chimpanzee

A Morning Stroll

May 8, 2023 by J.B.

Very few things appeal to Negra more than sweet spring grass. There’s an abundant supply just outside the greenhouse door, so she doesn’t have to travel far for her favorite seasonal treat.

This morning, however, she was also inspired to take a leisurely stroll around the hill. As you might guess from her rather pale complexion, Negra is a lover of the great indoors. She likes to wear her bed like a turtle’s shell, poking her head out only when she hears the food grunts that accompany the presentation of meals. But once in a blue moon she gets a bee in her bonnet and sets out to explore some of Young’s Hill, just for the sake of exploring.

It’s funny to watch her inspect her surroundings as she ventures into relatively uncharted territory. Huh, how long has this tree been here? (Uh, ten years, Negra).

As I stood at the very top of the hill watching the others play beneath the pines, Negra sat somewhere near the halfway point, appearing to calculate the cost-benefit ratio of venturing further afield:

(#of pine branches to snack on) x (lovely view of the river) / (energy expended) x (time not spent in bed) = ?

After a few minutes of pondering, Negra appeared to have decided that the only logical course of action was to return home, wrap herself in blankets, and save her energy for the next morning, at which point she could reconsider her options with the benefit of a good night’s sleep.

Negra’s friends also took advantage of this beautiful spring morning.

Foxie:

Burrito, Foxie, and Annie:

Burrito:

Saying Goodbye

May 2, 2023 by J.B.

Note: The video above may be difficult to watch, especially for those of you who have known and loved Jody either in person or through this blog, as it shows her family reacting to her death. But I hope you can find a time when you feel able to share in our experience of saying goodbye to Jody.

As Diana mentioned, we recently discovered Jody lying on the floor, largely unable to move below the neck. After doing initial diagnostics, we set up an appointment for an MRI to assess her long-term prognosis, with a surgeon at the ready to avoid having to bring her back at a later date if something could be done. Her condition suddenly began to deteriorate on Sunday and we moved up the appointment, but she quickly passed. Yesterday, Dr. Erin and I took Jody’s body for a postmortem MRI at the Veterinary Specialty Center of Seattle and a necropsy at the University of Washington. Preliminary results suggest a degeneration of the ligaments around the C1-2 vertebrae and compression of the spinal cord.

The sudden onset of Jody’s condition surprised us, as there was no fight that morning and no loud noise overnight (we monitor the chimps via remote cameras outside of regular work hours). She was discovered in one of the smaller “front rooms” behind a dividing wall, out of direct view of the cameras, so unfortunately we simply don’t know what caused her paralysis. Given her location and the nature of the injury, one possibility is that she fell a short distance. Why she would have fallen off a step or bench is another question. In hindsight, we may have witnessed her exhibiting a few episodes of “transient quadraparesis,” or momentary paralysis below the neck, in the past, but it is difficult to tell if a chimpanzee is unable or simply unwilling to get up when they can’t tell you what they are experiencing. While we can’t say definitively what led to the deterioration of the structure supporting and protecting her spinal cord—whether it was progressive or from some prior acute trauma—it may have have been compromised to the point where a less severe injury could have more profound consequences. In addition to causing paralysis, her condition involved other parts of her body, affecting vital organs, and she ultimately had no chance of recovery.

In the days before she passed, Jody was understandably frightened at times but became comfortable with us entering the room and caring for her. It’s a strange experience for us to be directly caring for an awake chimpanzee and I’m sure it was strange for Jody, too. She was courageous and accepting, but she also felt comfortable telling us to go to hell when she’d had enough. If we could have spared her those days, knowing what we know now, we would have. That said, we did our best to keep her comfortable while we tried to learn more and, from a selfish perspective, we were fortunate to get to spend time with her. CSNW’s founder, Keith, even made it in time to see her, as did many of her local volunteer caregivers. In typical Jody fashion, she greeted them each warmly.

