Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

Jody

Bubbles, glasses, and something suspicious

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This morning we put out a large bucket of (non-toxic) soapy water, thinking the chimps might want to do some cleaning. Jody had other ideas:

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The chimps were also very interested in the eyeglasses (with plastic lenses) that we put out:

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Missy, of course, wore her sunglasses on the back of her neck:

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Annie seemed content to sit quietly and watch everyone else have fun:

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Later, Jamie decided to pull the Christmas tree out of the tire….

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….which uncovered something interesting and a little bit scary. Maybe a bug they hadn’t seen before?

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Let it snow!

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Yesterday began Cle Elum’s first snow storm of the year. And, to be honest, the chimpanzees did not react to the first flakes. I was thinking, “oh no, what are we going to tell the blog readers! Everyone is anxious to know what the chimps think of snow and they have no reaction!” It snowed more overnight and of course we had the outdoor area closed off to keep it toasty warm in the building. I opened the door to the outdoor area about 11:00 this morning and to my delight and surprise there was food grunting – and lots of it, especially from Jody. Everyone except Burrito took a turn sitting in the doorway and gathering up snow to eat. Burrito hung back and watched – I’m not sure if he was apprehensive or if he just didn’t get what the fuss was about.

Anyway, here are some photos and a video of the Cle Elum Seven ladies’ first experience of snow. What a way to celebrate 6 months in sanctuary!

CSNW calendars and bags!

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A brand new Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest “store” will be appearing on our website soon. We have some very exciting items to start out with, and I need your input to decide how much we should order. There will be t-shirts, note cards, calendars and tote bags in the store.

I’d like to know, to begin with, about your interest in the calendars and tote bags. The calendars will likely be priced at 1 for $20, 2 for $30 and 5 for $60 and the tote bags will likely be $15 each, 2 for $25.

Please comment to this post or email me privately ([email protected]) to let me know how many calendars and tote bags you think you will order. Think big here – holiday gifts for everyone in your office, perhaps?

The calendar features photos of all of the chimpanzees – some that will be familiar to blog readers and others that are exclusive to the calendar. Here’s a preview of the cover of the calendar, to give you an idea of the contents:

The t-shirts and tote bags will feature a design created by Kim, our wonderful volunteer graphic designer – it is a illustration rendered from a photo of Jody. We’re going through an awesome new company called So Tons Creative for the bags and t-shirts (more praise will be bestowed upon Cassie, co-owner of So Tons Creative) soon.

The tote bags are 100% organic cotton and the kind that are perfect for grocery shopping, so it makes sense to order enough to carry all of your groceries. You can help the environment by saying “neither” to paper or plastic and you can help the Cle Elum Seven while you’re at it!

More on Nest-Making

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Foxie has been using a lot of enrichment lately, but she still hasn’t begun making nests with sheets and blankets like the other chimps do. Its her choice though, so if she feels more comfortable without a nest, more power to her. But I must say that I am looking forward to the day that she discovers the comfort and security that the other chimps find in nest-making.

Jody, on the other hand, is a master nest-maker, second only to Missy. When she’s done making an elaborate nest and she lays on her back with a foot in the air, she looks like she doesn’t have a care in the world.

Someone recently asked whether or not Burrito makes nests. He often lays down with a single sheet over himself, sometimes just covering his middle (not out of modesty I can assure you). But he can’t resist stealing someone else’s nest – why do all the work when Jody can do it for you?

Jody changing

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Welcome to new blog readers! We are so excited about the ABC coverage that brought you here! To get you up to speed, I hope that you have perused the blog and learned about the wonderful Cle Elum Seven and their growing human family of supporters.

We have periodically been posting some “then” and “now” photos of the chimpanzees to show how quickly they are changing, and I thought it would be appropriate to post another one of these today as so many new folks view the blog. I think that Jody’s physical improvements have been the most dramatic. What do you think?

Jody on day one at Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest, after decades in research.
Jody on day one at the sanctuary, after decades in research.
Jody a few days ago outside.
Jody, taken a few days ago outside, after four months of sanctuary life at Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest.