Mave and her family celebrated her 34th birthday today with a forage that included young coconuts. Initially, Mave did not get her own coconut but after some time foraging her best friend Dora placed an extra one by Mave’s side. Did she mean to offer it to Mave or did she simply not object when Mave picked it up? Either way, Dora is a good friend and it was the perfect gift.
Party
A Day for Annie!
There can never be enough parties!!!
That must be one of our mantras here at CSNW. After celebrating HOOT! 2023 yesterday evening, we rolled into the chimp house this morning ready to celebrate again. Today, though, we are celebrating Annie’s 49th birthday! Like Jenna wrote in her blog yesterday, it truly takes a village to support the chimpanzees and cattle in our care. Thank you to everyone who participated in HOOT! yesterday, whether in person or remotely. It’s really wonderful to be surrounded by a community such as this one.
Today, we celebrated Annie’s 49th. It’s always shocking to me when I remember Annie’s age, because (for me) she is timeless.
Annie is a special lady. She is what we refer to as a ‘chimps chimp’, in that she prefers spending time with her group mates rather than with humans. She lets others in her group take charge and can be anxious at times, but loves spending time with Missy and is known to play rough with Burrito every now and then. She has had a tough journey- we celebrate her birthday on September 10th and we believe it’s possible that she was born in the wild. Before coming to CSNW, she spent her life in biomedical research where she was used in hepatitis vaccine studies. She also had quite a few babies while in the lab, potentially even up to 7, but they were all taken from her. In the lab, she wasn’t given the opportunity to decide how she would be known.
Here at CSNW, she is known for making her unique ‘bird-noises’ when she’s laying down, for washing her face with water that she cups in her hands and rubs vigorously across her forehead which leaves the hair on the top of her forehead all spiky. She is known for walking (or even running) bipedally while out on the hill, and for her love of human toes and comfy nests. Us humans often know when spring is coming after a long winter when we find Annie wearing one of her beloved head bands around her waist. She is sweet, kind, and often quiet, but will adventure to the top of Young’s Hill with her best pal, Missy. If you’re serving her, she will let you know if you are taking too long (or if she’s not ready to take something yet). Her food grunts when she’s eating something she loves (like pears at breakfast this morning) are deep and soothing.
We love her for exactly who she is.
A big thank you to Paulette Wrisley for sponsoring Annie’s birthday today- from everyone here, thank you for helping us celebrate this special lady!!!
BONUS PHOTOS:
Annie:
Foxie:
Jamie:
Negra:
Then and Now
Hi, everyone!
I’m sure you’ve seen us talking a lot lately about our upcoming HOOT! Fundraising Soiree and Mission Gala. I think I can confidently say that it’s our biggest event each year and I’m proud to be on the team working to put it together for you. It’s a pretty wonderful group of passionate humans to work with that includes current and previous staff members, as well as volunteers.
One of the things I’ve been working on lately is some of the videos that will be playing at both the in-person and virtual event. This task has had me searching through photos, videos, and blogs from the very beginning of CSNW. From day one, we have made it a priority to be transparent and honest with you in our daily blog posts as we share our residents stories. This has led to a rather impressive blog archive- with the first post being from October 15, 2007 by our founder Keith LaChappelle. One of the most amazing things about this archive is that it shows, in real-time, what has been made possible by our supporters.
I have been involved with CSNW since I was a graduate student at Central Washington University in 2017. CSNW was founded in 2003 and the Cle Elum Seven arrived in 2008, so I know that my time here so far has been a short blip in the grand scheme of things. I still wasn’t prepared for how much looking back through those initial posts would hit me right in the feels. I wanted to take the opportunity to share a few of them with you- as a thank you, as a reminder of why we do what we do, and as an ask for the future.
On December 7, 2007 Keith posted a photo of the original kitchen addition:
Flash forward to 2023, the CSNW Chimp House currently looks like this (from the front):
And, with the two additions for Honey B, Willy B, and Mave and the Lucky Six, from the back it looks like this:
To see the growth of the sanctuary itself is special, because it symbolizes the home and care we can provide to our original and newest residents. These photos don’t even touch the other massive construction projects that have been completed- the renovation of Young’s Hill, for example, into the Young’s Hill / Bray side-by-side outdoor enclosure. Or, the addition of our little herd of cattle that joined the family in 2018.
What really hit me, though, were these photos.
