Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

stuffed animal

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!

Jamie's nest

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It’s been very quiet here today. Freezing rain has left everything coated in a thick layer of ice, making it nearly impossible to travel to or from the sanctuary.

Jamie didn’t seem too upset by the fact that her two-acre habitat had frozen over. In fact, she seemed to relish the opportunity to stay inside, make a cozy nest with blankets, giant stuffed animals, and her favorite boots, and leisurely flip through a new book about primates.

Snuggle Up

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The CSNW chimps have a love/hate relationship with stuffed animals. Sometimes they like to tear apart stuffed animals—maybe to use their stuffing for bedding, or just for fun. Other times, they like to play with them or even cuddle with them, like Jamie did the other day: