visitors

The Humans Are Alright

June 28, 2026 by J.B. 14 Comments

For safety reasons, we humans are never inside the enclosures with the chimpanzees, but that doesn’t stop the chimps from considering us part of their social world. A typical day is filled with dozens of delightful interruptions, including requests to walk, play, and groom. Of course, we are happy to oblige (though some days—like today— it can be difficult to get anything done!).

So Many Friends

May 18, 2025 by Diana

It’s been quite the busy weekend! Central Washington University held a Legacy in Every Gesture: Celebrating CWU’s Primate Program, which included a day of events. including the dedication of a memorial honoring Washoe, Tatu, Moja, Dar, and Loulis, the chimpanzees who lived on campus and began CWU’s primate program.

Many of the staff here began our careers in the primate program, and the weekend’s events were significant to us. We are grateful for CWU President Jim Wohlpart and First Lady Sasha Wohlpart for truly honoring Washoe and her family and for bringing together people who had connections to the program over a thirty year span together this weekend.

Roger and Debbie Fouts, the founders of the Chimpanzee and Human Communication Institute who advocated for chimpanzees well before others in their field did, attended the events and were honored throughout the day. It was wonderful to see them again. Crickette Sanz gave a moving speech that told her story of working for Washoe, starting as a CWU undergraduate student, and how that led her to establishing the Goualougo Triangle Ape Project in northern Republic of Congo, where, among other things, they use noninvasive technology to monitor the chimpanzees, resulting in new discoveries about their ecology and behavior and illustrating how important it is to support the protection of the dwindling populations of chimpanzees in the wild.

Ron Dotzauer, former trustee, told the story of how the innovative building for the chimpanzees came to fruition, thanks to some political savvy and people in high positions who cared about animals. The chimpanzees, of course, no longer live on campus. Tatu and Loulis are at the Fauna Foundation in Quebec, and the site where their home was is now dorms. Dorms that now have a memorial in front that remembers the chimpanzees who once lived there.

We were glad to be able to host some of the attendees, including friends we hadn’t seen in decades, for a visit to the sanctuary the next day. Then it was off to Dru Bru for a successful and fun pint night fundraiser that the Primate Awareness Network organized!

The chimpanzees were very interested in the visitors. Terry spent the most time outside quietly observing everyone, and Jamie demanded to see everyone’s footwear.

These photos are not from this weekend, but I feel they fit in with the uplifting feeling that the weekend’s events and connecting with old and new friends manifested.

Negra at the top of Young’s Hill:

Burrito on Carlene’s Tower under the trees:

Gordo enjoying some corn:

Terry observing:

Jamie exploring:

All Around the Raspberry Bush

July 25, 2023 by Chad de Bree

When caregivers are assigned to be the lead caregiver on a certain day, one of our first tasks is to “open up” the Chimp House. For me, this is one of the best times of day because it’s still early in the morning and some residents are still not fully awake. Case in point: Negra

To walk in the morning to see Negra still in bed, you kind of watch in real time what kind of mood she will be in that particular day. And yes. She has been in a really good mood today.

Since she was in a good mood upon awakening, and because today’s high temperature in Central Washington is 70º, it was a perfect day for a lunch forage on Young’s Hill. As of this typing (almost dinner time), they have been going on and off Young’s Hill looking for anything they may have missed. On today’s forage menu was: baby iceberg lettuce heads, prickly pears, and sweet potatoes.

Foxie