Missy is chimpanzee-oriented, meaning she often chooses to groom or play chase with her chimpanzee friends over the humans (but we love that!) Every once in awhile she engages in fairly rambunctious chase or tug-o-war and will even quietly groom with caregivers on occasion. Times with Missy are a special treat for all of us! Today was no exception. She and Joel played a pretty fun game of chase. It seemed like Missy turned it into a sort of zumba-like exercise. Be sure to watch all the way to the end!
Missy
Looking for adventure
Missy was stuck in high gear today.
She tried joining Jamie on her walks but the walks were too slow, so she ran.
Eventually she gave up on Jamie altogether and just starting running around the hill by herself in the rain.
When the sun came out, all of the other chimps emerged from the greenhouse to spend time on the hill. She tried enticing Foxie to play by stealing one of her dolls, but Foxie wasn’t rambunctious enough.
She tried getting Jody to chase her, but Jody couldn’t keep up.
Missy is like an electron, orbiting around the other chimps as if they were standing still. But once and a while, she comes to a stop and starts looking around…
…looking for something that will give her an adrenaline fix.
And when she finds it, she can hardly contain her excitement.
Look at that smile on her face.
Another Sunny Day and Time Spent on Young’s Hill
Sometimes looks can be deceiving. The sun was shining bright this morning, but there was still frost on the ground and a chill in the air. I figured the chimpanzees would wait for the temperature to rise a little before they would spend a good chunk of time on Young’s Hill, but that wasn’t the case this morning.
Volunteer caregiver Patti served breakfast in the Greenhouse and had just finished serving chow bags as I opened the door between the Greenhouse and Young’s Hill. Jody was actually waiting right by the door and walked out onto the hill, positioned herself in the sun and ate the contents of her first chow bag. Her breath was visible as the temperature was still in the 20’s.
Annie soon followed Jody outside and sat on the logs to eat her chow.
Missy followed Annie outside and took a few moments to sit on the logs and check out the scene.
After finishing her first bag of chow, Jody made her way further up Young’s Hill before returning to her previous spot. On the way back down the hill, Jody greeted Missy who was on her way up the hill.
Next to venture out onto Young’s Hill was Foxie, accompanied by her dear troll friend. She chose to enjoy her chow bags from the top of the platform in the sunshine.
Jamie chose to finish her chow bags inside the Greenhouse before venturing out onto the hill. She walked around, stopping to listen to the ducks who were making noise nearby.
Negra chose to enjoy her morning chow bags in the sun as well, just inside of the Greenhouse where it was warmer.
Burrito on the other hand, spent most of his morning on top of the platform in the Greenhouse (possibly enjoying the quiet as most of the ladies were on the Hill).
I’ll never get tired of seeing these chimpanzees on Young’s Hill, where they can actually feel the grass below them and the warmth of the sunshine on their faces.
Today is for Crystal Codina
This day of sanctuary was sponsored by Pam Miller in honor of her friend, Crystal Codina, with the following message: “I am sponsoring this day on behalf of Crystal Codina, a friend to all animals and someone who I am proud to call my friend.”
I love this story: Pam shared that when she recently attempted to make a payment at her veterinarian’s office she learned that Crystal had called the office earlier and made a significant payment to her account to help her with expenses. Pam was so touched by Crystal’s selflessness and did not want the gift to place an undue hardship on Crystal so Pam insisted on returning the gift. But Crystal refused to allow Pam to pay her back. So Pam felt sponsoring a day of sanctuary for the chimpanzees in Crystal’s honor was the next best thing.
Crystal, what a truly kind thing to do for your friend and we hope you know that your compassion has made an even bigger difference than you may have imagined. Pam, thank you so much for sharing this wonderful story. You and Crystal both sound like amazing friends to have. We are touched by your thought to expand such generosity and “pay it forward” to the chimpanzees.
Always looking out for one another, best friends, Annie and Missy:
The Day After
All the excitement from yesterday’s big Valentine’s Day celebration has left the chimpanzees pretty quiet today. All of them spent time on Young’s Hill (some a little longer than others) in the sunshine. And this afternoon, most of them relaxed in the Greenhouse.
Jamie, as you may have guessed, took quite a few walks around Young’s Hill, before grooming her boots in the Greenhouse this afternoon. After our morning cleaning, I put on two black boots and went out to accompany her. I must have took too long because when I went outside, she and Missy were already at the top of the hill. Once she saw me, she walked back down to meet me (Missy took off running) and we continued back up the hill.
Missy accompanied Jamie on a few of her perimeter patrols, half the time walking, half the time running. After that, she spent time chewing on an alfalfa cube in the Greenhouse.
As you may have guessed already, Foxie spent her afternoon with her troll and dora dolls.
