Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

Jamie

Happy New Year

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Happy New Year everyone!!

Many of you avid blog readers know that we like to celebrate the holidays here at Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest and since it’s New Year’s Day, we decided to throw another party! Parties are a great way to celebrate holidays, birthdays, the changing of the seasons, and just-because days.

What gets the chimpanzees so excited about parties you might ask? Well, I’d like to sometimes think it’s all about how we decorate the various enclosures…

…but really, it’s more about the food and drinks. In fact, food and drinks tend to be the central theme to most any party.

Little did I know, until Diana brought it up, that there are traditional foods eaten the night before and on New Year’s Day. Black eyed peas, green foods, grapes and cabbage are a few foods considered to bring abundance, luck and prosperity in the New Year. And circle-shaped foods signify the year coming full circle. So, in keeping with the green foods tradition, we set out green grapes, lettuce and alfalfa cubes and included round nuts for the circle shaped foods…

…and sparkling apple cider for toasting.

To keep with tradition, the dinner for tonight will include black eyed peas with rice, topped with roasted onions and sweet potatoes.

Here are some of the pictures from this morning’s party in the Playroom.

Jamie

Missy

Burrito

Foxie

Annie

Negra

Jody celebrated the New Year upstairs in the loft, so I was unable to get any photos of her.

Wishing you and yours a most happy New Year!!!

Chimps are strong!

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This afternoon, as I watched Jamie easily climb and brachiate from one Young’s Hill structure to another, I was reminded of the amazing physical strength of a chimpanzee. There is some debate among the scientific community on exactly how much stronger chimps are compared to humans, but there is no doubt that they ARE in fact significantly stronger than us. This simple moment of leisure for Jamie is a good illustration of just why caregivers never enter the enclosures with the incredibly muscular, agile, and sometimes volatile Cle Elum 7.

In honor of Brian and Polly Caughey

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Today’s day of sanctuary was sponsored by Kevin and Diane Eilmes in honor of Brian and Polly Caughey! Kevin and Diane shared this message about today:

“Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to Brian and Polly. We are big believers in the mission of the Chimpanzee Sanctuary. We know you will enjoy the chimps as much as we have.”

Kevin and Diane, thank you so much for not only including the chimpanzees in your life, but sharing your love for them with others. Your generosity and compassion make the chimps’ lives in sanctuary possible. Your generosity and compassion also make hope, love, home and family possible and we’re so grateful to you.

Brian and Polly, we hope you enjoy getting to know the chimpanzees as the special and unique individuals they are. Thank you for being part of our amazing chimp community!

Meet our boss, Jamie:

Another Christmas Celebration

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With so much love and support (and toys and decorations) from all over the world, we decided to celebrate Christmas again today!

Party setup in the Greenhouse, complete with grapes, LEGOs, and little hats for ornaments on the Christmas tree…

…and more boxes, toys, piñatas, food and presents in the Playroom.

Jamie headed straight for the Christmas tree, just like she did yesterday! This time, she found the hidden grapes.

Jody’s focus seemed to be on the colorful boxes (with primate chow hidden inside).

Negra helped Jamie pick grapes from the tree and munched on primate chow she found in the boxes on the ground.

Annie went straight for the food (leeks, purple cabbage, red onions, mushrooms and primate chow).

Foxie went through the enrichment that Negra left behind, including a snowman piñata and some of the colorful boxes.

Missy also focused on the food we spread throughout the Playroom first before inspecting the decorations.

Burrito spent a lot of time shaking the boxes before opening them (we hid primate chow inside each one.)

We’re so thankful for all of the love and support the Cle Elum Seven have received this past year. Thank you everyone who helped make the festivities continue through today!!

In honor of the Cle Elum 7!

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This Christmas Eve was sponsored for the Cle Elum 7 by friends and advocates of not only the chimps, but all our fellow animals, Kery Shaw and Terran Baylor! Kery and Terran give so much of their time and hearts to advocating for the well-being of animals and creating a compassionate world community. We are thrilled to start off almost a full week of sponsorships and celebration with their generous gift for the chimpanzees.

Kery and Terran, thank you so much for all you do to make the world a kinder, gentler, safer sanctuary for us all, especially for those who are most in need of it. Thank you for always holding the chimpanzees in your hearts:

Annie (bottom) and Missy (top):

Annie and Missy top of Twister

Burrito:

Burrito lookout

Foxie and Dora:

Master Forager, Jody:

Negra picking wild lettuce:

And Jamie, Queen of her world:

Staff and volunteers have been like elves in the chimps’ workshop these last weeks processing all the incredibly generous and compassionate gifts pouring in for the chimpanzees, not only for the holidays, but for an even brighter future. From our hearts, thank you. Thank you. You have all given the gift of sanctuary and we are profoundly grateful to you.

However, you choose or don’t choose to celebrate this time of year, all of us here at CSNW wish you holidays and a season full of joy, hope, comfort, kindness, beauty and gratitude. Be sure to check in for the chimpanzees’ Christmas extravaganza tomorrow and have a magical Christmas Eve!

Happy Solstice!

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With an entire day of sunshine and at least “warmer” temps in the forecast on this first day of our winter solstice, we started the day with the plan to get the chimps onto Young’s Hill! J.B. fired up the plow and made pathways all around the chimps’ outdoor enclosure and Anna shoveled her heart out in this wet, heavy snow to create connecting pathways:

Jody was the first to venture out and you can see by sneer on her face, it was still pretty chilly. But she was content to spend quite a bit of time just sitting in the bright sun, taking in the winter wonderland her home has become:

Foxie ventured out next and grabbed a snow snack before heading back inside the greenhouse to enjoy it:

Beautiful Annie just sat serenely in the sunny raceway (the tunnel that connects the greenhouse to Young’s Hill) seemingly taking in this beautiful first day of winter in awe:

Later in the morning after it warmed up a bit, several of the chimps decided to venture out and head up the hill on their snowy paths. They made it all the way to Twister before heading back down! Jody, Missy, Annie and Jamie (at base of Twister):

Missy, Annie, Jamie, Jody:

Annie follows bipedally behind Missy and Jody:

Jody foraging for snow on the way back inside:

Jamie, looking so happy to be back in her element, patrolling her beloved hill:

The other girls headed back inside, but Jamie wasn’t done checking out her territory. She ventured down every path that J.B. plowed, eventually climbing up Negra’s cabin to take in the view:

Once at the top, she had the smart plan to avoid the snow and check out the neighboring structure by attempting to walk the tightrope across:

She quickly reassessed her plans and decided to brachiate (swing arm over arm) across the snow instead!:

The chimps spent the rest of the day peaceful and seemingly content, luxuriating in the warm sun, napping and grooming. I didn’t see Negra go outside, but I did see her come in with a mouthful of snow. She spent hours gazing out across the valley at the bright landscape from the windows, her hand held against the warmth of the sun, silhouetted by the bright blue sky.

Happy Solstice everyone, be it your winter or summer!

Digging Out

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Our cold snap seems to be over for the time being. Today’s high of 30° is a marked improvement over the highs in the teens that we’ve been experiencing for the last several days. This combined with some welcome sunshine means that Jamie is very eager to get outside. Unfortunately, the chimps’ outdoor habitat is still covered with a thick blanket of snow (including several inches of fresh powder from last night). Jamie briefly considered shoveling herself a path out, but ultimately thought better of it.