• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

  • Our Family
    • The Chimpanzees
    • The Cattle
  • Blog
  • About Us
    • Visiting the Sanctuary
    • Philosophy
      • FAQs
      • Mission, Vision & Goals
      • Privacy Policy
    • The Humans
      • Staff
      • Board of Directors
      • Founder
    • Annual Reports
    • The Future of CSNW
    • CSNW In The News
  • You can help
    • Donate
      • Become a Chimpanzee Pal
      • Sponsor A Day
      • Transfer Stock
      • Be A Produce Patron
      • Be a Bovine Buddy
      • Give from your IRA
      • Personalized Stones
      • Bring Them Home Campaign
    • Leave A Legacy
    • Employment Opportunities
    • Volunteer
    • See Our Wish List
    • Events
  • Resources
    • About Chimpanzees
    • Enrichment Database
    • Advocacy
      • Apes in Entertainment
        • Trainers
        • Role of the AHA
        • Greeting Cards
      • Chimpanzees as Pets
      • Roadside Zoos
      • Chimpanzees in Biomedical Research
      • Conservation
        • African Apes
        • Orangutans
  • Shop
    • Merchandise Store
  • Contact
  • DONATE NOW

sheri speede

an unfortunate privilege

October 12, 2013 by Diana

We were fortunate to have spent a bit of time with Dr. Sheri Speede and some volunteers for IDA Africa when they were in the area the last few days as part of Dr. Speede’s book signing tour for her new book Kindred Beings. She relayed something that we all had in common. It’s related to Debbie’s post from the other day. Here it is: working with chimpanzees is an incredible privilege. It’s not something a lot of people get to do. When I’m walking with Jamie, playing with Burrito, passing a troll to Foxie, taking a photo of Jody, having a quiet interaction with Annie, admiring Missy as she runs on the hill, or simply looking at Negra with my heart swelling with love, I often think about this. But here’s the thing – this is a privilege that we shouldn’t have. I know we’ve expressed this on the blog in direct and indirect ways before. It’s one of those thoughts that you carry with you everyday as a caregiver in a sanctuary. No matter how great the moment is, no matter what amazing and wonderful thing has happened – there shouldn’t be a need for us to have jobs like this, and the chimpanzees we care about so much shouldn’t be here.

But they are here, and so are we. So we do have this privilege, and we are able to pass along this privilege vicariously to you through this blog – to tell their stories and explain what’s it is  like to care for chimpanzees. The greatest aspect of working at Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest is that we all feel this way, really without even thinking about it. We all understand that we are here for chimpanzees who deserved better. They are not here for us. And we will continue to be here for them and make their lives in captivity as good as they possibly can be.

 

Jody lying down:

Jody lie look at camera

 

Jamie walking on Young’s Hill:

Jamie walking on Young's Hill

Filed Under: Caregivers, Jamie, Jody, Sanctuary Tagged With: caregiver, caring, chimp, chimpanzee, csnw, ida africa, kindred beings, northwest, Sanctuary, sheri speede

Jacky

July 23, 2013 by Debbie

As part of our guest blogger series, here is a post by Dr. Sheri Speede. Sheri founded In Defense of Animals-Africa (IDA-Africa), after working as Northwest Director of In Defense of Animals. While working for IDA, she helped advocate for companion, farm, and research animals in the US. After a couple of trips to Cameroon, her focus shifted to providing sanctuary for chimpanzees in Africa who had been part of the illegal pet trade or were bushmeat orphans. In addition to founding IDA-Africa, she also opened Sanaga-Yong Chimpanzee Rescue Center in Cameroon. You might recall that J.B. posted a blog a couple of weeks ago about life and death. He mentioned a very moving story of how the Sanaga-Yong chimpanzees grieved after the passing of one of the residents, Dorothy.

CSNW has had a long-time connection with Sheri and IDA-Africa, and we will always be grateful for her advice on the electric fencing during the development of Young’s Hill!

Here, Dr. Speede tells the story of Jacky.

—

All but one of our 73 chimpanzee residents at Sanaga-Yong Chimpanzee Rescue Center in Cameroon’s Mbargue Forest were born to free-living mothers. Each was orphaned as a nursing infant when a poacher killed his/her mother to supply the illegal bushmeat trade. Working with the government of Cameroon, we rescued some of the orphans from hunters and dealers while they were still infants. Others suffered decades of abuse on chains or in small cages before we reached them. Resilience and capacity for emotional recovery seem to vary among individual chimpanzees as much as these life-defining qualities do among humans.