Jamie, Negra, and Jody just after arriving at CSNW:
From then, to now- Jamie, Negra, and Jody (from March this year, before her passing):
These before / after photos don’t include Missy, Annie, Burrito and Foxie- not on purpose, but merely because I don’t wan’t to overwhelm with photos. If you have the time, though, I would highly recommend looking back through those initial posts.
Sometimes, I think it’s important to look back at how far we have come- especially when it comes to our residents. We have the absolute privilege of caring for and loving these souls, whether we are near or far, and with that privilege comes a lot of responsibility. This responsibility is day-to-day, with direct care, but it is also long-term. It would be a disservice to them to not look to the future and wonder how we can continually do better for them, as well as for others who still need sanctuary.
This is why events like HOOT! are so important- so that all of us who love and care for these individuals and causes can come together to support them.
So that we can look at how far we have come, as we also look to the future.
Thanks for going on this trip down memory lane with me. 🙂
A Day for Foxie!
Today was a busy, fun, crazy, happy day here at CSNW! We celebrated sweet and sassy Foxie’s 47th birthday- can you believe it?
She makes 47 look pretty darn great. 🙂
And we’d like to give our heartfelt thanks to Paulette Wrisley for sponsoring Foxie’s special day of celebration! It means so much to us to be able to honor Foxie, and each of the chimpanzees, for the amazingly special individuals they are.
We kicked off the celebrations with a delicious smoothie for the birthday girl, who loves smoothies and holds her own cup every morning. She got new dolls throughout the day, enjoyed a pre-party party, and then had a forage on Young’s Hill complete with Pineapple Bowls (!) full of yummy fruit, bok choy, cucumber, and cabbage. Despite the weather being quite warm, everyone went out on the Hill and was able to grab at least one pineapple bowl. Cy’s group also enjoyed pineapple bowls with lots of fresh goodies! Be sure to check out the video for more.
If you are new to following us, Foxie was born on August 8th, 1976 at the Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research. According to our records her mother, Winny, passed away at the Alamogordo Primate Facility in 2013. Foxie was used in hepatitis vaccine research and as a breeder while living in the lab. She had four babies- all of whom were taken from her when they were very, very young. In the wild, chimpanzees rely heavily on their mothers for many years and live with them through their adolescence. The practice of taking infants from their mothers in laboratories has long-term harmful impacts on both the mother and the offspring- I, personally, cannot imagine this sort of trauma.
When she came to sanctuary, she adopted a doll within the first month here. This single doll has turned into quite a collection and she has one, if not two, babies with her all the time. She enjoys games of troll toss and will often give one of her caregivers a doll to ‘babysit’ for her. She lets us know when she’s ready to have them back by blowing raspberries in the loft of the playroom by the human kitchen. 🙂 When she really gets going and is playing chase with a caregiver, she is known to do these amazing spins across the floor from one end of the room to the other. Or she will climb up the caging and flip so she hangs upside down. After all she has been through, her resiliency and silly nature is truly awe-inspiring.
Foxie is a sweet, spunky, forgiving, and absolutely precious soul who I feel lucky to know. Happy birthday, Fox. <3
Photos from the day:
Foxie allowed a mini photo-shoot in the front rooms this morning:
Negra scored a pineapple bowl during the forage:
Jamie, looking as regal as ever:
Jamie, winning the ‘How-Many-Pineapples-Can-I-Carry-At-Once’ Award:
Annie looking very sweet during the pre-party party in their greenhouse:
And on the hill:
Burrito decided to enjoy his pineapple bowl on Young’s Hill:
Burrito also enjoyed the Gatorade pools:
Birthday girl enjoying her pineapple bowl on Young’s Hill:
And a fresh green onion:
Celebrating Freedom
The Fourth of July holiday is a time when Americans celebrate their independence from Great Britain. For us here, we celebrate the freedom our residents have from the terrors of biomedical testing and harm from humans. For decades, many of the residents have spent their time in small cages and stripped of their freedom of choice. Today though, they have the freedom to make their own decisions, their own choices, and live the life they want to live.
I am fully aware it’s a bit ironic that I talk about their freedom, yet they are destined to live a life in captivity. It really breaks my heart and the rest of the staff here that we will never see Missy sprint in an un-fenced area, or see Rayne exploring new and exciting places. This is the life they have been dealt. The very least we can do is to provide them whatever freedoms and autonomy we can. When I arrive to the sanctuary every morning, I am no longer in my own world. I am in theirs.
To celebrate, the chimpanzees were treated to a forage of fan favorite: Watermelon Bowls! Each watermelon bowl contained: lettuce, a baked potato, baby back corn ribs, green onions, and blueberries! We even put some on the Bray! While everyone was foraging for the bulk of the watermelons inside, Rayne took the opportunity to collect nearly all the watermelon bowls placed on The Bray, as you can see in the video! It didn’t take the boys plus Lucky much longer to realize there was more food outside!
We wish you all a fun and safe Independence Day!
Here are some photos taken throughout the day!
Rayne
Don’t worry! Gordo came by to grab what Rayne chose to leave behind
Willy B
Terry
Missy trying to sneak pass Negra with her haul
Negra in her Cabin
Burrito
Foxie
Jamie enjoying a pre-celebration browse of currant branches
Viola! The prized watermelon bowls
Two Years with the Lucky Six
Can you believe it? Today we celebrated the 2nd anniversary of the arrival of the Lucky Six—Cy, Lucky, Terry, Dora, Rayne, and Gordo—from the Wildlife Waystation. As you probably know, the Lucky Six are now part of a group of nine, along with Willy B, Honey B, and Mave, and together they enjoyed a party complete with young coconuts and Gatorade ice blocks.
The day was also sponsored by Rose Mankowski in memory of her mother:
My Mom, Irene Mayes, would’ve turned 96 today – June 26, 2023 – but she died in August 5th, 2022. Irene loved primates, especially chimpanzees, since she was a little girl. Happy Heavenly Birthday, Mom.
Thank you, Rose, for honoring your mom in this way.
Today’s festivities took place in the playroom, greenhouse, and on the Bray. The chimps screamed in excitement as they watched us put out the forage and treats. As the party began, both Rayne and Terry grabbed what they could on their way out the door and made a beeline straight for the Bray, where a giant Gatorade ice block awaited them.
Within minutes they were joined by Gordo, Lucky, and Cy, who also brought their treats outside.
While Lucky did get to enjoy the ice block, she actually seemed to delight in the turnips as well. For a chimp, there’s nothing better than liking food that the others aren’t as interested in.
Ever the explorer, Rayne set out for the other climbing structures on the Bray and ate her way across the habitat.
Terry also went for a walk through the habitat and was rewarded for his efforts with a second coconut.
While the others were outside, Honey B, Mave, and Dora cleaned up the forage inside and in the chute.
Willy B was very happy to have gotten a coconut for himself. There was just one problem…how the heck do you open these things?
Do you bite them?
Smash them?
Not long after the party began, a thunderstorm rolled in, with one particularly loud clap of thunder catching Gordo by surprise.
The rest of the gang took their loot back inside and we closed off the habitat for their safety.
Earlier in the day, the chimps on Jamie’s side had their own party to celebrate their neighbor’s arrival. While they don’t live with the Lucky Six, the presence of another group next door amounts to an ever-evolving soap opera to which they are all glued—and that’s worth celebrating, too.
Negra:
Burrito:
Jamie:
Foxie:
Missy:
Annie:
2023 Day of Days: The Trifecta Jubilee
Today was such a busy day in the most of exciting ways! Today is the Trifecta Jubilee! Today we celebrated Terry’s 33rd birthday, Negra’s 50th birthday, and the 15 year anniversary of the arrival of the Cle Elum Seven!
Today was a non-stop celebration with many happenings that came along with the undying support of Paulette Wrisley in today’s second sponsor! Thank you so much Paulette for sponsoring Terry and Negra’s birthdays!
It’s hard to believe Negra and her group arrived in Washington from the Buckshire Corporation in Pennsylvania. There have been many growing pains for both chimpanzee and caregivers both former and current, but all of them for the better. In the 15 years, they have experience the outdoors for the first time in their lives, had room to run around and play in, and as of this year, able to climb their first tree!
It’s also really hard to believe Negra is now 50 years old! Negra is such a strong-willed person who knows exactly what she likes and wants. Though she is 50, is still doesn’t stop here from experiencing new things, when she wants to of course. Negra is such a well respected person by both chimpanzee and human. For her 50th birthday, there were many surprises for her. You have to watch the video to see what they were!
And Teeny Tiny Terry. How lucky are we to just know such a special person. In the couple short years we have known Terry, one thing about him we know is certain: he is the purest of souls! Terry wears his heart on his sleeve, and that heart holds nothing but sincerity. There are no tricks with him. What he does or says, he means, and it’s 100% love.
Here are some bonus photos from today!
Negra
Rayne
Missy
Gordo
Annie