One challenge that is particular if not unique to the sanctuary world is the way we have to transition from medical team to grieving family in the blink of an eye. Our staff and volunteers did an incredible job keeping the other chimps’ needs in mind and we worked to give Jody’s body back to them as soon as we could so that they could also process her death.

It shouldn’t surprise anyone that chimps react to the death of a loved one in different ways. Some are scared or anxious, while others are accepting. Some are even empathetic enough to comfort the humans around them, as you’ll see. It is a unique privilege to witness—and even participate in—what is essentially a chimpanzee wake. The Cle Elum Seven had been a family for 17 years, and some of their relationships go back even longer. Jody’s death is a profound loss for them.

The rituals look familiar. They kiss, hold, groom, and caress. These are the mechanisms of bonding and the expressions of affection that held them together in life. Perhaps in death they are just a continued expression of love. Or perhaps they are an attempt to hold on for one more moment to something they know is slipping away. If you had watched the humans spend time with Jody upon her death, you would have seen the same kinds of things.

I have to admit that there’s a part of me that wonders if this should have been kept a private experience between the chimps and their caregivers, and I’m sure some others feel similarly. But when we met Jody and her family in that laboratory basement, we were determined that she would become known to the world, or at least some small part of it. So many chimps like her suffered and died anonymously. After 32 years in the lab, Jody finally had a life worth living and people got to know her as the individual she was. So many of you fell in love with her over the last 15 years, as we hoped you would. For all of you who have loved her and supported her, it is your time to grieve with them, too.

We’ll have a lot more to say about Jody and our love for her in the coming days and weeks. For my part, I will just say for now that I was forever changed when we first met her in that awful laboratory basement, and even more so once I got to know her. She was a truly beautiful person.

After Jody’s family said their goodbyes, they returned to normal routines. Today was spent patrolling, eating fresh spring grass, and gathering up the bountiful lunch forage. It was notably quieter without Jody’s dinosaur food grunts, but the gang honored her memory by stuffing their hands, feet, and mouths with as many peppers as they could hold. Life will go on, differently. Like us, the chimps will always carry a part of her with them.

Back to Work

April 24, 2023 by J.B.

I’m happy to report that our team of contractors have picked up where things left off last fall with regard to construction on the Bray. We don’t have a firm completion date yet but it should be fairly soon! While they complete their fence work, we’re taking the opportunity to build upon Ryan’s Lookout, the structure that will allow Cy’s group to supervise all the comings and goings at the sanctuary.

So far we’ve added three crow’s nests with fire hose vines strung between them and the main tower. Our poor bamboo took a hit during the arctic blast last Christmas. The existing culms may not grow new leaves this year but we’ll have to wait and see. The good thing is that it should be ready to send up new shoots in June.

The weather has been typically spring-like lately, meaning it is winter one day and summer the next. Last Thursday it snowed on us while working outside in the afternoon; by the end of the week it should hit 80 degrees. This means that some days the greenhouse panels are necessary, while on other days we have to run the fan to cool things off. The last few days have been perfect and the chimps are happy to bask in the warmth from their perch on the tree structures.

As always, Cy has been busy keeping up with the latest celebrity news when not managing his sometimes unruly family.

This photo didn’t turn out very well, but I thought I’d share anyway…I was just barely able to catch Lucky giving her friend Dora a hug to celebrate the arrival of the lunch cart.

On a final note, the sanctuary recently purchased a new (to us) farm vehicle. Surprisingly, Jamie is a bit intimated by it and still prefers to race the Gator. But Benny, who is licensed and required by law (so he says) to inspect all farm machinery, has given it his full approval. Benny lives at the sanctuary with me and Diana and our two other rescue dogs, and because of old injuries he can’t walk as fast or as far as his pack mates. Now he can leave them in the dust. He said the staff can use it too.

It’s Love a Chimpanzee Day 2023

April 23, 2023 by Diana

Can you believe it’s Love a Chimpanzee Day again already?! Supporter Monica Best named April 23rd Love a Chimpanzee Day and has sponsored this day each year since 2010 for her chimpanzee friends at Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest, creating a calendar-worthy official holiday and another excuse to throw a party! That’s a lot of years of love that Monica has shared with the chimps.

