Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

Jody

Happy Birthday, Tracy!

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Today’s day of sanctuary was sponsored by the chimpanzees’ dear friend, Tracy Headley! Tracy is celebrating her CSNW family on her birthday and we couldn’t be happier to celebrate HER today! Tracy is one of the kindest, most compassionate souls and seems to bring light and love to all those fortunate enough to know her. The chimps and humans here are thrilled to have her as part of our chimpanzee family.

Tracy, thank you for honoring the chimpanzees in celebration of your life today! You and your family do so much to ensure your chimp family will only know lives of joy, celebration, hope. adventure, and love. We are grateful to you for cherishing the chimps for the amazing individuals they are. Happiest of birthdays from all of us! We are so fortunate to have you in the world. And happy birthday hoots and squeaks from your pals:

Burrito:

Foxie:

Jody:

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!

Grooming the Queen

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Chimp to chimp grooming is so much more than just a way to clean up. Sure, there are hygienic reasons to groom, but perhaps more importantly, grooming is a way of strengthening social bonds between group members. As Negra and Jody demonstrate, it takes a fair amount of trust to let someone get so up close and personal with your eyes.

Photo Highlights From Today

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It can be a challenge to get photos of the chimps this time of the year. When it’s as cold as it has been, the chimps tend to hunker down and make themselves comfortable throughout the indoor enclosures. Often times, that means they are out of our sight, other than a foot or hand, or some other various body part. So, I consider it a success when I can get some photos, especially closeups, to share on the blog, because who doesn’t like looking at these chimps?

Annie

Missy

Burrito

Jamie

Jody

Negra

Foxie

A New Day

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Maybe it’s because they spent so much of their lives confined indoors, but the Cle Elum Seven have a wonder and an appreciation of the natural world that’s inspiring. This time of year, the humans at the sanctuary can often be heard grumbling about the frigid temperatures and the icy roads and the neverending piles of snow to shovel. We get so bogged down in the inconveniences of the season that we don’t often take time to appreciate what each day has to offer. But each morning when we open the door to Young’s Hill, the chimps line up to see what Mother Nature has up her sleeve.

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