Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

Cle Elum

A colorful, crunchy lunch

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The chimps had what only could be described as a gorgeous lunch in the greenhouse today– mini bell peppers, carrots, rhubarb and red grapefruit. Not only was it delicious, but it was colorful too.

Annie and her mini bell peppers:

The rhubarb came from volunteer Renee’s garden. She brought it out yesterday when she came out to help me in the chimps’ garden (Thanks, Renee!). I’ve never thought the chimps liked rhubarb all that much, but they seemed to enjoy it today. Here’s Missy munching on hers:

Annie:

Foxie was especially content with lunch. She kicked back with a couple of carrots

and you know you’ve done good when you catch her rubbing her troll’s belly.

Breakfast on the hill

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If you “like” us on Facebook, you may have seen our update yesterday that the chimps got to enjoy breakfast in the sunshine on Young’s Hill. It was a gorgeous day– absolutely perfect for a tropical forage (coconuts, pineapple, and lettuce).

Negra foraging on the hill

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It was a beautiful, sunny and still morning in Cle Elum, so we set up breakfast on Young’s Hill as a forage. We added some lettuce to the forage – one of Negra’s favorite foods. She went right out! I think it’s the first time since September, when the hill was first opened, that I’ve seen seven chimpanzees out there at once.

Here’s a short video of Negra enjoying the forage:

Are you ready to race?

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In case you haven’t heard the news, we are only 10 days away from our first ever Race for the Apes! On Sunday, May 20, folks will be gathering at Rotary/West Ellensburg Park for a 5K run and troll stroll along the Yakima River. Whether you are a serious runner or simply a troll enthusiast (troll-stroll participants are encouraged to adorn their outfits accordingly), all are welcome, and it’s sure to be a blast.

In case you need inspiration on how to appropriately train for such an event, you could get some pointers from the Cle Elum Seven.

Serious runners may train for months and months, like Missy, who has been training since September 20, 2011. Currently her low speed on the hill appears to be approximately 15mph.

And when Missy’s running, Annie is usually not far behind her!

For you troll stroll participants, Foxie can show you how it’s done:

Perhaps even Negra found Foxie’s troll strolling inspiring today. She “strolled” out on the hill a bit further than usual and just sat down to take in the view! She’s been reluctant to go out much until this past week, and even then she would only run out to grab some grass and immediately retreat into the greenhouse to enjoy it. Knowing that she “strolled” a bit further and is getting comfortable enough to take in the amazing view is very exciting for all of us!

Here she is on the move!

So, in honor of the Cle Elum Seven, tighten those shoelaces and get ready to Race for the Apes! We hope to see you there!

Motivation

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As many of you probably already know, Negra hasn’t been going out on Young’s Hill much since last fall. Obviously, we cannot ever truly get inside of the chimps’ heads, and I’m sure Negra’s lack of interest in the hill is due to many different factors. I imagine 35 years in a small laboratory cage would make 2 acres seem extremely intimidating (it is intimidating!) plus we know she isn’t much of a fan of cold weather, so lately she has preferred to hang out in front of the chimp-proof glass windows in the Playroom with a blanket over her head (who can blame her when it’s that cold really?). But with the warmer weather and the vibrant fresh grass, she’s found just enough motivation to get herself out there, even if just for a minute.

Negra in her transfer cage en route to CSNW in 2008:

Negra today:

Let it snow!

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Just kidding!

We’re still getting to enjoy beautiful spring-like days here in Cle Elum, but to mix things up a bit, volunteers Stephanie and Katelyn (who drive over from Seattle) stopped at Snoqualmie Pass this morning to pick up some snow for the chimps. Mixed with strawberries and juice, it was a delicious treat! The Cle Elum Seven are certainly not native to the Pacific Northwest, but they certainly know how to make the most of it!

Missy:

Foxie sucking all the juice out of the snow:

Jamie:

Jody:

Annie

But mixing things up for the chimps didn’t stop there. Stephanie brought tons of super soft new blankets for them. Jody was extremely happy. She immediately collected as many as possible and built a giant nest by the barn doors, constantly rubbing them on her face and making an “ahhhh” sound. After a cold snack, new soft blankets were probably right on time. Thanks Stephanie and Katelyn!