With our birthdays so close together, Monica and I have once again teamed up by creating a joint fundraising page for GiveBIG, and we invite you to celebrate this day by checking out our page and making a contribution.

Donor Donna is matching up to $20,000 in funds raised through the end of GiveBIG on May 4th, so your donation now is doubled! HUGE thanks to donor Vicki for making a gift on our page that encouraged us to raise our initial goal!

Monica’s love of animals is not exclusive to chimpanzees – she’s also studied wolves and worked in dog and cat shelters. She’s had many feline and canine friends over the years and created Love a Chimpanzee Day on her birthday in honor of her cat Ozzie during a difficult and uncertain time when Monica was fighting cancer. She credits the sanctuary (especially Negra) with helping her in her years-long battle with the disease and the aftermath.

We are so incredibly grateful for Monica and all of her generosity. She’s been instrumental in the expansion of the sanctuary these last several years and in helping encourage others to give.

You can help us celebrate today and the on Monica and Diana’s GiveBig fundraising page or the sanctuary’s main GiveBig page.

Happy Love a Chimpanzee Day, everyone!!

Burrito loves Duran Duran — Monica is a fan of Duran Duran and we took this photo of Burrito during the 2011 Love a Chimpanzee Day!

Heart Week

April 12, 2023 by J.B.

Cardiovascular disease is a major cause of illness and mortality in captive chimpanzees. As many of you know, we’ve been treating Burrito since 2012 for hypertensive heart disease. What you may not know is that Cy also suffers from cardiovascular disease – in his case, dilated cardiomyopathy. To better manage his symptoms and slow the progression of the disease, Dr. Erin arranged for a cardiac exam from Dr. Lynne Nelson, lead cardiologist at Washington State University’s veterinary hospital. Dr. Nelson has been a great friend to the sanctuary for many years and has helped oversee Burrito’s care.

Dr. Nelson’s expertise was also called upon this week to assess Lucky. While Lucky has appeared to be in good health overall, her pre-transport exam from Wildlife Waystation suggested the possibility of an enlarged heart. We knew that further diagnostics would be required once she and her friends settled into their new home and social group.

And then there’s Terry. Terry has not shown any signs of cardiovascular disease, but he was due for a re-check of his fractured canine tooth, and any time a chimpanzee is anesthetized in the clinic, we want to obtain as much information as we can to help manage their care. Dr. Erin thoughtfully scheduled Terry’s re-check at a time when he could also receive a thorough evaluation from Dr. Nelson.

Three chimps in three days. Heart Week, you might call it. Or Hell Week, if you are a member of the staff responsible for getting the chimps into the right enclosures at the right times so that we could make this all work. We are incredibly grateful to all of the staff and volunteers for all the effort that went into making these exams possible while keeping the rest of the chimp house humming along like usual.

Before I share more of the week’s events, I’m sure you want to know what we found. Lucky has a healthy heart for her age, thankfully. Ultrasound revealed a few things that we’ll want to keep an eye on, but she does not suffer from any significant cardiovascular disease. Cy’s echocardiogram showed some improvements from his last exam—likely from the medications he has been on—but also some disease progression. Dr. Nelson was able to recommend changes to his medication regimen that should help. Terry’s exam showed good news on both fronts—his fractured tooth is healing nicely and his heart is healthy for his age, though he shows some mild cardiac changes that warrant monitoring every few years. Thankfully, he doesn’t have any signs of heart failure and requires no medication at this time.

It’s not fun for us to have to bring the chimps into the clinic, but it is at times necessary. One of the ways that we can reduce the trauma associated with exams under anesthesia is to work with the chimps so that they will take an injection by hand, rather than by dart. Our positive reinforcement training team, and the work of others before us at the Waystation, made it so that all three chimps willingly presented their arms and legs for their anesthetic injections. According to Jenna, who has been training with Lucky, Lucky was downright nonchalant about being poked. The Valium-spiked sip of juice probably helped a little, too.

