Posts by Elizabeth
Burrito in the Spotlight
I hope these photos of the dashing Mr. B make your day a little brighter. Let us know which is your favorite!
Read MoreNegra Unleashed
A few days ago was the five year anniversary of the chimpanzees going outside onto Young’s Hill for the first time. For many of the chimps, it was probably the first time they had ever been outside in their lives, and it took some adjustment. Out of all the chimps at the sanctuary, Negra has…
Read MoreWe Like What We Like
Jamie spent her childhood living in a human home, and like all chimps who begin their lives in human homes, she quickly grew too strong and unmanageable. Jamie was sold to a research lab when she was about nine years old, and spent the next 22 years in hepatitis vaccine trials and possibly other invasive…
Read MoreAn Imperfect Life
In Negra’s alternate life – the one she should have had – she was born in the wilds of Africa, enjoyed a long, lazy childhood by her mother’s side, spent her days traveling with her group, climbing trees, and playing with friends, and grew up to have and raise her own babies and grandbabies. In…
Read MoreHow Far We’ve Come
Jamie eight years ago in the lab: Jamie today:
Read MoreA Day in the Life
9:00am: Up the winding driveway… Good morning, sanctuary! Ellie the elk started the day in her favorite spot under the observation deck: Volunteer caregivers Denice and Sandra set to work preparing breakfast: Usually when we arrive for the day this time of year there are several chimps outside in the greenhouse. Today it was just…
Read MoreOn Patrol
One of the duties of dominant chimpanzees in the wild is to patrol the perimeter of their territories regularly to keep their group safe from intruders. Here at the sanctuary, Jamie leads the patrols. She’ll do it by herself if she has to, but she prefers to have a caregiver come along. Anywhere from a…
Read MoreLabor Day Play
This Labor Day, the Cle Elum Seven are celebrating by not laboring at all.
Read MoreThe Boss Lets Her Hair Down
Jamie is so serious all the time that seeing her play is kind of like seeing your no-nonsense boss let loose at the office Christmas party: a little strange, but ultimately a total joy.
Read MoreNo blog post today, sorry
Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest is a pretty small operation. On any given day, there are one or two staff members working in the chimp house (one of the two staff members is designated the Lead Caregiver for the day; this is the person who operates doors, unlocks enclosures, posts to the blog, and generally calls the…
Read MoreA Guy and His Food
One of my favorite mood-lifters is watching Burrito eat. He’s not picky about food; he just wants as much as possible, as often as possible.
Read MoreFoxie Saves Her Doll
Foxie has an interesting relationship with her dolls. At times she beats them with wooden spoons or bites their limbs off, and at other times she snuggles them to her chest and kisses them. They serve multiple functions: they’re playthings, they provide comfort and companionship, and they’re there when she feels the urge to nurture.
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