Posts by J.B.
Quiet Moments?
Kelsi and I were just talking about how difficult it is to come up with a new blog title each day now that we have published over 5,600 of them. Often times we are left starting blankly at the screen long after the workday ends, with all but the title completed. Quiet Moments…hmmm, have I…
Read MoreLight Reading
Cy’s reaction to magazines still catches me off guard. Is someone food squeaking? Alarm barking? Oh, it’s just Cy looking at magazines again. We’re going to need a name for that vocalization. Willy B continues to be the center of attention at the sanctuary. When he goes into the courtyard, the Seven hoot and holler,…
Read MoreDora’s Got a Crush
Willy B must be feeling pretty good about himself these days, as he seems to be setting some of the new girls’ hearts a flutter. The first time they laid eyes on him, Dora and Rayne pant-grunted towards him and then turned to each other and hugged. And now, each time Willy B goes outside,…
Read MoreThe Terry and Cy Show
For their first 30 days here, our new arrivals will be in quarantine to protect the health of the chimps already at the sanctuary. In addition to keeping the groups physically separated, the staff must change scrubs, gloves, boots, and masks anytime they go between groups in order to prevent cross-contamination. To make life easier,…
Read MoreHoney B’s Birthday Party
A very Happy Birthday to the one-and-only Honey B! As Orwell didn’t quite say: All animals are unique but some animals are more unique than others. And no one is more unique than Honey B. And a very Happy Animal Sanctuary Caregiver’s Day, as well, to our friends and colleagues around the world and especially…
Read MoreScenes From the Day
Sometimes I curse the invention of smartphones, but there’s something to be said about having a camera in your pocket at all times – especially when you spend your days with chimpanzees. So here’s a random collection of clips I recorded today. While we’re at it, here’s a smartphone photo of Mave from last week.
Read MoreThe Many Uses of Fire Hose
Nicolas Santos, an 8th grade student at St. Luke School, recently collected fire hose for the chimpanzees. Nicolas’ parents, Erica (a former CSNW board member) and Enjay (a former CSNW volunteer), gathered up the family to help deliver it to the sanctuary. The response to his project was so overwhelming that they had to rent…
Read MoreIn Between Storms
We’re enjoying another day of much-needed rain showers here in Central Washington. As I write this, the chimps have retreated into the playrooms to build nests or groom with friends while they wait out another storm. This morning, however, was sunny and warm and the chimps took the opportunity to get some exercise on the…
Read MoreTable for One
As we opened up the hill this morning, the chimps scampered off in different directions. They harvested plants from across the hill and stuffed their mouths with grass, dandelions, and prickly lettuce. By the time breakfast was ready, the chimps were nowhere to be found. With the exception of Negra, that is. So as we…
Read MoreThe 3rd Annual Running of the Cows (and One Steer)
I hope you experience the same vicarious joy that I do when watching the cows race to their spring pastures each year.
Read MoreThe Celebration
We had our hands full this afternoon with the virtual tour for the Chimps in Need Campaign, but Anna somehow managed to snap a few photos of the Seven enjoying their Love a Chimpanzee Day celebration. Don’t forget – you can help us welcome six more chimpanzees to Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest this year by donating…
Read MoreSerious Business
In the greenhouse, there’s a small bench with a digital scale inside. When a chimp sits on the scale, we can look up at the display panel and record their weight. This is important for overall health management as well as for dosing medications. While the bench might seem to the chimps to be like…
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