Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

csnw

Thank you, Christine!

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Today’s day of sanctuary was sponsored by Christine Ponticelli! Christine, thank you so much for thinking of the chimpanzees and giving them a special day as they celebrate life as they choose. We hope your day is full of all that sanctuary means to you and is one that is full of the love and joy you help ensure for these amazing chimpanzees.

Sanctuary probably means more to the chimpanzees than we could ever fully imagine. But here are three of your friends embracing their lives:

Jamie, finally gets to call the shots on how, and with whom, she spends her time:

Jamie in the tall grass

Jody gets to explore and forage for her own wild snacks to bring back and enjoy in the comfort of her nest:

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And Negra gets to discover a new definition for solitude, surrounded by loved ones in a safe and comfortable home to heal at her own pace:

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Nap time failures

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When I was in kindergarten I “failed” nap time. After lunch we would all be instructed to get our personal mats out of our cupboards and lie down for a little quiet time. I clearly remember laying down my little rug and scootching up next to my friend at which point we would proceed to whisper and giggle, despite cues from our teacher asking us to close our eyes and rest. But of course, that’s what 5 year olds do, right?

Between a hot summer afternoon and full bellies from lunch, the chimp house has been still and quiet, all of us lulled by the warm breeze. Everyone grabbed some blankets after lunch and tucked away in a corner to nest and take a nap.

Here’s Burrito:

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Well, almost everyone lied down to nap…Foxie and I were lying down next to each other whispering and giggling. I guess some things never change.

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Happy Birthday, Arlene!

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If you missed it earlier in the week, the chimpanzees received the beautiful gift of a week of sanctuary, sponsored by Michael for Arlene in celebration of her birthday! Arlene, as today is your actual birthday, we want to send lots of birthday pant hoots, squeaks, and grunts your way. We hope your day is filled with all that you most love and if you need any ideas of how to spend your time, here are some suggestions from the chimpanzees:

Enjoy a peaceful walk, like Annie:

Annie walking in the tall grass

Burrito might suggest doing anything as long as it involves food:

Burrito eating breakfast night bag

Enjoying the company of good friends like Foxie (right), Jamie (left), Doras and trolls:

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Jamie likes to spend quality time admiring her beautiful boots:

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A relaxing day of yoga, Jody-style:

Jody doing "yoga"

Missy might choose anything involving an adventure:

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And Negra…well, it’s pretty safe to say Negra thinks every day should be celebrated with relaxing in a cozy nest in a sunny spot:

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Arlene, however you choose to spend your special day, we hope it’s filled with the hope, love, home and sanctuary that you and Michael so graciously help ensure for the chimpanzees. Happy Birthday!!

Keeping the nests clean

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Chimpanzees build nests when they go to bed each night, and sometimes during the day when they want to rest or play, and typically build a new nest each time. In the wild, chimpanzees construct arboreal nests, folding in the branches and leaves of the tree and making it into a bowl shape. Each individual sleeps in their own nest with the exception of mothers who share their nests with their nursing infants.

While in biomedical research, chimpanzees aren’t typically provided with nesting materials so they’re unable to meet this hard-wired instinct. I often recall a moving story Diana shared of when they first met the chimpanzees before their arrival to the sanctuary. She was spending time getting to know them and handed them small pieces of newspaper through the caging. Most of the chimps began using it to nest with straight away, particularly Negra and Jody. There’s no way to know whether Negra and Jody retained this behavior from their days as infants living in Africa with their mothers, or if they had been given materials to nest with at some point during their 30 years in the labs. Whatever the case, it’s always amazing to me that as soon as the chimpanzees are provided with the opportunity to engage in their natural behaviors, they embrace it.

Here at the sanctuary, we made the decision to offer the chimpanzees as many blankets as we could feasibly wash and dry each day. At current count, they receive at least 60 fresh blankets a day to nest with. Just like us, they love fleece blankets for their cozy factor, and at the same time they are easy for us to wash and dry quickly. As you can imagine, that is a whole lot of laundry to do each day! A few years ago, we were graciously gifted with a washer and dryer from beloved supporters, “The Wagmanagerie,” and they’ve been running like champs for pretty much 7-8 hours a day, 7 days a week. They were amazing despite the heavy demands placed upon them, but have definitely begun to show their wear and tear. So we couldn’t have been more thrilled when supporters Ross and Karen Barde purchased a brand new washer and dryer for the chimp house! And And they just arrived yesterday! Ross is also a chimp house volunteer so he’s no stranger to the mountain of blankets we wash each day.

