Posts by Elizabeth
Inspector Jody
Jody often takes it upon herself to oversee the goings-on at the sanctuary. She wants everything to proceed as smoothly as possible. When we’re shifting the chimps to close off an area for cleaning, Jody sometimes hangs back in the doorway, ushering everyone through with an outstretched arm, and only going through herself when she’s…
Read MoreJamie, Reinvented
Jamie is the undisputed leader of the Cle Elum Seven, but she is not a natural leader. If Jamie spoke, her catchphrase would be “because I said so.” As a leader, she is not always interested in fairness or leniency. She isn’t interested in hearing your arguments or reasoning or appeals. She knows exactly how…
Read MoreAnnie Evolving
Annie was not brimming with confidence when she arrived at Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest. (This is an understatement.) She had a couple of things working against her: her position at the very bottom of the social hierarchy, and decades of history in research labs during which she lived in fear and frequent pain. She had every…
Read MoreGood Clean Fun
Today after cleaning the playroom, we put a small drop of non-toxic dish soap in the pool and filled it up with water. The chimpanzees all enjoy soapy water. Jamie sometimes uses it to scrub the floor, while others like to take big mouthfuls of it. They seem to like the sensation of the foamy…
Read MoreFoxie Falling Asleep
This sweet video will make you smile.
Read MoreAwkward Moments
Although Burrito isn’t the leader of the group here, the other chimps do offer him lots of submissive greetings – it’s probably their way of trying to keep him calm since he can be a bit of a Tasmanian devil. But Burrito’s social awkwardness leads him to respond to these greetings in an unusual way.…
Read MoreHappy Day
Today is warm and sunny at the sanctuary and the chimpanzees are in great moods. Annie and Missy spent much of the morning like this:
Read MoreThe Misfit
If Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest were a high school, Burrito would be the guy wearing the wrong clothes and saying the wrong things. Chimpanzee groups operate under a strict set of social rules. Wild chimpanzees learn these rules as children by watching the older members of their group. Most of the chimps at the sanctuary, despite…
Read MoreThe Hermit
Negra is the grandma of the Cle Elum Seven. She is not the kind of grandma who bakes you cookies, but the kind who tells you to get your life together and grumbles about those kids on her lawn. Negra knows exactly who she is and what she likes. She is stuck in her ways.…
Read MoreGames with Friends
Burrito is happiest when he’s eating, but playing with a caregiver comes in at a close second.
Read More6th Annual Love a Chimpanzee Day
We threw a big party this morning in honor of Love a Chimpanzee Day and Monica Best. Monica and her mom Linda don’t live locally, but they gave us some cash and told us to go buy all the chimps’ favorite foods for today’s festivities. We decked out the greenhouse in streamers, which are a…
Read MoreThe Folks Behind the Curtain
We’ve talked before about how much we rely on volunteer help to do what we do here at the sanctuary. Since last week was National Volunteer Week, we thought it’d be a good time to mention it again. Volunteers are involved in every aspect of the chimpanzees’ care. Every good thing we are able to…
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