During Foxie’s decades in biomedical research she was used as a breeder. We know of five children that Foxie gave birth to, two of whom were twins. It’s heartbreaking that Foxie was not given the opportunity to raise any of her children. Since arriving at the sanctuary she seems to have found a special affinity for her beloved troll dolls and more recently, Dora dolls. When Foxie chooses to join us for a walk around Young’s Hill she can often be seen carrying one of her many dolls on her back just as chimpanzee mothers do with their children in the wild. It’s a bittersweet glimpse into how life should have been for her and each of the Cle Elum Seven. While we can never know for sure what Foxie is thinking about her “babies” it makes my heart happy to see she has found something to call her own.
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Negra Love
A few minutes ago I watched Negra getting a drink of water. She was sitting on the step between rooms three and four and she had her right leg stretched out, with her toes pointed and just touching the floor. The thought went through my mind that I simply love everything she does. The fact that her toes were pointed was a good enough reason to love her in that moment. And then I wondered how many people were thinking about Negra at that very instant. Six years ago, before coming to the sanctuary, the answer probably would have been none. Today, though, Negra has a whole community of people who love her; and that makes me filled with happiness.
Love of Negra is evident in several of the Out of the Box auction items created by supporters this year. Below are three that I have to share, and they are all due to the artistic talents of Margaret H. Parkinson.
Queen Negra is a 20″ x 16″ oil on stretched canvas. It was inspired by a photo of Negra with a royal purple blanket covering her head. The artist, Margaret, is a long-time supporter of Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest – she and her wife Karen were at the sanctuary for our open house before the chimpanzees arrived. She created this painting especially for the Out of the Box auction, and it will be available in our online auction – anyone can bid on it starting May 4th!
Here Comes the Sun Darling Negra by Tamela is an amazing necklace. Margaret gave Tamela permission to use an image of Margaret’s Negra in the Sun painting that she painted for our very first auction in 2009. Tamela handcrafted the pendant. The center of the image is made with a glow in the dark clay and becomes a glowing moon in the dark. The piece that holds the image was also handcrafted by Tamela and is 99.9% pure silver. The necklace strand is made of citrine teardrop beads.
Tamela wrote this about her inspiration to create the necklace:
Margaret’s painting was so beautiful I knew it needed to be wearable art so more people could enjoy it. The high quality translucent citrine teardrop beads were carefully selected because of their meaning and the way they reflect light. Citrines give the owner a feeling of warmth and comfort much like Negra might have in her big fluffy blanket nest. Citrine also raises one’s mood and encourages happiness and laughter. I wanted the necklace to represent the life the chimps now have at Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest, a life filled with hope, love, warmth, comfort, and happiness, combined with that wonderful feeling of the sun on your face found in the original photo and Margaret’s painting- Negra in the Sun.
I nearly cried when I read that from Tamela.
This next item is a bit of a surprise for Margaret. A few months ago I asked her permission to use one of her watercolor paintings for special magnum bottles of wine that we will have at Out of the Box.
Here is a sneak peak at one of the bottles, which were etched and hand painted, thanks to the help of chimp friend Lynne Anderson:
Inside the bottles is Ellensburg Vista Winery‘s latest release. I like reading tasting notes of wine – lots of “oaky finishes” and “fruit forward” type of language. I’ve tasted this new Rosé and would just like to simplify things and say that it is delicious. Here’s the proper description from the vigneron, Gary Cox: This Rosé is a 2008 Cox Canyon Vineyards Cabernet Franc with just a touch of Viognier to give the wine a Cote Rotié French Flair/Finish. Raspberry is prominent in the nose of this wine, as raspberries are planted in the rows of the wine grapes to allow cross pollination and a direct effect of pollen on the seed of the wine grape, which carries thru to the must as it ferments to wine. Seattle Dining Magazine named it one of the ten best wines at Taste Washington earlier this year.
There will only be twelve bottles available at the May 4th Seattle Out of the Box event! We’ll have a special table for the magnums during the silent auction. Don’t miss out! Get your tickets to the Seattle event now. It’s just three weeks away!
Missy and Jody
Missy and Annie have been playing on the hill a lot lately, but this morning Missy found a new partner to play with. She always looks so surprised and overjoyed to be playing with someone else.
The chimps had only eaten part of their breakfast at this point, and Jody was determined to make it back to the greenhouse to get her chow bags, so she continued to play with Missy as she walked backwards down the hill.
As they approached the greenhouse, Jody spun Missy around and then proceeded to push her backwards like a shopping cart through the door and into the greenhouse. Missy thought that was hilarious.
The Veterinary Clinic
It’s hard to believe, but the 2013 Out of the Box Gala Auction is just around the corner. These auctions have always played such an important role in funding the everyday needs of the sanctuary, but they have also been the starting point for some exciting projects through our Fund-a-Need program. Proceeds from the 2009 Fund-a-Need enabled us to build the greenhouse, which quickly became the chimps’ favorite spot year-round. And in 2010, we raised funds for Young’s Hill, providing the chimps with two acres of grass, sun, and sky.
The 2011 Fund-a-Need was the start of a different but equally important kind of project: an on-site veterinary clinic. Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest has always been fortunate to work with a large team of veterinarians to support to health and well-being of the Cle Elum Seven. Whatever happens, we know that we can rely on the expertise of Dr. Richardson, Dr. Nutter, Dr. Newschwander, and Dr. Zamzow, as well as Dr. Mensching, who is the newest member of our team. We are also grateful for the assistance of Mt. Stuart Animal Hospital, which provides us with diagnostic and pharmacy services. But to provide the chimps with the best care possible, we want to have the ability to perform surgical and diagnostic services on-site, and that is why we have begun building a mobile veterinary clinic – a simple, functional, and timely way to meet the veterinary needs of the Cle Elum Seven.