Although I am equally committed to each of our 73 chimpanzees, the gentleness coupled with profound inner strength of some individuals have inspired my deepest respect and admiration. One awe-inspiring chimpanzee who has touched me deeply is Jacky. He lived in a small cage at a hotel, first taken in as a tourist attraction, for over 30 years. When I met him in 1997 Jacky was furious and dangerous. Local people called him the “mad chimpanzee,” meaning he was crazy, and it wasn’t difficult to see how he had earned that reputation. He refused to make eye contact with us, and his various forms of stereotypy, while heart wrenching, did make him appear lost to the sane world. In one of his most disturbing and frequent manifestations, he placed one open hand in his mouth while rapidly and forcefully pounding the top of his head with his other fisted hand. He abused himself like this frequently and for minutes at a time, causing the top of his head to be bald. Anyone who accidentally veered too close to his cage paid a high price for the mistake. With lightning speed and certain intent Jacky could grab hapless hands, pull them into his cage, and with a single bite inflict irreversible damage.

web_Jacky_Atlantic_Beach_Hotel_Sheri

Jacky in his cage at Atlantic Beach Hotel, where he lived for 30 years. Photo © Sheri Speede.

After we finally succeeded in bringing Jacky to Sanaga-Yong Chimpanzee Rescue Center in 1999, he soon stopped his self-abuse. I cautiously kept my distance from him until one day he initiated a change in our relationship. After watching me care for the wound of another chimpanzee, he turned to present me with a laceration on his own back that needed care, and we became friends. While these changes in his temperament were remarkable, his rapidly evolving relationships with other chimpanzees at the sanctuary were most amazing, and his capacity for leadership that survived so many years of deprivation seemed nothing short of miraculous. He formed an alliance with adult female Nama (who had been shackled by a chain at another hotel for 16 years), and together they led a social group of chimpanzees for ten years. Under the gentle and just leadership of this powerful duo, we were able to introduce many young orphans, eventually expanding their social group to twenty-six.

Eventually, a younger, stronger male persistently challenged Jacky, and after a struggle for dominance that lasted many months, he eventually pant-grunted his submission and handed over the reins of leadership about three years ago. Today Jacky is a respected elder, and although he is no longer the alpha male, we still call the group “Jacky’s group.” Without a lot of responsibility, he spends his days playing and avoiding conflict, which seems a form of contented retirement.

web_Jacky_Carol_Yarrow

Jacky at Sanaga-Yong Chimpanzee Rescue Center. Photo: Carol Yarrow.

Sheri has written about Jacky and other chimpanzees in her book Kindred Beings, which will be published by HarperCollins in September 2013.

Filed Under: Advocacy, Free-living chimps, Sanctuary Tagged With: advocacy, animal protection, animal rescue, animal rights, Animal Welfare, chimpanzee, chimpanzee rescue, chimpanzee retirement, chimpanzee sanctuary, Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest, ida africa, jacky, primate protection, primate rescue, sanaga-yong, Sanctuary, sheri speede

IDA-Africa Auction

July 13, 2009 by Diana

There are still a few months before CSNW’s big Oct. 2nd auction fundraiser, Celebrate the Seven, but that doesn’t mean you have to wait to go to a great auction that has the added bonus of helping chimpanzees.

Here’s a message from IDA-Africa about a terrific event and a unique opportunity to learn about an amazing sanctuary in Africa:

You’re invited to celebrate IDA-Africa’s 10th Anniversary with Founder, Dr. Sheri Speede, and “Seattle’s Best Comic,” Peggy Platt, as emcee. The 10th Annual Fundraiser and Auction to benefit IDA-Africa and the Sanaga-Yong Chimpanzee Rescue Center in Cameroon will be held on Thursday, July 23rd at the Lakeside Event Center. Dr. Speede will share chimpanzee rescue stories and the details of IDA-Africa’s groundbreaking conservation campaign. Enjoy a spectacular view of the city from Lake Union while bidding on fantastic silent and live auction items, sipping on wine, and savoring the culinary delights of CaterArts. Click here for more information. Tickets are going fast and can be purchased on-line. We hope to see you there!

Filed Under: Sanctuary Tagged With: animal protection, animal rescue, chimpanzee, chimpanzee rescue, chimpanzee sanctuary, Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest, Cle Elum Seven, csnw, ida africa, sanaga-yong, sheri speede

Primary Sidebar

Subscribe To the Blog and Get Notified of New Posts First!

Archives

Calendar of Blog Posts

June 2025
S M T W T F S
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
2930  
« May    

Categories

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER

Footer

PO Box 952
Cle Elum, WA 98922
[email protected]
509-699-0728
501c3 registered charity
EIN: 68-0552915

Official DDAF Grantee

Menu

  • The Chimpanzees
  • Blog
  • About Us
  • You can help
  • Resources
  • Contact
  • Donate

Proud Member of

Connect With Us

Search

Copyright © 2024 Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest. All Rights Reserved. Site by Vegan Web Design