Posts by Elizabeth
Bubbles
Once in awhile we make bubbles for the chimps with a small drop of non-toxic dish soap. They seem to like how the bubbles feel in their mouths.
Read MoreAfter Hours
After dinner each day, most of the chimps grab their blankets and bed down for the night. Jody: Negra: But for Jamie, the day is just getting started. Jamie likes to be in control. It’s hard to say whether this is a result of spending decades in a research lab where she was absolutely powerless,…
Read MoreYear Four
In celebration of CSNW’s 8th Anniversary, we are taking a trip down memory lane. Today we look back on the chimpanzees’ fourth year at the sanctuary. By the beginning of Year Four, we had a long-standing dream of expanding the sanctuary and giving the chimpanzees a spacious, open-air outdoor habitat, unlike anything they had experienced…
Read MoreA Big, Joyful Day
We have a lot to celebrate today! Negra is turning 43, and it has been eight years to the day since the Cle Elum Seven stepped off the transport trailer and into their new home at the sanctuary. (If you haven’t already, check out Diana’s thoughts in this morning’s blog post here.) I think these…
Read MoreSelf-Care
We’ve been asked how the chimpanzees keep their nails short. For most of them, it’s the result of normal wear and tear, but Jamie has her own technique.
Read MoreBurrito, Burrito Everywhere
We’re aware that some of the chimpanzees are overrepresented on this blog, while others are sadly underrepresented. The chimps vary a great deal in their sociality with caregivers and in their camera-shyness (or total lack of camera-shyness). Jamie, Burrito, and Foxie are very interactive with their human friends, so it’s usually easy to get photos…
Read MoreThen and Now
For lunch today, we set out a forage on Young’s Hill. Life is so dramatically different for the Cle Elum Seven these days than it was just eight years ago. Gone are the days of climate-controlled, windowless buildings, hard surfaces, and cramped spaces. Life now is bright green grass, warm sun, gentle breezes, and roses…
Read MoreBurrito, All Wrapped Up
In many ways, Burrito is a typical male chimpanzee. He can be blustery and macho. His loud, boisterous displays often involve him swatting the girls as he charges by them, hair standing on end. Still, there is something innocent about him. After living for decades in lab cages with extremely limited contact with others of…
Read MoreWhat Gives Us Comfort
Some of the Cle Elum Seven have become so attached to their favorite objects or habits that it’s hard to think of the individual without also thinking of their “thing.” For Foxie, it’s a couple of dolls: For Burrito, it’s a toy in his mouth: For Jamie, it’s snuggling up with a boot: For Negra,…
Read MoreLunch Is On Us
Grab a snack, relax, and enjoy lunch with the Cle Elum Seven.
Read MoreTo Know Someone
There are many obvious differences between the chimpanzees’ current lives in sanctuary and their former lives in research labs. We often mention the blue sky, green grass, fresh air, soft blankets, and good food that are regular features of their lives at the sanctuary. There’s another difference that I think about often: After decades as…
Read MoreA Little Burrito to Brighten Your Day
Burrito is having a pretty good Monday, and he hopes you are, too.
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