Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

Cy

I Get by With a Little Help From my Friends

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The mood around the sanctuary has been more serious the past few weeks as we navigate Negra’s mobility challenges. Quality time with the chimpanzees is my antidote for the toughest of days, and I have been finding a lot of joy in the little moments with the chimps. In today’s blog video, come along for some of these moments of joy.

Bruce certainly helps, too!

Jenna pets Bruce.

Bruce takes a rest in Krissy’s lap.

 

Thief: The Game

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One of my favorite times of day is when I arrive to the Chimp House in the morning. Usually I’m one of the first humans in to get a jump start on the day. It’s a pretty serene moment in time first thing in the morning. Most of the chimps are already awake, bright-eyed and bushy tail(less), while others are just waking up. It’s at this time in the morning you can catch the chimpanzees engaged in some grooming sessions, mall walking, or playing some kind of silly game.

The other day, as I walked in and turned on the security monitors, I noticed Lucky in the Oakwood Greenhouse rolling around with a sock. She seemed pretty content, then Rayne arrived. Rayne was determined to get Lucky’s sock. From there a game of theft, chase, and keep away ensued. What started with just a sock cascaded into what seemed to be a treasure trove of stolen goods. Ok. Really it was two, maybe three things, but that’s still two or three more that should be stolen, right?

Who do you think was the masterful thief of this game?

Welcome Back, Welcome Back

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The best part about coming back from a long vacation is seeing all these lovely faces!

The ever so handsome Cy:

Little Foxie gives the best hellos:

Jamie having some alone time in the green house:

Terry foraging seeds and lettuce:

The warmest of greetings from the sweet Lucky:

Sleepy Negra this morning, cozy in her nest, wrapped like a burrito:

The every so elusive, yet playful Gordo:

And of course, the mischievous Honey B:

Chapped Lip Weather

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Lately,  in Central Washington, it has been cold and windy, the perfect weather conditions for continuously dry, chapped lips. Unfortunately, most of the chimps suffer from the same affliction so caregiver Kelsi brought in a coconut oil lip balm to give them some relief!

Love for Rayne

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Rayne is next up in our Valentine’s series!

Rayne was born at Laboratory for Experimental Medicine and Surgery in Primates (LEMSIP) on January 29th, 1990. Once the lab closed down she was sent to Wildlife Waystation. When Waystation closed in 2019, Rayne and her family moved to CSNW in 2021. These days she lives with her half siblings Lucky and Cy, along with a few others.

If you’ve spent any time around Rayne, you already know she’s the heart of her sanctuary family. She is that rare, grounding presence that makes everything feel a bit more whole. Rayne at CSNW isn’t just a blessing, she’s the friend everyone wishes for: steady, loyal and she has your back when you need her. When Cy is searching for some peace and quiet, Rayne is the one he often chooses to share that with, they will quietly look through magazines or work on enrichment together often. When she lived with Willy B and he was having a tough time resisting the urge to act out, she would respond with a calm patience most of us only wish we could muster. And there’s her frequent food trading ritual with Lucky, where they’ve worked out their own system for swapping food items that don’t want during meals.

Rayne enjoying a blissfully sunny day:

Taking in the view from her perch on the Bray:

Lucky and Rayne enjoying time together in the chilly weather:

Cy, Rayne, & Lucky hanging out together:

Rayne & Lucky looking down at their caregiver:

Cy & Rayne enjoying some quiet time together:

George and Rayne didn’t hit it off right away. Their first meetings were rocky—full of awkward moments and the occasional misunderstanding. But these days, they’ve found their rhythm. Most of the time, you’ll catch them racing each other around in a game of chase. If misunderstandings happen between George and someone else in the group, Rayne doesn’t automatically take sides. She steps back, assesses the situation, and sometimes, instead of jumping in with the others, she’ll offer reassurance George or simply stay out of it altogether.

Rayne currently has 9 chimpanzee pals who donate to her care but if you also want to donate to Rayne to keep her fully stocked up on her beloved sheets and make for more blissful days in the sun you can become her pal too! Become Rayne’s Pal here!