As is often the case here, Dr. Erin, Sofia, and Dr. Nelson were aided by a number of other medical professionals who came to volunteer their time and talents. Mekensie Kmack, CRNA, who has helped many times before, oversaw Lucky’s anesthesia. New to the team this time was Marneye Driesen, who assisted with the echocardiogram.

Some of our procedures, such as abdominal radiographs, are performed outside of the clinic while the chimps are in recovery (but still anesthetized) to minimize time under anesthesia.

It’s important to keep the chimps warm during recovery – these socks are not just for fashion.

The same team assembled again the next day to examine Cy’s heart and perform routine diagnostics and cleanings.

We’ve found that there’s no use hiding what is happening from the other chimps. Once someone is out of the clinic, they are laid in the recovery room while their friends look on through windows or neighboring enclosures. This reassures them and provides a comforting presence when the chimps wake up from anesthesia.

Cy was groggy, as is to be expected, but he perked right up as soon as Kelsi put on one of his favorite movies, Must Love Dogs.

It was unfortunate that Terry had to return to the clinic so soon after having his fractured tooth repaired, but it was important to get x-rays of the tooth and underlying bone to ensure that he had healed properly. Dr. Whitemarsh, DMD, was on hand again to help.

Sonographers Korey Krause and Tanya Herbert, also new to the team, performed an abdominal exam while Michelle DiMaggio, LVT, monitored anesthesia and otherwise assisted Dr. Erin.

As I write this, Lucky and Cy have been reunited with the group. Terry, who had his procedure this morning, will remain apart for the night while he recovers. Hopefully the others let him get some rest.

As usual, the information we collect to help the chimps in our care will also be shared with the Great Ape Heart Project, so that we can help other captive apes suffering from cardiovascular disease.

Many thanks to Dr. Erin, the staff, and the amazing team of medical professionals that came to care for Lucky, Cy, and Terry this week. Thanks as well to all of our donors that make this level of care possible. If you’re interested in the veterinary care we provide at Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest, why not register for our upcoming Virtual Visit on Saturday, April 15th at 2pm? To learn more, click here.

On This Day in CSNW History: April 11, 2020

April 11, 2023 by Chad de Bree

Today we are going to take a look back and see what was happening in our history. On this day, three years ago, the world was just in the beginning stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. We were adjusting to the pandemic lifestyle, figuring out the best way to shield the sanctuary residents from it, and taking care of three(!) medical issues that popped up.

That entire era was honestly just a blur to me. In fact, sometimes it even feels like I’m still in a blur since technically we are still living in a pandemic. But obviously a lot has happened since. We expanded by building two new playrooms and greenhouses, expanded Young’s Hill and created The Bray. We welcomed in some new staff while also saying goodbye to others. And most notably, we had six chimpanzees enter our lives who we now can’t ever imagine how we got along in life without ever knowing them. Like I said, it all seems like a blur sometimes.

One sentence that Diana wrote in the blog that does stand out to me though:

I know you are not here to get yet-another take on the current state of the strange and unprecedented (most over-used word for 2020?) times we are living in or to add to your own personal stress.”

If only she knew the word “unprecedented” would not be confined to the year 2020 and be used more as the years passed by.

Please enjoy some new photos from April 11, 2023!

Gordo sitting on the windowsill in the Oakwood Greenhouse

Honey B showing off a fashionable sock she made into a mitten

Negra, the queen of comfort!

Honey B’s mesmerizing stare during dinner

And be sure to register for the virtual visit to learn about the medical care Dr. Erin and Sofia provide to keep the chimps in tiptop shape! There are only four day left until the visit! So register today!

Easter Forages!

April 9, 2023 by J.B.

Today’s forecast called for rain but it held off long enough to sneak in a quick breakfast forage for the Seven. Carrots, beets, Swiss chard, and potatoes were scattered across the hill.

Burrito (with Missy and Annie in the background):