Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

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Sanctuary

Beasts of Burden

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It is really interesting watching the chimpanzees throughout the day. Whether it is onsite at the sanctuary, or checking in on the security cameras. After witnessing all the great moments such play and grooming, and even the bad moments like fights, there really is no other term to describe them other than “family.”

Families play. Families take care of each other. And families fight, whether with each other or side-by-side one another. Though there has been some instability in Cy’s group, which led to our reintegration plan, I still can’t help but to view them as a family unit. Though the fights can be a stress inducing event and seem like it dominates the day, that’s not necessarily the case. The good moments outweigh the bad by a landslide. 

As we moved forward with the reintegration process, we have seen some magnificent moments with the chimps. Though we wish this process would eliminate all the fighting, we are realistic that it won’t stop all of the fighting. Though the real underlying hope is for the fighting to be reduced from the level it was. Personally, I think it’s working. A good chunk of fights we have seen in the past few months have mostly been just screaming and hollering at each other. 

What initiated this train of thought? This photo I took a couple weeks ago:

Willy B (bottom) and Rayne (top) link fingers before lunch service.

One day, when lunch was brought out, Rayne reached toward Willy B for some reassurance, and this was the outcome. To me it looks a lot like the American Sign Language sign for “friends” if two people were to make the sign together. Here is a photo of a memorial of Washoe making that sign at Friendship Park in Ellensburg.

To me it’s kind of a reminder that there is always beauty in a chaotic world.

Here are some other old photos I found on my phone taken over the course of several months.

Willy B

Annie

Terry

Negra

Though these two photos look the same, they were actually taken months apart. The first photo is her perusing through a peanut butter magazine. The second was from Jamieween after she acquired her food.

Lucky

Cy

Mave

Honey B

Jamie’s Group watching TV

That is Foxie and Jamie on the floor, Burrito sitting on the firehose, and Annie waaaaay up top.

Firehose Cube

Yes… That is a firehose with it’s own nest in between Rayne and Lucky. This isn’t the first time either. I have another photo of a different firehose in a different nest on a different day, but couldn’t find it quickly. And the answer to your question, it was Rayne. Both times I seen this, Rayne was close by or it was in the nest with her.

Sanctuary Wildlife

There’s a frog in our pipes.
A baby gopher snake.
A yet to be identified lizard on the human entrance of the Riverview and Oakwood Greenhouses.

Barn Kitty in hunting mode

I know some of you are wondering where I have been for a while. There was always some sense of happiness anytime one of the other caregivers let me know people have been inquiring about my whereabouts. No, I didn’t quit or get fired. No, I wasn’t in a coma. No, I wasn’t off galavanting around the Cascades with Barn Kitty or any of the other wild conspiracies some of some of you had… Though I do wish one of those were the case, especially the BK scenario. 

The uneventful, boring reason is I got injured while working. It happens at any workplace and no matter the safety precaution, these’s always that small chance. Hello, I am that small chance. I have been recovering for a little bit and am starting to ease back into doing full Chimp House duties. It’s been one step at a time but I am ecstatic that the trend is swinging toward the right direction. I also want to emphasize this was NOT chimp related. It was on my own.

I do want to take this time to thank literally everyone. From my amazing fellow caregivers to the co-directors, and yes, even to you, our dedicated, loving blog readers. My fellow caregivers really rose up to continue our same level of care for the chimps and cattle being down one caregiver for such a prolonged time. Hence the title of this blog. They are my beasts of burden. Plus I had happen to be listening to The Rolling Stones when this was typed. I will be forever grateful to them for their strength and determination, as well as understanding that when I did come back, I would have to ease into everything at a slow pace. Or at least it has been slow to my liking. 

I am looking forward to continue caring for the chimpanzees and bovine side-by-side with my team at full capacity when it’s time. Hashtag New Year, New Me.

ONE LAST SUPER BONUS PHOTO

Remember that time Burrito first climbed the tree and nobody was able to get footage of it until later?

I got this when it was announced on the radio that he was in the tree and I was serving lunch to Negra. This is the only known footage of that day!

*Sorry if some of the images maybe repeats or similar to others in the past few months. I forgot who I gave photos to publish for the blog and what photos have been used.

