respite as he waited for a human friend to resume their rambunctious game of chase:

After building up to it all day, Jamie decided to take a run, I mean a RUN, around the hill and everyone except Foxie and Negra decided to join in! Everyone was running every which way in the cold, hair standing on end, and then quickly scurried back to the chimp house for some warm tea.

After tea service, Jamie requested the remaining tea and the entire jug. Naturally. It didn’t take her long to realize it was going to be too awkward to inch the jug up the caging to drink so she decided to use a plastic tube as a giant straw:

With a belly of warm tea, Foxie decided to curl up on the heated floor with her many dolls du jour for a nap:

The Queen also partook of the tea service and then returned to her nest wrapped up and cozy with a “Do Not Disturb Until Dinner” aura about her:

The chimps aren’t the only ones getting ready for winter. Walking the property earlier today I ran into several of our deer neighbors. They are so beautiful in all their winter finery and it’s really good to see them heading into winter in great shape. We are so fortunate to share this property with some of the same mamas year after year and get to see their children grow over the course of the seasons. Last spring I was able to capture one of our neighborhood mamas with one of her newborn twins:

And here they are today: