Posts by Diana
Negra Love
A few minutes ago I watched Negra getting a drink of water. She was sitting on the step between rooms three and four and she had her right leg stretched out, with her toes pointed and just touching the floor. The thought went through my mind that I simply love everything she does. The fact…
Read MoreBoots and Grooming
As J.B. explained a few weeks ago, Jamie has a particular need from her caregivers lately – that we put on cowboy boots and run or walk around the hill while she walks or runs on the other side of the fencing. She goes back inside the greenhouse once she is satisfied with this activity.…
Read MoreGreen Day Tickets and Resident Rock Stars
I just sent out an e-newsletter with the exciting announcement of an early Out of the Box auction item available for bidding right now – four exclusive tickets to the April 16th Green Day show in Berkeley, CA plus VIP after-show passes with a meet and greet with band members! Big, big thanks to Adrienne…
Read MoreWhat’s Jamie Thinking?
I got some pretty good photos of Jamie this afternoon. We can never know what she’s thinking, but, for fun, does anyone want to take a guess? What do you think was going through her mind when these photos were taken?
Read MorePeace
As J.B. mentioned yesterday in his post, we often remind ourselves that the chimps are experiencing even the simplest aspects of life for the first time at Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest. It doesn’t make up for all the years she lost, but after almost five years at the sanctuary, Negra has experienced the peace of a…
Read MoreNegra on her own in the cabin
There are very few jobs that provide as much fulfillment as working for Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest. It’s not a stress-free occupation, and there are some heavy issues that we deal with every day, but watching the chimpanzees settle into themselves and their lives at the sanctuary is the most rewarding work I’ve ever done. For…
Read Morefull mouths, happy bellies
We’ve been taken every opportunity with the not-bad weather to spread food over Young’s Hill so the chimpanzees can forage for their meals. They LOVE forages, and it’s nice to see them doing a little bit of what they would do if they lived in the wild. Of course, free-living chimpanzees rely on the bounty…
Read MoreRelationship Status: It’s Complicated
Jamie and Burrito have a complicated relationship. Burrito is the man of the group, but Jamie is the boss. She often treats him like an annoying little brother. Sometimes she takes his food. Early on, I’d say for the first year the Cle Elum Seven were at the sanctuary, Jamie would use Burrito during fights…
Read MoreNegra in her cabin!
I took some photos last night and had a whole blog post about night bags ruminating in my head, but then, today, this happened… Negra finally spent some time in Negra’s Cabin! The thinking behind the cabin that you helped us build through our 4th anniversary fundraising, was that the chimps, particularly fair-weather-loving Negra, needed…
Read MoreBrowsing
As you probably know, the Cle Elum Seven love food. Most of their diet at the sanctuary consists of fresh fruits and vegetables, plus nuts and seeds and primate chow, but they also enjoy chewing and wadging on browse (I just looked this up – Merriam-Webster defines browse as, “tender shoots, twigs, and leaves of…
Read MoreNesting in the Cabin!
We are having another spring-like day at the sanctuary today. I can’t tell you how great it feels! I just got back from playing a very exhausting game of chase with Jamie. She wanted me to chase her while I was holding a very specific pair of boots that her friend Wanda T. sent her…
Read MoreCaptivity
We’ve been talking a lot about Jamie recently. She provides us with a lot to talk about, both on this blog and amongst the staff and volunteers at the sanctuary. We’ve told you about her artistic side, her love of cowboy boots, the challenges she presents to her caregivers to keep her busy mind active,…
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