Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

Cle Elum 7

Is That For Here Or To Go?

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The Group of Seven have always intrigued me with each of their individual ways of eating. Some like to be upfront and center of every meal service. Others will grab their food and go.

This morning Negra wanted to take her banana to go onto Young’s Hill.

Almost immediately upon going onto Young’s Hill, she was instantly distracted by a passing train.

This is usually Negra’s M.O. She will almost always take her food to go. She will collect all her food and hold off on eating until she gets everything. Then she will use her hands, feet, mouth, you name it. Anything she can use to carry food to a location that is quiet and away from the majority of the crowd.  As evident with this photo I took a few weeks ago during lunch time.

Missy, Foxie, and Jody will grab one item from the meal service, take it away to a quiet location to eat, then return for the next item being served.

Depending on the food, Annie varies her method almost every meal. Sometimes she stays near where the meal is being served to ensure she gets her share of the meal. Other times she will find a quiet location as well, as she did during lunch today to eat her beets.

Jamie and Burrito, on the other hand, are usually upfront and center most of the time. They usually won’t leave until they are served their chow or nighttime bags.

Jamie, at times, might follow Negra’s lead and save some of her meal to enjoy later. In this case, she needed a proper dining table to finish her sweet potatoes and nighttime bag of seeds, popcorn, and dried fruit.

Sometimes after a meal, Jamie will invite a caregiver to go for a walk around the hill. Today, after lunch, Jamie wanted to go for a walk around the hill. I obliged and joined her. However, instead of a walk, it was a sprint around the hill. I somehow was able to capture a photo mid-sprint.

This went on for some time. Up the hill. Down the hill. Then back up again. Then back down. Usually I can keep up with her. But with our extra preventive measures to ensure both the chimpanzees and humans safe from the current pandemic, I have slowed down considerably. I going to have to start running sprints on my own with a mask on to ensure I don’t get that “I’m disappointed in you” look like she gave me as we returned to the Chimp House again.

Might As Well Play

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The goal of the caregivers and volunteers is to clean the chimpanzees’ enclosures quickly and thoroughly. We want to ensure they have as much space as soon as it becomes available. Though there are times the chimpanzees may try to hurry us along (Jamie usually gesturing, Negra clapping, Burrito blowing Bronx cheers, etc.), there are also times they keep themselves occupied until we are finished.

Today, as we were cleaning the Playroom, Negra was especially playful in the front rooms. First, we saw her playing with Burrito. Then we saw her playing with Foxie. These play sessions lasted as soon as we saw them. Then along came Jody and a pink blanket. This play session last for quiet awhile, until Jody pulled her new move to let Negra know she she has the upper hand is done playing.

Cheers to Elizabeth!

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I feel as though I should start out with, I am sorry Elizabeth, you are going to hate this, but we are doing it anyways. Elizabeth has dedicated over 10 years of hard work to this sanctuary and she deserves a shout out to say the least. Words can’t express the amount of love we have for Elizabeth, so here goes this blog anyways! As many of you followers may know, our wonderful and amazing Elizabeth received a full time job on her new career path to becoming a librarian. We are fortunate enough that Elizabeth is not leaving! She will still be volunteering, and honestly thank goodness! I don’t think any of us could handle not seeing her!

Anyone who has been around Elizabeth feels lucky to know her. Each one of us staff members have written a little note to Elizabeth. We also have included a video of Elizabeth playing with the chimps because of all her years volunteering and working at Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest, she has managed to stay out of almost all of photos. If you know Elizabeth, that sounds just like her. But again I am sorry Elizabeth, because I did find a few photos and they will be on this blog!

So here it goes:

“CSNW would not be what it is today without Elizabeth – she was a volunteer in the earliest days during the construction of the sanctuary, she became one of the first volunteers to help care for the chimps after their arrival, she then went on to become the longest-serving caregiver on staff, and – most importantly – she is and will always be one of the chimpanzees’ closest and dearest friends. We humans are fortunate to call her a friend, too, and we wish her the best of luck in her new career!” – J.B.