Jody took a little time to stretch her arms from the tire swing. She also inspected the tree to see if there were any leftovers from yesterday’s party, although by the angle of the photo it seems she was deep in thought.
Annie was all about kicking her feet up and relaxing in the Greenhouse.
Burrito followed up his walk around Young’s Hill by sitting in the doorway leading from the Greenhouse to outside, looking out.
And Negra. She went outside for a few moments, looked up to the sky before going back into the Greenhouse, where she could be sheltered from the cool breeze. Unfortunately, for photo purposes, she spent her time on top of the platform out of camera reach. But here’s one of her resting in one of her favorite spots in the Playroom.
Thanks too all those who helped share the love for these beautiful chimpanzees!
Today is for chimp love
Today we celebrate love, not only in it’s countless beautiful forms, but also for what it makes possible. And making this day even more special, a day of sanctuary love was sponsored for the chimpanzees by both Kathleen Corby and Secrette Miller.
I don’t think I could ever sum up all the love we have in our hearts for the chimpanzees and the gratitude we have that they are able to live the lives they do. Kathleen shared this heartfelt message which definitely speaks for us all:
“I love Missy, Annie, Negra, Burrito, Jamie, Jody and Foxie. Why not celebrate their life in Sanctuary on The Day of LOVE?! I cannot fathom what their lives must have been like during the decades before they arrived at CSNW. I have great respect and admiration for what they had to overcome and for who they are today. May love and generosity fill every day of their lives. And may the Cle Elum Seven always serve as an example of the importance that all captive chimpanzees deserve the right to live a life full of good health, comfort and care, choices, friendships, and LOVE. Sanctuary is love. Let’s all celebrate our CSNW Love today!”
Kathleen and Secrette, thank you so much for sponsoring such a special day for the chimpanzees and for all that you both do to give them a life full of love. Happy Valentine’s Day!
Speaking of love, we’ve received a lot of it over the past two weeks during our Share the Chimp Love campaign. So much, that we increased our goal! Joan and Pat Borders, who gave us a generous $2,500 gift early on in the fundraising made another $1,000 gift, and yesterday we received a $1,000 gift from the Armstrong Family as well, pushing us well beyond our original goal of $12,000. Now we have just $209 to go to reach our new goal of $14,000 on the 14th! Many thanks to EVERYONE who has donated! For those who haven’t, there’s still time! You can make a gift for a loved one, yourself, or just to celebrate love.
For inspiration, here are some photos of the chimps celebrating love:
Annie and Missy:
Negra:
Burrito:
Jody:
Foxie and Dora:
Jamie:
Be sure to check the blog later today to see the chimpanzees’ 2015 Valentine’s Day celebration!
The Meaning of Sanctuary
Like many of you who read Diana’s blog yesterday, I was moved to tears thinking about all of the captive chimpanzees who have spent most or all of their lives in biomedical research and who have never known a life of sanctuary. Instead, their only perspective of life thus far is from behind metal bars, with no autonomy, no hope. And her post got me to thinking about what it means to provide sanctuary for Annie, Burrito, Foxie, Jamie, Jody, Missy and Negra and what it possibly means to each one of them.
Webster’s dictionary defines sanctuary as “a place where someone or something is protected or given shelter” and “the protection that is provided by a safe place.” To me, that definition just doesn’t seem to convey the whole meaning of what I think the word sanctuary means.
I certainly agree that sanctuary means a “safe” place where someone is protected. But, I also think sanctuary means so much more than just that. To provide sanctuary also means to provide a place where each and every chimpanzee can feel the sun on their face and grass beneath their feet. It means providing opportunity for each of them to make choices on behalf of themselves, like whether or not to go outdoors or stay inside and nap or to play a game of chase or pass the troll with human caregivers. It also means providing a space in which there are no expectations of any of them other than for them to be themselves; essentially providing a place where they call the shots. And sanctuary means providing a home where they can feel hope, love and a place they consider their true home. This is what providing sanctuary means to me.
For Annie, sanctuary means being able to share the same space with her best friend Missy and fresh green grass.
Sanctuary for Burrito probably means access to fresh food!
Sanctuary for Foxie means she can finally care for her “babies”
For Jamie, sanctuary probably has a lot to do with walks around Young’s Hill and boots.
Sanctuary for Jody probably has something to do with foraging for plants on Young’s Hill.
For Missy, sanctuary means having the space to run, jump, swing, tight-rope walk and use every form of locomotion possible.
Peanuts, blankets and naps are what Negra seems to enjoy the most about sanctuary.
And finally, for me, sanctuary means that we humans are here for these chimpanzees, they are not here for us. I look forward to the day when all chimpanzees currently in captivity are retired to a true sanctuary.
