Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest
Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary
We’re in the middle of a heatwave in Cle Elum; temperatures have been reaching 100 degrees some afternoons. We’ve been filling the pool in the playroom with water each morning to help the chimpanzees stay cool. This morning I decided to add a tiny bit of soap, thinking Jamie might like to do some cleaning. But Foxie was the one who made a beeline for the pool. She couldn’t resist the bubbles.
Today’s day of sanctuary was sponsored by Jenna Miles. Today is Jenna’s birthday and she chose to celebrate by giving the chimpanzees a special day! Jenna shared the following beautiful message:
“Chimpanzees have been my favourite animal for years, and I hope one day there will be no chimps in labs, as pets or in entertainment or being killed in Africa. July 2nd is my birthday, so I sponsor this day both as a birthday present for me, and to express my joy that at least these seven chimpanzees may live a better life than the one they once had.”
Jenna, this is such a lovely thing to do! Thank you so much for your compassion and for thinking of the chimpanzees on your special day. From all of us here at Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest, we hope your days are filled with the joy, comfort and love that you help make possible for the chimpanzees. Happy Birthday!!
It’s hard to get photos of several chimps in one frame out on the hill. Typically they are foraging or exploring on their own or in pairs, but getting four, five, or six chimps in one frame is pretty rare. It seems this morning, JB was able to capture these rare moments when all but Negra were out on the hill checking out a helicopter flying overhead. They had a good perspective from where they were, I think. And since these aren’t close ups of the chimps, it gives you a new perspective as well.
Annie, Missy, Jody, and Foxie:
Foxie, Jamie, Missy, Annie, Jody, and Burrito:
I like this series a lot because both Jamie on ground and Missy (just above Jamie) are climbing up posts simultaneously. (Foxie is up top and Annie is on the bridge).
Foxie has good friends. Over the past several days she has been gifted with French Dora, Russia Dora, and Tanzania Dora dolls! They are quick to lose their worldly accoutrements but Foxie couldn’t love them more. While I am not entirely sure what makes one Dora “better” in the eyes of Foxie than another, it seems these are the perfect size for passing through the caging with caregivers, holding in one’s feet during meals, and general ease of portability. She has been utterly smitten with each of them and we have found her gazing adoringly at them on several occasions.
No cultural barriers here. Foxie and her Doras of the world seem to be speaking their own language.
Thank you so much to everyone who has sent these Dora dolls to Foxie! She has been a very happy chimp lady!
Being the perpetually hungry guy that he is, Burrito always knows when meal time is approaching. For instance, he knows that when we’re finished cleaning the front rooms, lunch time is near. Occasionally, for whatever reason, his internal clock is off, and it’s not quite time to eat when he thinks it should be.
This morning we finished cleaning the front rooms a little earlier than usual, and there was still almost an hour to go before lunch, but Burrito was convinced that the clocks were wrong. His excitement turned into a raucous display, and some of the girls got upset with him. Foxie, ever the peacekeeper, calmed Burrito down by engaging him in a little pre-meal play.
Humans, like chimpanzees, are very visually oriented. I think one of the most powerful ways we can show people how important sanctuary is, is by showing the “before and after” comparisons.
After decades in research, the chimps looked like ghosts of themselves. For some of them, coming to CSNW was the first time they’d ever been outside and felt fresh air and sunshine.
In just a few months, we saw dramatic changes in their appearance. Their hair and skin darkened and they began to look (and I imagine, feel) much more healthy. As our sixth anniversary approaches (next week!) I like to look back and see how far they’ve come in six years of sanctuary.
Yesterday’s post of Burrito looking especially handsome reminded me of that same spot we took many of the “before” photos in. There’s a window right by that bench, so for their first few days here, they would sit and look out the window at the surroundings of their new home. I can’t imagine what they must have been thinking—the fear of the unknown. We know that now they have nothing to be afraid of, and everything to look forward to.
I love showing people those first photos of the chimps compared to them now out on Young’s Hill, surrounded by beautiful grass, with the sun on their backs and the view of the valley below. This time, however, I want to show a more direct comparison—the chimps sitting in the same exact spot as they did the first couple days they were here. Most if not all of the “after” photos have been posted before on the blog, but I thought it’d be nice to see them all together.
Annie before:
Annie now:
Burrito before:
Burrito now:
Foxie before:
Foxie now:
Jamie before:
Jamie now:
Jody before:
Jody now:
Negra before:
Negra now:
We haven’t gotten a portrait of Missy in the same spot as the others, perhaps because she is always on the move. 🙂
Yesterday during the streamer maze party, I caught some close-ups of the chimps’ beautiful faces.
Jody:
Missy:
Negra:
French Dora peeking out from behind Foxie’s ear:
