It’s chilly, gray, and rainy in Cle Elum today, and the chimpanzees are cozying up in the warm playroom. (This doesn’t include Jamie, who is keeping volunteer caregiver Stephanie busy walking around and around Young’s Hill. When the boss beckons, you listen.) Negra would rather stay indoors on a day like this, and I don’t blame her.
Negra
Negra in the Sun
“Fake Neggie”
All of the chimps have nick-names that have caught on over the years and almost all of the caregivers use with them. Annie is “Annie Bo-Bannie,” Burrito is just “Mr. B,” Foxie is “Foxie Fox!” Jody is “Jo-Jo,” Jamie is “James,” Missy is “Miss” and Negra is “Neggie.”
Missy has a tendency to sometimes lie in the “Neggie spot” which is in front of the catwalk window, where Negra likes to sit and gaze out onto the valley below. Sometimes Missy even covers herself in a blanket, in perfect Negra style. When we go to say hi to the chimps, sometimes Missy trips us up and we mistake her for Negra at first, because of her perfect impersonation. This is what we call “Fake Neggie.”
Today, Fake Neggie was in the greenhouse on the top platform, soaking in the sun…
and Real Neggie was in her spot on the catwalk in the playroom.
Sky above, earth below
Outside of the entrance to the chimp house we keep one of the protocol cages that the chimpanzees lived in, in a windowless basement, during their decades being used in biomedical research. We must pass it each day as we unlock the door. It provides an opportunity for people who visit the sanctuary to envision to some degree what the chimpanzees’ lives consisted of before coming here. And it helps me remember every day why I’m here. It’s heartbreaking, of course, to look at. Imagine having spent every day of your life for over three decades living inside this (minus the scenery):
You never see the sky or green grass, you never feel the sun or the breeze, and for the most part you are unaware that anything exists outside of this view:
I spent several minutes today sitting inside this cage. I couldn’t stand up to my full height. It was hard to balance on the floor made of bars. And there is only a small, cold metal bench to sit on. The chimpanzees would not have had blankets to build nests with and no enrichment to engage their intelligent and active minds. I thought of my seven dear friends having lived every day this way in so much fear, uncertainty, boredom, and at many times, pain. You can imagine the wave of heartfelt sorrow and anger I felt for all they have endured. And what so many still do.
And then I looked out to the view of Young’s Hill from the cage:
Earlier today I told Jamie we would walk around Young’s Hill to her heart’s content. And boy did we. Around and around, up one side and turning to retrace our steps back down the other way. I lost count of how many times we went around. And for the first time that I’ve experienced, Burrito joined us in our patrol of the perimeter the entire way! Foxie and Dora, and even Jody came along for part of the way, while Annie and Missy chased each other up and down the hill. (It was cold today and Negra chose to stay in the comfort of her warm, cozy nest). Finally, after several laps around Young’s Hill, I suddenly lost sight of Jamie and had to go looking for her. This was a first! I eventually found her back in the front rooms, waiting for me to give her the cowgirl boot (which I had of course been wearing). I guess she had indeed walked to her heart’s content.
Imagine what it must feel like to these seven chimpanzee people to be able to see the sky above and feel the earth below, unobstructed.
Burrito:
And to MOVE for the sheer joy of moving like Missy:
Several days ago Jamie gifted me with an amazing moment. During a walk around the hill she had me wait while she foraged and climbed over every inch of the structures. At one point she suddenly climbed up a post, stood bipedally on the very top with her arms hanging at her sides and threw her head back as she stared up at the sky for several seconds. A simple, yet profound moment. Then she turned and looked at me, climbed down and raced me all the way back to the greenhouse with a huge play face. I am immeasurably grateful that the chimpanzees have the chance to call a sanctuary home. And I remember all those languishing in cages and labs who are still in need of their sanctuary.
Though that moment with Jamie will forever be burned into my mind, I unfortunately didn’t get a photo. But this is one of my favorites and I think it speaks volumes all the same.
Happy Birthday, Sarah!
Today’s day of sanctuary was sponsored by Ida Chan, in honor of Sarah Wong’s birthday! Ida shared the following: “We share this planet with all living things and must act responsibly toward all creatures big and small.” Ida and Sarah, thank you so much not only for caring about the chimpanzees, but for the lovely reminder of our interconnectedness to all of the amazing beings we are so fortunate to share our lives with. Sarah, have a wonderful birthday!!
Foxie and Negra enjoying some grooming time together:
Some things never change
We often write about changes we’ve seen in the chimpanzees since their arrival from the research lab a little over five years ago. Physically and emotionally, they are different chimps. They are stronger, happier, and undoubtedly more alive.
But in many ways, they have held onto some parts of their old selves. One of Negra’s most enduring – and endearing – habits is to drape a blanket over her head like a poncho. It seems to help her feel secure in her ever-changing world.
September 2008:
October 2008:
April 2009:
December 2009:
May 2010:
July 2010:
March 2011:
July 2012:
September 2012:
February 2013:
March 2013:
September 2013:
The Last Days of Summer
We are having a last burst of summer at the sanctuary this week with temperatures back in the 90’s. The flies and wasps are endlessly buzzing and the chimps and humans are all endlessly swatting. The chimp house is completely quiet as I type this. Negra is sound asleep in her window nest. Jamie is in her nest flipping through two new boot catalogs I gave her and filing her nails with an emery board. She is also making the occasional happy groan when she sees something she likes. (For those of you who are new to our blog, Jamie was raised in a human home by a trainer until the age of 9 and sometimes chooses to engage in more human oriented activities). Burrito, Foxie, Jody, and Annie are lying in the greenhouse with their feet propped up on the caging, arms splayed out to their sides. And Missy, always on the move Missy, just raced me through the chimp house to the window by the chimpanzees’ cherry tomato bush and asked me to pick some for her, and I of course was happy to oblige.
Autumn is definitely in the air these days although you wouldn’t know it right now. It’s hard to believe we will all be talking about cold temperatures and snow before long. But for now we can revel in the last lazy days of summer. We hope you are all enjoying the special days that only summertime brings as much as the chimpanzees. Here are a few photos of some of the chimpanzees during a forage on Young’s Hill this week:
Annie:
Missy:
Foxie and Dora:
Burrito: