Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest
Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary
These eyes have seen a lot in their 39 years:
These arms have had babies torn from them:
This body has been viewed and treated as nothing more than a tool to experiment with:
This face is now loved by hundreds of people:
This post is for the love of Foxie in recognition of where she came from and how far away from that life she is now, thanks to everyone who has cared. Learn more about Foxie on her web page and in this post.
Burrito is not the most popular guy on the block. That may shock those of you who are human beings, because humans are completely unable to resist his many charms. But if you were a chimpanzee living with Burrito, he’d probably be a thorn in your side.
Burrito is a unique (and completely endearing, says this human) mix of macho and vulnerable. At times, he is a whirling dervish, composed entirely of testosterone and muscle. In the next moment, he is all confused little boy, cowering in a corner while the ladies put him back in his place. As a male chimpanzee who grew up in an unnatural and impoverished environment, he is a slave to instinct but lacks finesse. He is the teenage boy who does something incredibly misguided, and when asked why, cannot provide an explanation. He is more action than thought.
But most of the time, Burrito is like a puppy. He is affectionate and goofy and a little needy. He just wants love and attention and praise and food and someone to play with. Because he’s slightly intimidated by the other chimpanzees, he usually turns to his human friends to fulfill these needs. It is a burden that we take on because someone must, but it is rough. So rough.
Did you know that Dora the Explorer has friends? Foxie knows, and she seems particularly fond of Kate, a red-haired friend who has a “flair for the dramatic and the heart of an artist” according to Fisher Price…
This must be that flair for the dramatic:
Speaking of dramatic, did you hear about the sanctuary’s seriously good news? If you are on the e-news list, you should have received this email last night, which linked to this story in the Ellensburg Daily Record.
We have a lot of work and fundraising yet to do, but the $50,000 matching grant from the Chimpanzee Sanctuary Fund is the first big step in bringing new friends for Foxie and the rest of the Cle Elum Seven – actual chimpanzee friends! Read more in the announcement if you didn’t get a copy in your inbox.
Thanks to donors in the last several hours, we are now over halfway to a $5,000 match from an anonymous couple and Karen and Don Young to be raised prior to HOOT! – if you haven’t donated, there’s still time to have your donation matched!
In other news, I promised to update everyone on the bumper ball. It exceeded almost everyone’s expectations by surviving a few months, but, sadly, it is no longer. Sherry Rogers certainly won the bet on its longevity! Part of the fun for the chimpanzees was trying to destroy it, for sure. We have one more waiting in the wings that we hope to introduce if we can inflate it to its fullest.
Chimpanzees are not known for being delicate, but Annie somehow manages to be graceful and elegant, particularly when she is having a quiet moment to herself.
The chimpanzees have had many bell peppers donated from a local grocery store lately, so today we did an exciting whole pepper forage on the hill!
Missy made a play for two of the peppers:
Jody made an attempt to force a turnover:
But Missy drove to the end zone:
Once the play was complete, she checked for injuries:
And then sat back and enjoyed her touchdown:
This post was inspired by one of the new personalized stones that is part of the Dr. Mel Richardson Memorial Walkway!
Thanks Jordan Hill!
Chimpanzees are powerful, intelligent, adaptable, and sometimes aggressive wild animals. They do not belong in people’s homes as pets. They do not belong on training compounds used for television shows, music videos, movies and advertisements.
They belong in equatorial Africa where they live in large social groups, foraging and hunting their own food.
When that’s not possible, when where they belong has been taken away, and when they have been born into and grown up in captivity, a sanctuary is the best option for them. And sanctuary means taking the individual chimpanzees on their own terms and letting them find things they enjoy – things that may be very far from the image of the wild animals who they are.
For Foxie, that means dolls. It’s not that she is like a human child, or even that she’s using the dolls as substitute children (though maybe that’s part of it, given her history). Foxie has found something she likes, something that entertains and comforts her.
Foxie is still very much a powerful, intelligent, adaptable, and sometimes aggressive chimpanzee.
And Jamie too. I can’t imagine too many things more silly than a troll scarf, but Jamie manages to wear a troll scarf while at the same time projecting the strong chimpanzee that she is.
Today’s day of sanctuary was sponsored by Jennifer Humphreys in honor of her family, “Team Humphreys,” and her mom, Carol Humphreys, on her birthday! Jennifer is a former volunteer with CSNW and we so appreciate her continued support of the chimps! She shared this message about today:
“Celebrating my mom’s birthday again, with my parents Carol and Jan, and siblings Kelli, Elizabeth, Heather, Geoff, Greg, Brian, and Kyle.”
Jennifer, thank you to you and your family for continuing to remember the chimpanzees and including them in your family celebrations! We so appreciate the difference your compassion and generosity make in their lives.
And Carol, we wish you the happiest of birthdays filled with all that you love! Have a beautiful day of celebration, Jamie-style! 😉