“For as long as I’ve known Elizabeth, she’s been a calm and caring presence at Chimpanzee Sanctuary NW. She kept the volunteer program in tip top shape at the sanctuary and is a great teacher and leader. I’m so relieved she is sticking around as a volunteer because saying goodbye to her would be the worst!” -Anna

“Elizabeth was our longest-serving caregiver, starting as a volunteer when the sanctuary was brand new and we were all still figuring things out. Her organizational skills stood out right away in those early days. I would turn around and the sprawling and unruly enrichment would suddenly be neatly put into labeled bins, thanks to Elizabeth going the extra mile on her volunteer shifts. She was the perfect person to lead our budding volunteer initiative; she took it from a bare-bones outline to a thriving, well-executed program. The sanctuary wouldn’t be able to do everything that we do for the chimpanzees if it were not for volunteers, and Elizabeth is responsible for bringing so many great people into all of our lives and helping the sanctuary expand and do more. She also added her own touches to the program that helped volunteers and staff continue to learn about primates and become more engaged in the big picture of what Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest does. I have no doubt that her keen organizational abilities and people-management will translate quite well into her new career in library work. The chimpanzees, perhaps Burrito in particular, is very pleased that she is sticking around as a volunteer. He will have many more games of tug-of-war with one of his all-time favorite people, and we will continue to benefit from Elizabeth’s ability to whip things into shape on days that might otherwise be less than orderly.” – Diana

“It takes courage to leave one’s chosen path, especially a path one is emotionally connected to, to pursue a new one. To make all the life changes, tune out the squall of uncertainty that’s always there storming and brewing in the back of your head takes a wild leap of faith. I always celebrate seeing people take such leaps. Elizabeth’s years of dedication made a lasting difference for the chimpanzees and the sanctuary. And it’s also true that Elizabeth was born to be a librarian. She’s a champion of the book through and through. The book, ink on paper, scent of the pages, that you hold in your hand and hug tight to your chest and cherish the difference it makes in your heart and your life. And these days, the book, and all those who need them, deserve such a champion. So in the words of Matilda (via Roald Dahl), “Never do anything by halves if you want to get away with it. Be outrageous. Go the whole hog. Make sure everything you do is so completely crazy it’s unbelievable…” -Katelyn

“Elizabeth was such a great person for me to train with at the sanctuary, I feel very fortunate to have been able to work with her and get to know her! I remember first meeting with her in the trailer/clinic/break room as I was embarking on “official” chimp interaction training. She helped teach me all about chimp interaction protocol and was endlessly patient and encouraging along my learning curve and with my ever shifting work and family schedule. I’m so happy for Elizabeth that she is pursuing her career goals in library science, she will be a huge asset to the program. Her smile and quick wit are very missed at the sanctuary but I’m thankful she is staying involved as a volunteer and hope I am lucky enough to catch her there often!” -Erin

“When I first got involved with CSNW as a student intern, Elizabeth was the person who made me feel welcomed, valued, and comfortable as I learned about the sanctuary and the chimps. Her lighthearted and friendly personality made her a great person to engage with and organize volunteers, and she has enriched all of our experiences through her dedicated service as a volunteer coordinator and caregiver. Most of all, her knowledge of and love for the chimpanzees is inspiring and I am glad they will still have her in their social circle. I am honored to call her a mentor, colleague and friend, and I am excited to continue working alongside her at the sanctuary!” -Anthony

“I am fortunate to be able to call Elizabeth a mentor and a friend. If you have ever been lucky enough to be around Elizabeth, you know how kind, funny, & hard working she is, but most importantly how great of a teacher she is. Elizabeth was amazing at showing volunteers compassion for the chimps. Teaching people how to put the chimps’ needs before your own. She is a wealth of knowledge and is irreplaceable. Elizabeth truly has the best of both worlds, exploring her passion in all things books and being able to continue her work with chimps. We are excited for you and support you!” – Kelsi

 

Cheers Elizabeth!

Also Jody this morning (just had to share):

 

What’s In?

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Are you keeping up with the latest styles? Do you want to be a trend setter? In case you were wondering what is in fashion this summer, Annie can tell you! The waistband is back! Annie started this trend back in 2017 and she was seen again sporting it in 2018. Today she brought the sweatband back again and is looking more fierce than ever. The sweatband is so versatile! Put it on your head to help beat the heat, wear it as a cute belt, or use it as any sensible accessory. Annie has confirmed this is definitely a summer look. The wonderful part about Annie picking her own style is that it is her choice and no one forced her to wear it.