Behold, the shiny and new gifts!!:

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Each of the chimps has their own style, often weaving in favorite items or snacks, and some use more blankets than others. We have found as many as 20-25 blankets in one nest! Here are a few examples of nests we found this morning while cleaning so you can get a sense of how many blankets they enjoy using:

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Negra’s nest in front of her sunny window overlooking the valley:

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Jody’s nest with a guest:

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Our new washer and dryer are a larger capacity and we were done with laundry a couple of hours early today. And you know what the best part about that is? Now we can give the chimpanzees even more blankets! I think Jody’s yawn from her nest says it all:

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Ross and Karen, thank you from the bottom of our hearts, and the bottom of the chimpanzees’ nests, for your generous gift!! And as we continue to celebrate the gift of a week of sanctuary sponsored by Micheal in honor of Arlene’s birthday, we can’t think of better timing to be able to offer the chimpanzees even more comfort. We are so full of gratitude for all the support that allows us to make every day better than the last for these seven amazing and deserving chimpanzee people.

This week is for Arlene!

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This may be a first for our wonderful chimpanzee friends! Michael has sponsored a week of sanctuary for the chimpanzees in honor of Arlene for her birthday! Arlene’s birthday is officially August 19th and the birthday week celebration begins today. We are so touched and I cannot imagine a more wonderful gift to give, or receive, than knowing that in celebration of a life, a difference has been made in the lives of so many more.

Michael, thank you so much for such a compassionate and generous gift the chimpanzees as you honor and celebrate Arlene!

Arlene, you have been a wonderful friend to the chimpanzees and we are honored that you are sharing your special week with them. Heartfelt thanks to both of you for your support of these seven amazing people. All of us here at CSNW wish you the happiest of days ahead and we look forward to a week of celebration with you! Happy Birthday Week!!

Foxie and friends:

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Hot summer nights

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Hot summer days have led to beautiful sunset strolls with Jamie this week. It was hot enough last night that most of the chimps stayed up later than usual, sprawled out, waiting for the much anticipated cool evening breeze to come down from the mountains once the sun set.

Jamie:

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Annie:

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Foxie and Dora:

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The sunsets have been brilliant this week and despite being the result of smoke from all the raging wildfires in the state (none of which are a threat to the sanctuary), it’s hard not to appreciate their fiery beauty.

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Two of our sweet neighbors were also out for an evening stroll:

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We don’t blame Jamie for waiting for the cooler evenings to enjoy walking. It’s a peaceful way to end the long, sweltering days for the humans as well. A welcome time to relax and sink into the soothing night sounds that accompany dusk.

Earlier this week as one of the blazing sunsets turned to embers and the night shadows fell over the hill, Jamie continued walking. Sometimes the chimps appear to be looking at the sky with the same awe that we do.

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On the last walk that evening, which was close to 9:00 PM, she seemed to become a bit more apprehensive as the shadows covered the hill and though she couldn’t be enticed to squeeze in one more walk before dark (even with Keri and I both wearing cowboy boots) she decided it was still nice enough to sit in the safety of the raceway to Young’s Hill and take in the view of the valley below as the breeze ruffled her hair.

Eventually, the motion sensor lights came on outside the greenhouse, but still she was content to sit in the doorway as we waited with her. But that’s part of the magic of summer evenings, the cool breeze, the stillness of the night, and relaxing in the company of good friends.

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First Impressions: Jody

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Last week I had every intention of doing a blog about Jody, but Jamie stole the show. Jody can be a tough chimpanzee to get to know. She will put up boundaries between her caregivers (especially new ones) that are easy to respect. She has the admiration of her chimpanzee family and is high ranking (although not as high as Jamie). Jody is a lover of large nests and will sometimes leave them in the doorways of the enclosures making it a challenge to close off. If you ask her nicely, she may oblige and move her blankets. On other days, she may stay posted in an area so there is no chance to clean it. Jody is also an amazing forager. She will go out on Young’s Hill and fill her mouth and hands so full of produce that her wrists bend into a shovel shape and her impressive lips are extended to capacity. She finds delicious things to eat on the hill, even when we haven’t specifically put out a forage. Whether it be bamboo branches, weeds, or grass, she will find it and enjoy it.

Today I took some photos of Jody as she lounged in the playroom. She had the beginnings of a nest built and a bamboo shoot ready to be snacked on. She also had a green-haired troll in her pelvic (hip) pocket.
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Burrito was on standby as I photographed Jody. Keeping a watchful eye on her and making sure I didn’t step out of line.
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Beautiful, tough, and respected, this is Jody chimpanzee.
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