Posts by Elizabeth
Oh, Happy Day
Today was a happy, happy day at the sanctuary. There was snow on the ground, the sun was shining, and we all celebrated the life and memory of Dr. Mel Richardson. (Thanks again to Lynn, Connie, and Sue and Dawn and Jo for sponsoring today in celebration of what would have been Dr. Mel’s 64th…
Read MoreGoing Her Own Way
Annie has been steadily growing in confidence since arriving at the sanctuary. And with her newfound confidence has come an increased independence. There was a time when Annie wouldn’t leave her best friend Missy’s side. Missy was not only friend but security blanket. And while Missy is still no doubt Annie’s favorite person in the…
Read MoreWrestling on a Thursday Afternoon
Jamie takes her job as boss very seriously, but Foxie can usually get her to let loose for awhile.
Read MoreFoxie’s dolls
We try our best to vary which chimps are featured on the blog, so that no one is over or underexposed. But sometimes good material for a blog post just comes to us, and we have to go with it. So, I have a Foxie video to share today, despite the fact that the blog…
Read MoreHappy Birthday, Don Young!
Today we’re celebrating Don Young’s 75th birthday. Don and Karen Young have been endlessly generous in their support of the sanctuary and the Cle Elum Seven. Among many other things, Don and Karen provided the contribution that allowed us to break ground on what is now known as Young’s Hill. Each time the chimpanzees step…
Read MoreSleepy Lips
There’s usually not much obvious difference between Negra awake and Negra asleep. Even when she’s awake, she’s often lying in a nest with a blanket draped over her head. But you can always tell when Negra is ready to close her eyes because her lips start looking too heavy for her face.
Read MoreAcrobatics
If Foxie were a superhero, she’d be Spiderwoman.
Read MoreNothing To See Here
Posting to the blog is one of my favorite job duties. I love sharing stories, photos, or videos of the chimpanzees, because someone is almost always doing something funny, endearing, impressive, or otherwise interesting. But capturing these moments on camera can be a challenge. I just came across a series of photos Diana took a…
Read MoreThe Scavenger
Chimpanzees are natural foragers, but Burrito also has a little bit of scavenger in him. He can often be found hours after a meal prowling the area for any bits of food the other chimps may have overlooked. Today shortly before lunch, he found a peanut that had been missed at breakfast. A single peanut…
Read MoreSanctuary means…
I think sanctuary means something different to each of the chimpanzees. To Negra, it means the joy that a single peanut brings.
Read MoreThanksgiving
Negra: Annie: Jamie (with Foxie in the background): Jody: Burrito: We have so much to be thankful for today: volunteers Patti, Denice, Sandra, and Joel, who spent their holiday caring for the chimpanzees; supporters like Robert Maurer who sponsored today for the chimps; and all of you out there who love the Cle Elum Seven…
Read MoreRoots
The majority of the time, chimpanzees are silent. And they are often sweet and playful. But chimpanzee behavior is much more complex than that. Adult chimpanzees are many times stronger than the strongest humans, their behavior is unpredictable, and they often solve problems with physical aggression. Whereas a typical human family squabble probably won’t progress…
Read More