Here are photos of Annie wearing her waistband throughout the day:

Annie and Missy grooming:

I just love photos of chimps hands and feet:

Changes

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I am introducing myself, Anthony, as the newest caregiver at CSNW. I first came to central Washington as an incoming graduate student back in September of 2015. It was the first time I had ever been west of the Mississippi River. I had just spent the better part of four years exploring the field of primatology, both as a volunteer field assistant and as an apprentice caregiver. I was entirely focused on New World primates, especially spider monkeys, and had already committed to writing my thesis about their behavior. All I knew about chimpanzees was from scientific articles, Jane Goodall’s books, and BBC documentaries. I had never seen one in real life (real-life Foxie, pictured below).

The partnership between Central Washington University and Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest was still fresh news back then. J.B. (“Professor Mulcahy”) was teaching a course on primate welfare for the first time and his lectures convinced me to get involved with the sanctuary. I began to volunteer out here as an escape from the offices and teaching labs of the university and became proficient as a Level II volunteer. By the time that I had defended my thesis and finished my course work, I was fascinated by chimpanzees and committed to helping more nonhuman primates reach sanctuary. I was fortunate enough to be hired by Project Chimps, a growing sanctuary in Georgia, and I worked there as an aide and caregiver for almost two years. It was a great experience and I got to know many amazing chimpanzee and human individuals, but I missed the Pacific Northwest and the unique little sanctuary here in central Washington.

Last month, two years after my last visit, I returned to CSNW as a caregiver. Many things look and feel the same. The scenery is just as I had remembered, with views of distant mountains framed by Ponderosa pines (above). Hawks still soar on the warm breeze, which smells like evergreens and neighboring pastures. The chimps still enjoy morning walks on Young’s Hill and copious amounts of nutritious foods and enriching activities throughout the day. Jamie still runs a tight ship in the Chimp House, demanding continuous excellence (below). Annie’s kind face is still here, as are Burrito’s appetite, Foxie’s dolls, Jody’s foraging skills, Missy’s athleticism, and Negra’s attitude. All of the humans are still as friendly, colorful, and easygoing as ever. The dedicated team of staff, volunteers and interns still complete the daily tasks with unparalleled attention to detail, vigor and purpose. There are still baskets of cowboy boots and troll dolls out drying in the sun and volunteers out picking raspberries for the chimps. Even the brown dairy boots that I once used as a volunteer are still hanging on the rack in the shed. In short, CSNW is still CSNW.

Despite these consistencies, there has been noticeable growth. Some of the new developments are superficially obvious, such as the addition of four bovines (including Honey, pictured above). The cattle reside on one of the two expansion properties and now have the opportunity to graze on the green hillside adjacent to Young’s Hill, within view of the chimpanzees. Seeing three cows and a gigantic steer near the chimps is a bit odd at first, but they’ve been a great addition to the sanctuary.

The most eye-catching change, however, is the shiny new expansion to the Chimp House. In addition to the completed veterinary clinic and related service areas, the new wing of chimpanzee enclosures is almost finished. J.B. and the team are making the final touches to the area (pictured above, with J.B. shown for scale) so that it can be functional housing for three incoming chimpanzees. Honey B, Mave and Willy B will be here shortly and the entire team is making preparations for their arrival. Back in 2015, the prospect of new chimpanzees seemed distant. Now, with new arrivals on the way, the atmosphere here is thick with anticipation and excitement. As my training continues and I settle into my new role as a staff member, my love for this place and its residents grows stronger each day, and I look forward to helping the sanctuary grow from within.

Memories for Monday

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Every now and then I like to look back and see what life was like at the sanctuary on this same day in CSNW history.

On June 17th in 2008, the chimpanzees had just arrived in their new home in Cle Elum. Diana took this haunting photo of Jody that we can now compare to this photo of her today. What a difference sanctuary life has made!

On June 17th in 2009, Diana shared a couple stories about Foxie and how her life had changed after one year in sanctuary.

On June 17th in 2010, big beautiful nests were all the rage!

On June 17th in 2011, JB and volunteers were in the throes of building Young’s Hill.

On June 17th in 2012, Burrito played a silly game (some things never change).

On June 17th in 2013, we mentioned our Amazon wishlist. This list is still up and running and today it includes some exciting new items such as our washer and dryer that we are going to need in our expansion!

On June 17th in 2014, Missy got a good view from the top of the hill!

On June 17th in 2015, Katelyn wrote about a private moment of friendship between Foxie and Burrito.

On June 17th in 2016, JB took us for a trip down Memory Lane.

On June 17th in 2017, it was a perfectly ordinary day 🙂

And last year on June 17th, we threw the chimps a slightly belated 10 year Anniversary party!

We can’t wait to see what will come our way next year!