Jamie is religious about her Young’s Hill perimeter walks. As the boss, maybe she feels some responsibility to make sure the sanctuary is safe from intruders. But she doesn’t like to go alone. Her preferred walking partners are her caregivers. I can only think of a handful of times we’ve seen her walk by herself or with only other chimps as company. But today, she was desperate to go and couldn’t wait for us caregivers to get our act together, so she tried to recruit Foxie.
chimpanzee
Guest Photographers
Today is GORGEOUS at the sanctuary! I went up to take a few photos from on top of the visitor observation deck while the chimpanzees were traveling to the top of the hill, and I remembered that I had not yet shared photos taken by last year’s Photograph the Chimps winners from the HOOT! gala!
Before I share some of those photos, I have two questions for all potential HOOT!-goers this year:
1st – do you have your tickets yet?!
2nd – would you like a chance to bid on a photograph the chimps experience again this year? We’ve had it for two years in a row, and I’d hate for things to get old, so let me know! Maybe there’s another kind of experience at the sanctuary that you would like to bid on instead?
Professional photographers / photojournalists Karen Ducey of Animal News Northwest and Dean Rutz of the Seattle Times generously donate their expertise and equipment for these experiences.
The first winners last year were Jim Keller and CeeCee McCray:
It was difficult to choose among the many great photos that they took, but here are a few. The three below were taken by CeeCee.
Annie:
Foxie:
Missy (this is probably my favorite, because it’s just so Missy):
And the three below were taken by Jim.
Annie:
Jamie:
Jody (just checking to see if there was any food up there – you never know!):
Big, big thanks to Karen & Dean, Jim & CeeCee for giving generously and being all around great people! Kathy & Alice Rose were the two other winners of this experience, and I will share some of their photos soon too.
The elk that stole my job
Many of you know that Jamie likes to be accompanied by a caregiver when she patrols Young’s Hill, her 2-acre enclosure. It’s the best part of the job, in my opinion – fresh air, exercise, and some quality bonding time between chimps and the humans that care for them. And if I’m being honest, it’s just nice to feel needed once and a while.
But it looks like us humans won’t be needed much longer.
This morning, Jamie and Burrito took a walk around the hill with our neighborhood elk, Ellie. This wasn’t the type of patrol we typically see in response to an intruder – Jamie wasn’t aggressive or even particularly vigilant. In fact, it looked to me like the same leisurely stroll that we take with Jamie every day…I mean, used to take every day. Before Ellie took over.
At least Jamie still needs us to clean her enclosures. For now.
10 Minutes of Missy’s Day
We woke up to a dusting of snow at the sanctuary but the rest of the day has remained cloudy, cool and dry. Perfect walking weather for chimps and humans – or if you’re Missy – perfect running weather. The following photos all took place within about a 10 minute span of Missy’s day.
First she chased after Jamie, Burrito and I around the perimeter.
And then she spotted her best friend, Annie further down the hill and took off to join her:
And they ended up chasing each other all the way back to the playroom which ended up in a game of wrestle. Naturally.
Then and Now
Caring for chimpanzees with traumatic pasts is probably a lot like caring for anyone with a traumatic past. You’re aware of the person’s history and how it has affected them, but you probably don’t dwell on it on a day-to-day basis. There are even moments when you don’t think of the past at all; you’re just focused on the here and now.
Interestingly, the times I find myself reminded of the chimpanzees’ histories are the moments when they seem to be feeling particularly happy or relaxed or free. I think about how moments like that were few and far between until they made it to sanctuary. I hope that in those moments, the chimpanzees are thinking about anything but the past.
Jody Chimpanzee
Age: 40ish. Her records indicate she was born in 1975, possibly in the wild. We celebrate her birthday on Mother’s Day each year to honor the nine children she brought into this world, all of whom were taken from her in the labs.
Nicknames: Jo, Jo-jo, Farmer Jo, Jody the Harvester
Favorite things to do: Foraging for wild plants and bamboo on Young’s Hill, making elaborate nests with blankets, sheets, clothes, straw, bamboo and other plants she’s harvested from Young’s Hill. She’s also an expert lounger!
What she is known for: Caregivers know her for her bouncy greeting mostly in the morning. Her foraging strategy includes gathering food in her hands, arms and mouth and bipedal walking with all of it. She also likes to lie on her belly while eating and is known for rounding everyone up for meal times. She’s also known for spitting out tomato seeds.
Distinguishing physical characteristics: Droopy bottom lip, knobby swelling, missing parts of some of her toes from old injuries, endearing face with expressive eyes, which are a little closer together than those of the other chimps.
Personality: serious, independent, kind, confident, earnest, self assured
Other: She makes what we refer to as “dinosaur sounds” (after she completes her nest, she often dives face first into it and lets out a loud “ahhhh” sound). Also, we’ve noticed that she seems to be quite fascinated with bearded men!
Jody was one of the first chimps to go out onto Young’s Hill this morning.
Here’s a good example of her droopy bottom lip.
Read more about Jody before arriving at CSNW here.
To Be Known
This blog is a true labor of love.
It is satisfying, on a frivolous and somewhat shallow human-level, to have people like our posts and make comments. But in the world of the chimpanzees in our care, it’s a big part of their second chance in sanctuary.
To be known and respected and loved is what they deserve; what they’ve always deserved.
Sharing posts and hitting that “like” (or now maybe the “love” emoji) on Facebook may seem like a small act, but this is what allows more people to grow to understand and appreciate not just the chimpanzees at Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest, but chimpanzees as a species. It’s what allows hearts to grow and minds to change.
Sharing this post, these photos of Jamie, and taking the time to learn about the amazing and interesting person that she is, gives Jamie power.
Even though there’s no way to explain it to her, we know she would appreciate that there are people out there who have never met her who truly admire who she is, as she is. She would expect no less.
