Love a Chimpanzee Day is a much-beloved CSNW holiday invented by longtime supporter Monica Best. Monica sponsors April 23rd each year in memory of her cat Ozzie and in celebration of these chimpanzees and all chimpanzees. This year, she also wants the holiday to honor Emma, Karen and Don Young’s dog who recently passed away. (April 23rd also happens to be Monica’s birthday – happy birthday, Monica!) We had our official celebration a few days early this year (check out the photos here), but we’re still going to be sure to love the chimps just a little extra today. We may be biased, but we can’t think of a more worthy holiday.
chimpanzee
Spending Earth Day on the Earth
Today was Earth Day and thankfully it was an absolutely beautiful, almost summery, day for it! It’s been around 75 degrees this afternoon and very little wind (which we get a lot of around here!) so I gave the chimps Young’s Hill as early in the day as possible. We didn’t have a full-fledged party, but it’s pretty surreal to think that after decades of bars and concrete, finally the chimps truly got to celebrate Earth Day on the grass and with no bars overhead.
Missy and Annie spent some time sitting on the grass in the shade
Foxie climbed up high to enjoy the view
Jamie and volunteer caregiver Stephanie went for a little walk around the perimeter of the hill
And Burrito climbed up a climbing structure he hasn’t explored yet
It must feel so good to have blue skies overhead with no bars!
Chimpanzees’ choice: enrichment or food?
Today is GORGEOUS! So gorgeous that we set out a party on Young’s Hill complete with new gifts from special friends and fun food. It was an early celebration of Love a Chimpanzee Day (April 23rd), a holiday invented by supporter Monica Best and a day that she sponsors each year.
Jamie passed the food and went right for her new red boots brought by Monica’s friend Sophy. After securing her new red boots, Jamie did manage to get a huge armful of bok choy (not pictured).
Guess what Burrito chose? That’s right – food! Here he is eating cabbage by the treat rock:
Jody first went for the food (she’s eating watermelon in the photo below):
But later she grabbed some clown glasses and a new doll. The photo below is a little blurry because Jody was on the move!
There were three new Dora dolls on the hill, thanks to caregiver Jackie’s thrift store shopping. Foxie quickly gathered them all up:
And later spent some quality time with them:
All in all, it was a delightful early celebration of Love a Chimpanzee Day. Thank you, Monica! And thank you to all supporters who sponsor days and otherwise support the sanctuary.
Today was a special day for me too! Jim, Audrey and Brian worked on the outreach & events stuff shed. Isn’t it beautiful?? I want to move in.
Lazy Play
Annie and Missy love to play, whether it be rough-and-tumble wrestling, or like today—playing at the same time as resting. Annie certainly didn’t want Missy to go to sleep, and really, who’s to say you can’t play and lay down at the same time?
Grass underfoot
Celebrating Negra’s playful side
Sometimes I feel there is nothing more special than seeing Negra play. And there really couldn’t be a better combo than Negra and goofy Foxie.
(Be sure to watch this video to the very end. It’s hard to see through the caging, but well worth it once you do!)
Spring on the hill
The grass is turning green, flowers are beginning to bloom and the wind is blowing. I think it’s official- Spring has finally sprung here in Cle Elum!
Even though the chimps don’t enjoy the wind too much, they’ve still been spending more time out on Young’s Hill. Here’s a photo J.B. took the other day of Missy enjoying the view. I just love seeing them in the green grass.