Bargaining

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Two things I know about chimps:

1. Whatever it is, they will find a way to break it.

2. If you want something from them, they will give it to you…for a price.

Ellen has been coming up with some really cool food puzzles lately. One, named the hanging holey lid, involves a 5-gallon bucket lid that the chimps have to rotate to reveal food beneath. The chimps discovered that the lids come with thin peel-off strips around their circumference, and they were very entertained by peeling them off and using them to floss their teeth. There’s nothing particularly dangerous about these strips of plastic but they weren’t meant to be given to the chimps so we decided to retrieve them.

Most chimps will trade for juice. But Cy had to raise the stakes…

2024 Wrap-Up

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Happy New Year, everyone! Please check out Katelyn’s first of the year blog and look out for the New Year party video coming tomorrow!
I thought I would leave you with our end of the year wrap-up. Our long time follower, Ozzie, sums up our year so perfectly! I have linked some of the blogs for all of you to enjoy.
And with much anticipation, here it is:
“Ozzie’s Annual CSNW New Year’s Gongs:

My annual year in review! This one has been a tough one. But without further ado:

2.Willy B Brando swaggers unconfidently to second in charge.
3. Cy wins the Easter Egg hunt!
4. Jamie forces JB into thigh high psychedelic boots for a march around the hill!!! Cher applauds Jamie from Malibu!
5. Gordo thrives in his PRT training.
6. Rayne masters her beauty regime
7. Annie turns 50!!!! Banana cream pies all around!
8. Gordo screams at wounds but can’t stop looking and screaming.
9. Dr Z’s patients of the year: Honey B loses an eyelid; Willy B almost loses a toe; Meredith goes to the big hospital
10. We do have a new category: Video of the Year. Hands down? Pan Hibernatus.
11. Two biggest achievements this year: everyone goes out onto the Bray (some in the heat of battle but everyone has been out now!)
12. Burrito climbs a tree. This one was a particularly bittersweet moment for me. My partner of 25 years died and this was the last video she saw. Tears of joy.
13. Finally: in memoriam. This year saw the passing of so many supporters of the sanctuary. We also sadly lost our beautiful big boy Nutmeg. And we sweetly remember Jody – every day.
And thus we end 2024 – a rough year for everyone except Burrito who held all of us on his laughing shaking shoulders.”

Thank you so much, Ozzie!

Bonus photos from today!

Burrito looking for pomegranate seeds:

Neggie eating some black-eyed peas:

And Jamie:

Tune in tomorrow for the New Year party shenanigans!

Busy Busy Busy

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We have so much fun watching the chimps forage and open their new presents on Christmas! But as you can imagine, the next day it is a mess! Between the clean up of the party and shoveling snow it didn’t leave us with a lot of time in the chimp house. However, while the humans may have been busy, the chimps on the other hand, had a lovely calm day- eating snow, nesting, and watching a little bit of TV! I hope you all have a lovely relaxing day after Christmas too!

Here are a few pictures I was able to capture in between cleaning!

The handsome Cy:

Mr. Willy B:

Mave & Dora nesting and grooming:

Raynie:

Dora:

Fun for One

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I’ve known few chimpanzees (or humans, for that matter) that could entertain themselves quite like Burrito. He’s not always playful but when he is, he is as close to pure joy as I’ve witnessed.

While Chad and I were cleaning Playroom 1 this morning and Jamie and the gang were grooming on the greenhouse platform, Burrito was keeping himself entertained with “Celestino,” a Squishmallow that was donated by Monica B. and purchased for the chimps by Sherry R. in our 2024 Comfort & Joy Online Auction. Cleaning stuffed animals like these, not to mention the 150 blankets that we make sure the chimps have at all times, requires some durable washing machines. That’s why we wanted to extend our sincere thanks to the many donors who contributed to our Commercial Washer Fund, which will allow us to replace one of our aging residential washers with a machine that can withstand being used 8 hours a day, seven days a week. Thank you, Vicki F., Jamie R., Kathie J., Sarah H., Patti S., Julie A. O., Deborah J., Nancy D., Margaret L., Rebecca Z., Rosalie A., Chloe G., and Ellen V. for helping us keep the blankets and stuffed animals clean so that the chimps can continue to experience comfort and joy!