Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

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chimpanzee

Portraits Added to Online Auction

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I’ve just added a few more awesome items to the Summer Biddin’ Online Auction!

I couldn’t let it go without having a portrait of each of the chimpanzees available for bidding on, could I? The photos are being printed on metal, which gives them a really neat luminescent quality that I know everyone will love.

So, don’t delay in getting your bids in on the below items and all the other items too, and don’t forget to give a little towards the Summer Lovin’ party too!

Bidding ends at 7:00pm PT unless an item goes in to a Bid War. Be sure to watch – it’s going to be fun to see which items continue to get bids after the closing time!

Thanks to everyone who made the Summer Biddin’ Online Auction possible and to everyone who is participating! The chimpanzees really appreciate your support!

last minute auction items

Foxie trying her hand at rock climbing

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Today we took advantage of the cooler weather and put the chimpanzee’s lunch out on Young’s Hill for them to forage. These forages often consist of pieces of vegetables, fruit and chow and we spread them around the hill for the chimpanzees to find. Sometimes we even put some of the food on top of the treat rock (one of the prominent features of Young’s Hill). Jamie and Burrito are the chimpanzees most likely to be seen climbing on the rock in search of food. But today, Foxie tried her hands (and feet) on the rock after all of the other chimpanzees had gone back inside. This is the first time I have seen Foxie on the treat rock!

Here she is sticking her arm in a hole to grab a few pieces of chow.
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Here she is trying to get in better position.
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She began traversing across the treat mound in search of more food.
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Once she got all of the food pieces, she began to prepare for her dismount from the treat rock.
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Finally, safe on the ground, she enjoyed the food she found on her climbing adventure.
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I also managed to capture Jody, with her mouth and hands full of red cabbage and brussel sprouts.
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All About Foxie

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Foxie, as you probably know, is quite the charmer. She is apparently also muse to several artists. Did you notice the Foxie theme in the Summer Biddin’ online auction? Take a look at the photo below that launched a thousand (ok, more like three) paintings:

foxie muse

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Original Foxie textured acrylic painting by Sandra Casti available in the Summer Biddin’ online auction: www.chimps.afrogs.org
Foxie watercolor in mat by Lynn Cornnish
Original Foxie watercolor in mat by Lynn Cornish available in the Summer Biddin’ online auction: www.chimpsnw.afrogs.org

 

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Print of Foxie from original painting by Laura Heggs available in the Summer Biddin’ online auction: www.chimpsnw.afrogs.org

 

In addition to those three Foxie-inspired art pieces, the below two pieces are also available for your bids!

Foxie Close-up
Foxie Close-up original watercolor in mat by Lynn Cornish available in the Summer Biddin’ online auction: www.chimpsnw.afrogs.org
This photo will go to the winning bidder printed on 16" x 16" metal by Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest
This photo will go to the winning bidder printed on 16″ x 16″ metal by Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest. www.chimpsnw.afrogs.org

 

And if that’s not enough Foxie for you (how could anyone have too much Foxie?), here are a few photos taken today, when Foxie was out with the gang foraging for lunch during a light shower. If you look closely, you can see the rain:

 

Foxie walking

Foxie in the grass

Foxie eating

Foxie by hammock

Happy bidding, everyone! The online auction ends Monday at 7:00pm PT

Happy Birthday, Jessica!

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Today’s day of sanctuary was sponsored by Jessica Larson! Today also happens to be Jessica’s 30th birthday and she shared the following message:

“I honor the chimps who have taught me so much about myself and my world on this day. May they enjoy 30 plus years of happiness and health in the sanctuary.”

We often hear from people how much the chimpanzees inspire them. Even people who have not had the opportunity to meet the chimps in person often share the profound difference they bring to their lives. We are so grateful that the chimpanzees are recognized not only as the special individuals they are, but for the value and significance of what they contribute to life, in no other way than just being themselves.

Jessica, thank you so much for honoring the chimpanzees on your own special day and for your generosity and compassion of gifting them with a day of sanctuary! All of us here at CSNW wish you the happiest of birthdays!!

Jamie bright eyes

No time to rest

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I’ve lost track of how many times we’ve walked around Young’s Hill today. We started just after breakfast, with Jamie frantically gesturing towards the bin of boots in the kitchen, letting us know that is was time to begin the daily ritual. After exchanging one of my sneakers for a bright red cowboy boot, we set out together to patrol the perimeter of her two-acre enclosure. There was another walk before lunch, and then another just afterwards. Steph and Debbie went on a patrol with Jamie in mid-afternoon, and then I rejoined Jamie for another before dinner. As soon as dinner was over it was time to head out again for a couple more. And just a moment ago, at a little after 7pm, I handed my red cowboy boot to Diana, who will walk with Jamie as the sun starts to set. This might be the last, but somehow I doubt it.

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Chimpanzee Photography Experience & Online Auction Opening Soon

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I mentioned the other day that some 2013 HOOT! auction bidders had cashed in their photography experience at the sanctuary that they won at the gala.

Right now, we are gearing up for our Summer Biddin’ online auction. While we don’t have a photography session, we do have a really amazing and unique experience to bid on: a Backstage Pass to the Sanctuary!

Bidding for all items opens Thursday morning, and items are still being added, but you can and should (right now) check out how you can help us throw a spectacular Summer Lovin’ Party for the chimpanzees and get some perks for yourself in the process.

Back to Saturday. Martha and Susie were the first winning bidders for the photography session. They had a great time at the sanctuary learning some new photography skills from photographers Karen Ducey and Dean Rutz. They set up photography camp on the observation deck and learned the ropes of the professional equipment that Karen and Dean generously loaned.

Martha and Susie taking aim

Martha and Susie practicing

Martha and Susie happy

And they got some really amazing photos!! Below are just a few.

Annie:

Annie on young's hill

Foxie:

Foxie pull up

Foxie on platform

 

And birthday-girl Missy, looking like her athletic self:

Missy on fire hose

 

Not only was it Missy’s birthday on the day they visited, it was also Martha’s! Karen was kind enough to bring a birthday cake, which of course we adorned with some CSNW style:

Martha's bday cake

 

Martha and Susie also took a walk with J.B. around the hill with Jamie of course following on the inside of the fence. Ellie the elk was hanging around the property and joined them too:

Ellie, J.B., Martha, Susie

 

You just never know what adventures await at the sanctuary, especially on a party day, which is why you should get ready to bid on the unique Backstage Pass experience and help us throw a great end-of-summer party! You don’t have to wait until Thursday to make your Summer Lovin’ party donation – do it today!

Mixing it up a bit

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Many folks have come to know the chimpanzees and their special interests. For instance, Foxie and her love of troll and dora dolls, Jamie and her love of boots and Negra and her love of nesting with a lot of blankets. Well, today, the chimpanzees decided to mix things up a bit.

Annie is usually shy in front of the camera, but not today. Here she is blowing bubbles.
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Then she licked the bubbles,
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and then blew more bubbles,
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and even more bubbles.
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Foxie, who can usually be found with a troll or dora doll had one of Burrito’s favorite toys in her mouth.
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Jamie usually lets us know when we pick out the right boot she wants us to wear for walking around Young’s Hill. Today she did not seem content with just one boot. After I showed her each boot in her boot bin, she continued to stomp on the second story of the playroom floor and motion toward her bin of boots. Turns out she wanted two boots not just one!

The boots on my feet during a walk around Young’s Hill with Jamie.
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Jamie with her boots after the walk around Young’s Hill.
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And finally, while cleaning the Playroom, we discovered an unusually large nest of blankets in Negra’s favorite nesting spot. Thinking that it was a little bit on the large side, we decided to count the number of blankets and found that she had made her nest with 31 blankets!! Throughout the course of a day, we place a total of 60 blankets in the Playroom, Greenhouse and Front Rooms, so a 31 blanket nest is quite large and probably quite comfortable. I wonder how many blankets she will use to build tonight’s nest. Unfortunately, I did not think to take a photo, but thought I would share that with you.