Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

Jody

Happy Birthday, Manuela!

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I often marvel at the love the chimpanzees receive from friends and loved ones. To think they spent so many years unknown to so many and now they fill so many hearts and lives the world over. Manuela Santacreu sponsored this day of sanctuary as a gift for herself and Annie, Burrito, Foxie, Jamie, Jody, Missy and Negra and sends this lovely message about today:

“Pour mon anniversaire, parce qu’il n’y a rien de plus beau que le bonheur simple de savoir ces chimpanzés heureux ! bravo à vous tous! ‘For my birthday, because there is nothing more beautiful than the simple happiness of knowing these happy chimpanzees! Congratulations to you all!'”

Manuela, thank you so much for sharing your celebration with the chimps! We appreciate the lasting difference your support makes in their lives. All of the primates here at CSNW wish you the happiest of days!

Negra:

Annie hugging Missy:

Jamie:

Burrito and Jody:

Burrito and Jody with bamboo

Foxie and doll:

Chimps: 7 – Humans: 0

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Last night, while the chimpanzees were all inside enjoying their sparkling cider for New Year’s Eve, I ran out to close the hill for the evening. With well below freezing temperatures, the sky growing dark, and Jamie inside, I assumed everyone was in for the evening. And then I saw movement out of the corner of my eye that took my brain a minute to compute. Low and behold Foxie had declined the New Year’s Eve festivities and chose to ring in the new year by having an adventure and foraging for snow treats!

Much to Jody’s horror…

Jody is such a good friend and patiently waited for Foxie, even venturing up the icy path to collect her at one point. Foxie wasn’t ready to come inside yet and sweet Jody headed back to wait for her at the entry to the greenhouse, slipping and sliding her way back down the path. Foxie stayed out quite awhile, seemingly watching the surrounding skies light up with the sunset and enjoying her time. Much to Jo’s relief, Foxie eventually made her way back, collecting several snow treats along the way and then she and Jody raced into the warm chimp house together. We all celebrate in our own way.

 

Earlier in the day, I was showing Jamie my winter boots with the YakTrax on. As one might imagine, winter shoewear is pretty exciting for Jamie. As we sat together Jamie kept gesturing, unsatisfied with the usual winter boots and Yakthax grooming, or even with me wearing her boots. It took me several minutes to realize she wanted to see the YakTrax on HER boots. Of course she did! She was so excited! Once she had a good visual of them she asked for her boots (thankfully understanding she couldn’t have the Yaktrax with them) and happily retreated to her nest with them.

Here she is sound asleep, her foot in one of her favorite new Christmas boots.

As for today, Kelsi and I arrived bright and early this first morning of 2018, arms full of goods for the chimps’ New Year’s Day celebration. But the chimps made it very clear from the start that today, we were doing things differently. Specifically, we were doing things Missy-style! All. Day. Long. During the winter, Missy is a bit infamous for choosing not to shift during the daily routine, meaning that she will sometimes choose not to leave an area so that we can go in and clean. So the humans adjust their routine or just wait it out.

In order to set up the party we needed access to the playroom, but it’s cozy, light and spacious in there and no one else was particularly interested in leaving that area either. And that’s great, it’s an example of the chimps getting to choose how their day goes. But what is a little more unique is that they’ve been choosing not to shift out of any area today! Bribes of gum, nuts, and even tiny tomatoes for Missy haven’t even swayed them! We were finally able to begin cleaning at precisely the time we normally finish the entire chimp house. So the human party plans were put out in increments or not at all. But the chimps seemed perfectly content with doing things their way and that’s what’s most important.

Jamie enjoying sparkling cider:

The chimps still weren’t interested in shifting out of the playroom for dinner in our last attempt to set up the party forage so instead enjoyed a full service dinner of black-eyed peas with cherry tomatoes, kale, baked onions and baked pears for dinner. To heck with spot cleaning. Maybe they thought since we had JUST cleaned, that was good enough. So we doled out extra blankets in the food chutes and switched up evening enrichment so we could pass it out.

As I write this, the chimps are hooting and hollering (led by ringleader, Missy) seemingly just for the heck of it. I like to think they are celebrating another year of freedom of having choices and freedom to make those choices as they deem fit. Freedom to call the shots in their own home. Freedom to change their minds. Freedom to be chimps. And really, freedom just to be. I think that’s what we all want to be able to celebrate.

Happy New Year everyone!

In memory of Mikey

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We are full of immense gratitude for the countless ways in which you all have contributed to the lives of the chimpanzees throughout 2017. As we ready to release one year and move forward into the flow of the next, how lovely and apropos is this, our last day of sanctuary sponsorship for the year, from Debi Domantay:

“All my life I’ve felt a deep passion for Nature & ALL animals with a particular interest in Chimpanzees, Gorillas & Orangutans… If I could relive my life, I’d certainly become a Primatologist. This donation is in memory of “Mikey” & ALL animals in need of being rescued from a life without dignity & respect.”

