Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest
Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary
It’s not uncommon to find Missy on one of the towers at the top of Young’s Hill, just taking in the view.
Jody tagged along with Missy on one of her little adventures this afternoon.
On the way back down, Jody made sure to grab a snack to bring back to the greenhouse.
When we got to the bottom of the hill, I got what I’m pretty sure is the world’s only photo of a chimpanzee watching an elk watching the UPS man (you may have to look closely to find Ellie in the middle).
Today’s day of sanctuary was sponsored in memory of Ron and Betty Kreuscher on their anniversary by their daughter, Ronalyn Huenergard, on behalf of Ron and Betty’s great-grandchildren, “Aaron, Meghan, Jacob, Cody, Austin, Morgan, Kennedy, Lucas, Addison, Nolan, Weston, Calvin, and also Calvin’s brother, Charlie, who was born in 2014, but is now only in our hearts.”
Ronalyn, many thanks to you for all you do for the chimpanzees, and to your family for honoring Ron and Betty in such a generous and compassionate way. We hope in celebrating Ron and Betty today you are all able to enjoy the love and comfort of family that you help make possible for the chimpanzees.
Burrito and Jody:
The Cle Elum Seven are lucky to have an army of humans at their disposal who all contribute directly to their well-being. Chimp house volunteers make sure the chimps always have good, healthy food, interesting enrichment, plenty of blankets, and a clean and safe place to live.
A few dedicated volunteers are chosen to continue on to the highest available level of training, and become direct caregivers to the chimpanzees. These are the volunteers who develop personal relationships with the chimps, serve their meals, play and groom with them, and get to know each individual intimately to ensure everyone’s needs are being met.
These volunteer caregivers become such a regular and seamless part of the chimps’ lives that it’s hard for everyone to say goodbye when the time comes. Volunteer Connie has been a constant presence in the chimp house for over six years, but this is her last week as a caregiver to the Cle Elum Seven since she is moving on to new adventures in another state. We haven’t yet figured out a legally sound way to require lifetime service from our volunteers, so we are forced to let her go. 🙂
In all seriousness, we will miss Connie’s smile, energy, and enthusiasm. She has been a wonderful friend to the chimps and humans at CSNW, and will always be a part of the family.
Thank you to Connie and to all of our volunteers for helping these chimps live as happily and freely as possible.
Dear Annie,
You haven’t always had it easy. Your first thirty years on Earth were full of fear, pain, and boredom. A lab cage is no place for anyone. Even now in your sanctuary home, you have your struggles. Being the lowest in the hierarchy isn’t easy.
But we have watched your anxiety diminish and your confidence grow. We’ve watched you make new friends, gain the courage to stand up for yourself, and learn to appreciate your own company. We love how much you love your best friend Missy. We love that as you start your 42nd year, you are still growing. We love that you haven’t let the world harden you. You inspire us all.
Happy Birthday,
Your devoted humans
Annie:
Jamie:
Missy:
Jody:
Negra:
Foxie:
Burrito:
For Jody, comfort reigns supreme. We placed 30 blankets in a big pile in the play room after cleaning today and she was the first to make her way to it. The chimps will usually each take an armful when we do this and be on their way, but today Jody decided to take advantage of a “pre-made” nest. The only adjustment she made was pushing the pile into the sun and then she promptly rolled into, snuggled and stretched to her heart’s content. Just as it should be.
What a gorgeous day it turned out to be; not too hot, not too cold and not too windy. That’s a pretty good combination for spending time on Young’s Hill (the chimpanzees’ 2-acre outdoor enclosure) if you’re Negra chimpanzee. She tends to be pretty particular about when she chooses to venture out onto the hill and how long she will spend out there.
So, we took advantage of the great weather and set up a lunch forage on the hill. All of the chimpanzees spent quite a bit of time foraging. Some focused on gathering their favorite food items and eating those first, while others went more for the “sampler menu.” Lunch consisted of green onions, red cabbage, potatoes, green beans and primate chow.
As you can see in the following pictures, green onions were a big hit with Negra, Missy, Jamie and Annie.
Negra
Missy
Jamie and Annie (in the background).
Burrito. Both he and Jody had their mouths and hands full of an assortment of food items.
Jody
And Foxie carried around two troll dolls in her mouth after she was done foraging. One of them was the same doll she carried yesterday.
After a summer full of heatwaves in Cle Elum, we’re greeting this week’s cooler temperatures (and even rain!) with open arms. Today the chimpanzees have been making the most of the break from the heat and spending lots of time outside on Young’s Hill. While adventure is great, it’s important to mix in some quiet time here and there. Here are my favorite portraits of the day.
Negra:
Missy:
Jody:
Jamie:
Foxie:
Burrito:
Annie:
