Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest
Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary
What do you do when you catch the elusive Missy sitting in the portrait studio first thing in the morning?
Step 1:You take a multitude of photos (while holding your breath and hoping she doesn’t decide to go back to bed in the Greenhouse).
Step 2: You edit through them, but you can’t bring yourself to delete many because it’s such a rare thing to see her hanging out in this particular area.
Step 3: Share them all with supporters!
When I look at pictures like these, I wonder what is going through the chimpanzee’s mind.
I wonder if Annie knows that her days full of anxiety are a thing of the past. I wonder if she knows the rest of her days at the sanctuary will be filled with moments when she can feel peaceful.
Does Missy know that she will never be confined to a space the size of a bathroom stall again? Does she know that for the rest of her days, she is free to run like the wind, climb as high as she can, and tightrope walk whenever she feels the need?
Does Negra know that Young’s Hill will be open for her to come and go as she pleases each and every day (as long as it is safe for the chimps to have access to the outdoor space)? And does she know, that for the rest of her days, whenever she looks up, she will be able to see the sky overhead?
Does Foxie know that her beloved dolls will never be taken from her (well, other than for cleaning)? Does she know that she will always have her companions as long as she wants them?
Does Jamie know this will always be her home to patrol and protect? And does she know that she will always be the one to call the shots?
Do they know their days used as test subjects in the lab and as entertainers are a thing of the past? Do they know they are now in their forever home, surrounded by a community of people (all around the world) who will continue to love and support them for the rest of their lives?
I can only hope each day they wake up knowing that the day is theirs to choose to do what they wish, whether it be running and leaping, resting, grooming, playing or gazing out of the windows to the valley below. I hope they wake up with a sense of hope and wonder for what the day may bring. And I hope that at the end of each day, they can close their eyes, knowing they are safe in the comfort of their forever sanctuary home.
Thank you to everyone who makes it possible for them to know their sanctuary home!
It’s pretty easy to rack up 100 plus pictures of the chimpanzees throughout the course of a day. What’s not always easy is going through all of them, figuring out which ones to save and which ones to delete. Deleting the ones that are blurry or not quite in focus is pretty much a no-brainer. But, there are often times though, when I look through multiple pictures of the same chimp, doing the same exact thing and I just can’t decide which ones to keep. Each of those pictures has a slightly different angle or the lighting is just a little bit different or a different part of the face is in focus. And then, sometimes I just end up with great photos of the chimps, but they do not go along with the blog that I am writing.
So, today, I wanted to share with you some of my favorites of each of the chimps from the past few weeks that we haven’t shared on the blog yet.
Annie
Burrito
Foxie
Jamie
Jody
Missy
Negra
When the chimpanzees gained access to their 2 acre outdoor enclosure this morning, you could really feel their joy and excitement. The sun and light breeze together were a complimentary pair!
Annie chased Missy bipedally (trying to avoid touching the wet grass as much as possible).
She finally climbed onto a log to escape the morning dew.
Missy performed a few aerial stunts.
And then settled down to snack on the fresh green grass.
Foxie explored with two of her dolls.
And Jody and Burrito decided to relax and take in the view.
Jamie recruited J.B. into going for a perimeter walk.
The walk eventually evolved into a perimeter jog.
I must admit, I searched a while for a quote or poem about the loveliness of Spring to accompany this post, but I couldn’t quite find the right one. I suppose springtime at the sanctuary is best described in photos.
Missy has a lot of things to do. Whether it be running up and down Young’s Hill, wrestling with her best friend Annie, backing up Jamie’s fierce political rulings, or making sure everyone is well groomed, Missy is a busy chimpanzee.
Every once in a while we catch her enjoying a quiet moment to herself…
Spring, a season symbolic of renewal, growth and new beginnings. Now that spring has “officially” begun, the chimps’ daily routine revolves more on finding fresh green grass and new plants to eat, watching birds and inspecting any movement in the grass.
Plus, it’s the season when pictures of the chimps out on the hill look so much more vibrant!
Burrito took time to sit and eat the new grass.
Annie (left) took in her surroundings, while Burrito (right) continued eating grass.
Annie
Missy (left) stopped by her friend Annie (right) before sprinting off again.
Here’s a couple of photos of Missy dismounting from one of the structures on the hill, with the help of the fire hose.
Jody
Jamie (in front) led the way around Young’s Hill, as she usually does. Burrito (middle) and Foxie (last) backed her up.
Plus, Foxie brought a friend for support.
Unfortunately, I did not have the camera when Negra was out this morning. But, you can see plenty of pictures of her enjoying her time on the hill these past few days by clicking here.
And, have you heard the great news?? There is so much excitement in the air!
Negra has spent more time outside today than any of the other chimps. Here at CSNW, that marks the official start of spring.
That’s because Negra is always the first to realize that the spring grass is ready to eat. A rainy March followed by a week of sun and unseasonably warm temperatures turned Young’s Hill once again into a 2-acre salad buffet. The moment Negra decides that the shoots are long enough and sweet enough to pick, she plants her butt down and eats to her heart’s content. And when the other chimps see her eating grass, they start digging in too.
But no one loves spring grass as much as Negra.
Of course, Missy can’t just sit around eating grass all day.
But she took a break long enough to pick a few of the finest blades of grass on the hill.