Debi, thank you so much for your heartfelt message and New Year’s Eve gift for the chimps in memory of Mikey. As we move into 2018 and our plans to begin expansion in order to not only improve the lives of the chimps, but to be able to offer others a sanctuary home, your thoughts couldn’t be more well-timed. A perfect gift in celebration of the New Year!

To those who celebrate at this time, Happy New Year’s Eve! And to all, may your days, months and years ahead each be better and more abundant in all the good ways than the last, just as you’ve made possible for the chimpanzees.

Negra:

Jody:

Jamie:

Foxie:

Burrito:

Annie:

Missy:

More love from Trish!

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In her desire to do something special for the chimpanzees, Trish Loesch recently sponsored not one, but two days of sanctuary, with today being the second!

In the immediate sense, we’ve been watching the chimps enjoy so many joy-filled days this holiday season. Warm, yummy foods, heaps of the softest of blankets, new enrichment to spark their curious and intelligent minds, beloved favorites like boots and dolls, and all the comforts and joys we as humans enjoy as well.

And in the long-term, we’ve been watching the chimps step more fully each day into the freedom to make their own choices, the dignity that comes with being respected and appreciated just for who you are, the courage to explore and take new risks, and the comfort of being at peace in one’s own skin and own home. Those are no small gifts.

Trish, thank you for immensely for contributing to the ever-expanding ripple of love, compassion and generosity surrounding the chimps that not only makes their lives in sanctuary possible, but makes more than they may have ever dreamt, possible.

Jamie:

Foxie

Burrito:

Negra:

Annie:

Missy:

Missy sleeping in a big nest

Jody:

 

Keeping Traditions

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This day of sanctuary was sponsored by Judy and Thom Nash in honor of their family! Judy shared this beautiful message about their gift:

“Last year we sponsored a day as our gift to our four grown daughters and grandchildren and want to continue that tradition. We believe it’s extremely important to care for our earth and all inhabitants. These seven chimps have found a special place in my heart and I feel ashamed as humans that we treated them so horrible. I am eternally grateful for the sanctuary and the wonderful people that take special care of these seven beautiful beings.”

Judy and Thom, this is such a lovely, heartfelt day of sanctuary in honor of your daughters and grandchildren and the chimps! Thank you for holding the chimps in your hearts and for making a lasting difference in their lives. Happiest of holidays and winter seasons to you and your family from all of the primates at CSNW!

On this first day of winter we’ve had happily nowhere near the snow we had last year yet (knock on wood), but chimp family snowdays are nevertheless a sight to behold. Here are Jamie and Missy ingeniously avoiding the snow from last year:

Jamie:

Missy:


Jody bringing in a snow treat:

Jody holding snow 2

Jamie and Annie improving upon the humans’ shoveling skills:

Foxie and Burrito:

Of course, snowdays call for plenty of warm tea and cozy nests:

Negra:

Even brisker mornings

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We have a stunning week of sun ahead of us in the forecast and even though the temperatures are progressively colder, the bright sun is filling everyone with adventurous spirits and joyful days. As Kelsi shared in her blog yesterday, even the Queen has been braving the chill to enjoy time outside.

Despite that, when I opened the door to Young’s Hill first thing this morning I couldn’t have been more surprised to see everyone literally racing outside seemingly on a group mission. Foxie and her doll headed straight for the nearest platforms where she proceeded to play stomp and shiver her way around with a mischievous look on her face.

Here she is mid-stomp:

Jody, Annie and Burrito wasted no time heading straight for the tire swings and it didn’t take long to realize they were remembering that the cold weather brings ice treats to be found in the tire swings! I love that they remember favorite things from each season now.

Jody:

Burrito found some ice pieces Annie and Jody missed:

Annie and Jody heading back toward the greenhouse with their ice chunks (Missy foreground):

Annie headed to the greenhouse:

Jamie on her way back from the business of the morning:

Annie returned to the outdoors seemingly to just enjoy the view and the feel the elements:

After Jody came inside with her ice she immediately realized that Foxie was still outside in the cold and charged back up the hill to collect her. Foxie is an adventurous soul and declined Jody’s encouragement to return to the greenhouse (much to Jody’s dismay) and continued on her way checking things out, but she eventually made her way back:

It makes my heart sing to see how the chimps embrace their days and everything they discover within each one, how adventurous and brave they’ve become, and how, well, themselves they’ve become. Winter, spring, summer and fall, they show us a new season of themselves.