Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

rescue

To Be Known

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This blog is a true labor of love.

It is satisfying, on a frivolous and somewhat shallow human-level, to have people like our posts and make comments. But in the world of the chimpanzees in our care, it’s a big part of their second chance in sanctuary.

To be known and respected and loved is what they deserve; what they’ve always deserved.

Sharing posts and hitting that “like” (or now maybe the “love” emoji) on Facebook may seem like a small act, but this is what allows more people to grow to understand and appreciate not just the chimpanzees at Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest, but chimpanzees as a species. It’s what allows hearts to grow and minds to change.

Sharing this post, these photos of Jamie, and taking the time to learn about the amazing and interesting person that she is, gives Jamie power.

Even though there’s no way to explain it to her, we know she would appreciate that there are people out there who have never met her who truly admire who she is, as she is. She would expect no less.

Jamie

Jamie

Jamie

Jamie

Jamie

Jamie

Jamie

Jamie

A little nudge

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Caring for former research chimps can be a balancing act at times. We don’t want to rush them into anything they’re not ready for, and considering what they’ve been through, it’s no surprise that some would have a hard time adjusting to certain aspects of life in sanctuary. For example, some former lab chimps fail to make nests like their wild counterparts and even go as far as clearing blankets and other bedding out of the way so that they can lay down on the hard concrete floor. Others refuse to set foot on grass, clinging instead to metal caging and bars wherever possible. The lab environment they came from was harsh but it was familiar. For the Cle Elum Seven, it was all they knew for as much as 35 years.

Negra is a good example of this kind of institutionalization. For decades she had no choice but to follow the same routine: Sleep, eat, repeat. What else is there to do when you live indoors in a cage all by yourself? Here at CSNW, Negra still finds comfort in that routine, only now she sleeps on a mountain of soft blankets and eats a huge variety of fresh foods as well as her beloved night bags. Still, if she had her way, nearly every day would be the same: eat, sleep, repeat.

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But life in sanctuary offers so much more and it would be a shame if Negra didn’t get to take advantage of it. The trick is to find a way to nudge chimps like Negra toward healthier and more interesting choices without causing them undue stress. Sunlight and exercise are good for Negra, even though she might think otherwise. So each day, we try to get her to expand her horizons and push the boundaries of her comfort zone, even if it’s just by a little bit. Today, for example, we put some of her favorite foods out on the hill as a forage. And guess who was first out the door? More specifically, guess who elbowed her way to the front of the line so she could be first out the door?

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Negra has come so far since her rescue in 2008. All she needed was freedom of choice, a lot of patience, and a little nudge now and again.

Thank you, Roni!

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Today’s day of sanctuary was sponsored by Roni Seabury! Roni is a long-time supporter and friend of the sanctuary. She is such a beautiful soul whose heart and life are filled with helping all animals however she can, from living a vegan lifestyle, to working with rescued farm animals, to sharing her home with her companion animals as well as fostering those waiting for their forever home. We’re so lucky to have her as part of our chimpanzee family. Roni shared this sweet message about today:

“For my love of Burrito’s shy cuteness, Missy’s energy, Jodi’s nest making skills, Annie’s playful friendships, Negra’s Queen-like naps with blankets over her head, Foxie’s love for dolls and loyalty and Jamie’s boss like attitude with cowboy boots on. I love each of them so much. The amount of joy they bring me is immeasurable. Thank you for all you do for them.”

Roni, thank you so much for sponsoring today for the chimpanzees and for loving them for the special individuals they are! And thank you for your compassionate heart and your dedication to making the lives of so many animals better. We’re awfully glad you’re in the world.

Roni’s pal, Burrito:

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Missy:

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Jody:

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Annie (R) chasing Missy (L):

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Negra:

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Foxie, Troll and Dora:

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Jamie:

Jamie looking at camera holding boot

Alfalfa, the miracle weight loss food

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If the chimps had their way, they’d eat all day long. Burrito would be unstoppable. Negra would probably forego blankets entirely and just make huge nests out of bread and peanuts so that she would never have to get out of bed again. But overeating is not usually conducive to good health, so for their sake we try to balance these two competing interests as best we can.

Thankfully, there’s a miracle diet food that helps keep chimps happy and healthy: alfalfa. Not just alfalfa, but also bamboo, grape vines, timothy hay, cattails – things that we collectively refer to as “browse”. Chimps love browse, but most browse plants are too fibrous to be digested properly, so they either pass right through or the chimps spit them out after a thorough chewing. Browse makes it possible for chimps to chew to their hearts’ content without eating a lot of calories.

In the summer and fall, many types of browse grow naturally in the chimps’ two-acre enclosure, which allows them to grab a snack anytime they like. Naturally occurring browse is harder to find during the winter, so we make sure to provide Burrito and his family with store-bought treats like alfalfa cubes on a regular basis:

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A shock from the past

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When I was gathering photos the other day for the Share the Chimp Love Video, I came across the photo below of Jamie and gasped out loud.

I think it’s been a few years since I saw this image, but it’s very familiar. It was taken in September of 2008, three months after the chimpanzees arrived to Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest. J.B. posted it to the blog back then.

It was one of the best photo portraits we had of Jamie, and we even used it for some early  postcards that we made.

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Jamie “Before”

 

But looking at it now, it’s just not the Jamie of today.

Her cheeks were hollow and her eyes sunken. Her freckles were more pronounced – maybe because they hadn’t darkened from sun exposure yet. And the look in her eyes just wasn’t the determined, curious Jamie that we now know and love.

Compare that before photo with the one I included in the Share the Chimp Love Video, taken last summer:

Jamie strong and confident

 

Or these that I took this morning of Jamie getting the most out of a new book:

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Jamie book in face

Jamie eating book

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