Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

Jamie

The Warriors

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Jamie and Negra are similar in many ways. Jamie, the youngest female at the sanctuary, is the undisputed leader. She rules through a combination of well-considered political strategy and fierce determination.

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Negra, the eldest chimpanzee at the sanctuary, is the grandma of the group, but she’s the grandma you don’t mess with.

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Jamie and Negra never hesitate to keep their caregivers in line. Both have little patience for (what they consider) incompetence, and they will speak up if someone’s behavior does not live up to their standards. There is something a little demoralizing about displeasing one of them.

The decades Jamie and Negra spent in research labs, being used and abused by humans, could easily have killed their spirits. Many lab chimps give in and give up, and you can’t blame them. We’re so happy that Jamie and Negra have enough fight left in them to keep us on our toes.

Forages All Day

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Each day there is a theme for the enrichment we give the chimpanzees. Having a daily theme helps to ensure that the chimpanzees do not receive the same items each day and also helps keeps life for them interesting. We always try to include favorites, such as boots and troll dolls, and of course they receive many fresh blankets each day so they can make cozy nests. In addition to these staple items we might wrap their toys in blankets for them to unwrap or decorate the floor with chalk art. Today the theme is “forage all day,” so the chimpanzees started their day with a breakfast forage in the greenhouse!

Annie (left) and Foxie (right):

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Jamie (center) found an orange slice hidden in the hanging tire (Annie to her left, Foxie to her right):

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Missy:

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Negra:

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Jody:

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Burrito:

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Tightrope

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Chimpanzees are endowed with unmatched grace and athleticism,

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a combination of raw power and finesse,

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with a dancer’s agility and a gymnast’s delicate balance,

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their talents so great they border on god-like,

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making even the most daring feats of acrobatics seem so effortless,

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they can do them with their eyes closed.

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Most of the time.

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A Chilly Fall Morning

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It is a beautiful, chilly fall day here at the sanctuary, and the chimpanzees spent some time on Young’s Hill enjoying the crisp air. We have a lot of help with cleaning this morning, which means Jamie has many walking companions to choose from!

Here is Jamie on her second walk of the morning:

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Jody also ventured out:

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Missy and Annie spent a lot of time climbing on the hill, and then settled in the greenhouse to groom. Missy:

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Annie (with Missy behind her):

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I wonder if this view may be part of the reason why Jamie goes on so many walks:

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Ah, fall!

Today is for Deb Wagman!

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Today’s day of sanctuary was sponsored by Charlie Neath in honor of Deb Wagman! As some of you may know, Deb is one of our volunteer caregivers and she and her husband, Bruce (a dedicated member of our Board of Directors) are two amazing humans who do so much to make a difference in the lives of so many animals. Charlie has been a supporter of the chimpanzees and the humans and animals endearingly known as “the Wagmanagerie” for a long time and shared this simple and lovely message about today:

“Deborah Wagman is my hero.” 

Charlie, thank you so much for giving both Deb and the chimpanzees a special day! We truly appreciate you thinking of all of them today.

And Deb, you are a special soul who brings a lot of light to a lot of lives, both human and non. May all of that come back to you tenfold. Human hugs, chimp kisses and much love to you!

Jamie, from one amazing woman to another:

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Jamie’s plan

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I cannot emphasize enough how intelligent Jamie is, and how interested she is in human activities. Yesterday near the end of the day, I heard an unusual tapping sound coming from the playroom. It’s always important to investigate any different noises one might hear from the chimpanzee’s area because you never know what kind of mischief they might be getting into. As it turned out, I found a tube we give to the chimps for enrichment sticking through the playroom door into the basket of cleaning tools we keep nearby.

Exhibit A:
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Jamie was sitting at the door casually. I left the room to get the camera to take a picture and try and catch her in the act of attempted tool nabbing. From the other room I heard the tapping start up again, but when I went back with camera in hand, she was again sitting nearby with a nonchalant look on her face.

The boss is an impressive forward thinker and I’m sure she will get back to her project another day.
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The People of the Sanctuary

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It’s been over seven years since the chimpanzees’ previous lives as research subjects came to an end, and they moved into their new home at the sanctuary. We’ve seen so many changes in them in that time; not only physically, but in their personalities, their interests, their likes and dislikes. I’m going to do my best to describe each of the chimpanzees as we know them today.

Annie:

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Annie is sweet and shy, but is less and less afraid to stick up for herself. She adores her best friend Missy, but has also learned to appreciate alone time. When she’s feeling relaxed, she lies on her back and makes “bird noises” by holding her hand to her mouth and blowing air through. She loves to look at caregivers’ bare feet.

Burrito:

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Burrito is boyish, excitable, and always hungry. He loves his caregivers, and turns to them when he’s feeling playful, which is always. He is learning to navigate the social waters of a chimpanzee group, but he still steps out of line from time to time and gets in trouble with the ladies. He has been joining boss Jamie on many of her perimeter walks around Young’s Hill, despite the fact that he’s a little afraid of her.

Foxie:

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Foxie is silly and childlike. She is the peacekeeper of the group, and works hard to make sure everyone is getting along. When she’s overjoyed, she does backflips, pirouettes, and a variety of breakdancing moves. She is rarely seen without her beloved troll and Dora the Explorer dolls. She loves fruit smoothie, and likes to tickle her caregivers with her toes.

Jamie:

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Jamie is strong, focused, and very, very smart. She is an insecure leader, but what she lacks in confidence she makes up for in determination. She is obsessed with humans, and wants very much to be included in our activities. She enjoys projects and challenges – the trickier, the better. Nothing makes her happier than spending time with a caregiver and a good pair of cowboy boots.

Jody:

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Jody is confident, independent, and serious. She is the self-appointed group manager, and often hangs back at the doorway when the chimps are shifting into a new area and ushers the other chimps through with an extended arm. She loves to make giant nests with mountains of blankets, and dives into them head-first with a low moan of contentment that we call her “dinosaur noise.”

Missy:

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Missy is an adventurous, athletic thrill seeker. If she were a human, she’d be the type to enjoy activities like sky diving and bungee jumping. She’s extremely loyal to her chimpanzee group, and will stick up for any of them at anytime, no questions asked. Her propensity for tending to the other chimps’ wounds has earned her the nickname “Dr. Missy.” She would do anything for tomatoes.

Negra:

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Negra is regal, impatient, and wise. She stays out of most group conflicts, and lets the other chimps know when to cut it out with a decisive pant hoot. She is the cranky grandma who everyone’s a little afraid of, but respects nonetheless. Her ideal day is made up of blankets, naps, peanuts, and quiet.