With the money raised in 2011, we have purchased a 38-foot trailer and have begun turning what was once a garage in the back of the trailer into a surgical and exam room.
Project V.E.T.S. generously donated a dual surgical lamp, a microscope, and a wide variety of supplies. If you aren’t familiar with Project V.E.T.S., I encourage you to check out their great work through their website or Facebook page.
Now it’s time to finish what we started. With your help, we will install a shelter and hook-ups for the trailer and outfit the clinic with a full range of equipment, from autoclave and anesthesia machines to portable x-ray and ultrasound.
You can contribute to this project by attending the Out of the Box auction on May 4th in Seattle or by donating to the Fund-a-Need portion of the online auction. And if you have equipment that you would like to donate to our project, we’d love to hear from you.
Take Action Tuesday: Urban Tarzan
The new Spike TV show called Urban Tarzan is all about wild animals found in human environments. Though the series has a whole slew of wild animals, the premiere episode from a few weeks ago featured a young chimpanzee actor. The show is supposed to be a reality series, but everything is scripted and the scenes are all staged.
There is a growing public awareness about the ethical problems with using chimpanzees in entertainment. Please remind the producers of the show about these issues by sending them a polite letter. Ask them to remove the episode from the air and pledge to never use primates in their productions again. Your letters can make a difference! In the last couple months both Great Clips and CR Fashion Book have removed content with chimpanzee actors after receiving educational letters from advocates like you!
Let the producers of Urban Tarzan know that brutal training practices in the entertainment industry are well documented. Remind them that in addition to welfare concerns, using chimpanzees in the media seriously hinders conservation efforts of free-living chimpanzees.
You may submit your comments to Spike TV’s Facebook page, or post Tweets that express your concern, such as @1UrbanTarzan very disappointed to see a chimp in your show. Please remove the episode! www.EyesOnApes.org
Sample Letter to Spike TV/Urban Tarzan:
I was extremely disappointed to hear that Urban Tarzan featured a young chimpanzee actor in the first episode. You should know that chimpanzees used in entertainment are torn away from their mothers as infants, often repeatedly beaten during training, and then discarded when they become too strong to be managed.
The show is supposed to be about rescuing wild animals from human homes, but since it is staged you are not following your own advice! Chimpanzees do not belong in human homes and they do not belong on TV either. Aside from welfare concerns, their appearance in the media seriously hinders conservation efforts. Surely you are aware that chimpanzees are endangered species in critical need of protection?
Please make the compassionate decision to remove the chimpanzee episode from rotation, and please consider to never exploit great apes for entertainment purposes again. Thank you for your consideration of my comments on this urgent matter.
Sincerely,
[Your name here]
Leaning forward
I have a tattoo on the inside of my wrist that says “lean forward to the next crazy venture.” It’s a quote I have always loved from On the Road and it has guided me well, through all kinds of crazy ventures like my undercover work early in my career, many loves and losses, and oh, you know, being a part of a fledgling chimpanzee sanctuary. Looking back, which I rarely allow myself to do, I couldn’t be prouder of the role I’ve been fortunate to play in Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest. We’ve gone from zero to 60 in a very short time. The chimps have certainly undergone spectacular changes in the last five years, and I feel like I’ve lived through those changes and that recovery as well.
I have nothing but excitement about what’s ahead for our chimpanzee friends. Tomorrow, the wonderful and amazing Jennifer Whitaker formally takes the helm as Executive Director here at Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest (although she’s been quietly getting up to speed here for two weeks now). I am so confident that Jennifer will take CSNW to new heights and I can’t wait to cheer for each new victory and each little change.
Of course I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t feeling a little emotional about my departure. But I’m not going far. The Seven (and their humans) will never leave my heart or my mind. They are a central part of my family, so after a few weeks off I’ll be returning in a new and improved role as a caregiving volunteer. Nice try, but you haven’t gotten rid of me.
I won’t be saying goodbye. There’s no need to. I’ll just be leaning forward with everyone else. I’ll never have words for how humbled I am by having had the opportunity to do this work. Thank you a hundred times over.
PS. If you simply can’t resist saying goodbye, here are my suggestions on where to fuel your energy:
- if you’ve connected with me or the chimps over the past few years, make a donation today to wish me well and welcome Jennifer to the team
- buy tickets to our Seattle auction now so that you can support our work and give me a hug (I’ll be there with bells on)
- help us spread the word about our online auction by sharing the link on Facebook and to all your friends. Start leaning toward all those vacation spots!
- watch the bidding war over VIP Green Day tickets and backstage access. So much fun.
Boots and Grooming
As J.B. explained a few weeks ago, Jamie has a particular need from her caregivers lately – that we put on cowboy boots and run or walk around the hill while she walks or runs on the other side of the fencing. She goes back inside the greenhouse once she is satisfied with this activity. Sometimes this is after just one lap around the hill, and sometimes it takes two, or three, or four. Once she’s back in the building, she often wants the boot that she’s been “chasing.”
Lately, though, she doesn’t want the boot immediately. Rather, she wants to sit in the greenhouse and groom the boot while the caregiver is still wearing it. This is precisely what we did this morning.
And she groomed my knee for a little while too:
I’m sure all of Jamie’s caregivers would agree that there is very little in life more gratifying than satisfying Jamie.