Posts by Diana
The Chimps are Fine
You may have heard that the Jolly Mountain Fire is not far from Cle Elum. Before I explain any further, know that the sanctuary is outside of the danger area. So, if you are worried about the chimps, don’t be, but if you’d like to help them today anyway, please do check out the online…
Read MoreJamie Chimpanzee the Firefighter
You probably know that Jamie is a pretty awesome chimpanzee. What you may not know is how, last year, she alerted the humans to a fire that was approaching the sanctuary property. You can read about that here. It’s fire season again here in the Northwest, and the Jolly Mountain Fire is currently burning in…
Read MoreExcitement (or not) of the day
This morning, we humans noticed a large puddle above the greenhouse. Since we have not had significant rain in months, we knew that there must be an issue with the irrigation system. J.B. was called in to investigate, and Jody watched his every move very carefully (from a comfortable position): The investigation involved entering…
Read Morea special gift for Jamie
Jamie’s birthday isn’t until October 31st, but her friend Vicki sent her a very special gift recently.
Read MoreThe Perfect Photo
Foxie is off the charts lovable. Her affection for troll dolls is endearing. Her ability to get even the very serious Jamie to cut loose is admirable. Her willingness to step in and give a reassurance hug to any chimpanzee who needs it during a conflict is brave. Her goofiness is contagious. Her habit of…
Read MoreIt’s Beets!
The lunch forage on the hill today included quite a variety of vegetables, but the beets were a favorite. Bonus: they are easy to carry back to the greenhouse to enjoy. Eating beets temporarily stains the chimps’ white freckles a lovely shade of pink, and cleaning up the day after a beet feast is always…
Read MoreMorning Exploration
On these summer mornings, when there’s still a slight coolness to the air and the sun is low in the sky, the chimpanzees often explore the outdoor habitat. They head out on their own, in pairs, or sometimes as a group, generally splitting off to do some private exploration. They go to the top of…
Read MoreA look back at Jamie
This video speaks for itself. Take a look at Jamie nine years ago and today.
Read MoreMissy winning lunch
If today’s lunch forage were a contest, Missy definitely took first prize! Save
Read Morethe privilege of being a caregiver
I first started working with chimpanzees in 1998, and I have been with the Cle Elum Seven for the entirety of their life at the sanctuary, even meeting them before they arrived on June 13, 2008. And I still can’t believe that I have the privilege of caring for these amazing, playful, temperamental, intelligent, sensitive,…
Read MoreMissy making choices
Last night, Dr. Steve Ross from Lincoln Park Zoo spoke at nearby Central Washington University. He was invited by the Primate Awareness Network, which is a CWU student organization affiliated with the Primate Behavior and Ecology (PBE) program. This is a really unique program, so I’m going to take a moment to give it some…
Read MoreHOOT! Sponsors: Merritt and John Atwood
This is the seventh in our series of blog posts celebrating sponsors of the HOOT! 2017 Spring Fling gala. Past posts celebrated Poppoff, Inc., Martha Faulkner Real Estate, Darwin’s Natural Pet Products, Jennifer and David Roers, Tracy Headley, and Pam Lehnert & Marc Warner. Today is in honor of HOOT! sponsors Merritt and John…
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