Posts by Keri
Natural enrichment
We’re always trying to come up with ways to can keep the Cle Elum Seven enriched throughout the day. We offer toys, blankets, boots, dolls, clothing, containers (to name a few) each day. But, sometimes nature provides the best forms of enrichment, including grass and plants to forage, birds to watch (and chase) and snakes…
Read MoreHome
When I look at pictures like these, I wonder what is going through the chimpanzee’s mind. I wonder if Annie knows that her days full of anxiety are a thing of the past. I wonder if she knows the rest of her days at the sanctuary will be filled with moments when she can feel…
Read MoreExtras
It’s pretty easy to rack up 100 plus pictures of the chimpanzees throughout the course of a day. What’s not always easy is going through all of them, figuring out which ones to save and which ones to delete. Deleting the ones that are blurry or not quite in focus is pretty much a no-brainer.…
Read MoreGreen makes everything more vibrant
Spring, a season symbolic of renewal, growth and new beginnings. Now that spring has “officially” begun, the chimps’ daily routine revolves more on finding fresh green grass and new plants to eat, watching birds and inspecting any movement in the grass. Plus, it’s the season when pictures of the chimps out on the hill look…
Read MoreEaster, Chimp Style
**Warning** This post contains a lot of photos!! Easter, chimp style, involves good food… …enrichment with hidden food inside… …toys and dolls… …an Easter egg hunt in the greenhouse… and in the playroom… and, of course, the Cle Elum Seven!! Missy found one of the eggs with peanuts inside. Burrito scored with the primate chow…
Read MorePurple boots and Missy’s stance
It all started with Jamie insisting we go for a walk around Young’s Hill. For those of you new to the blog, Jamie chimpanzee loves for us humans to wear her favorite boots and join her on her perimeter patrols (humans on one side of the electric fences, Jamie on the other). I did the…
Read MoreServing
I’ve been wanting to write a blog post about serving food for a while now in response to a question I am frequently asked. How do we give food to the chimpanzees if we never enter the enclosures with them or stick our fingers into the enclosures? There are a few different options, including serving…
Read MoreJamie Chimpanzee
Age: 38ish. Her exact birthday is unknown, but she was likely born in 1977. We celebrate her birthday on Halloween to celebrate her mischievous personality. Check out the following link to find out more about Jamie’s story prior to arriving at CSNW. Nicknames: James. She is also referred to as “The Boss” Favorite food: Pears…
Read MoreBurrito Chimpanzee
Age: 33. His actual birthday is January 6, 1983. Click on the link to find out more about Burrito’s history prior to arriving at CSNW. Nicknames: B, Mr. B, Bub, Bubs, Bubba Best friend: Foxie Favorite food: FOOD!!!!! Best known for: His love of food, playing chase with caregivers, getting massaged while playing tug-of-war, playing…
Read MoreJody Chimpanzee
Age: 40ish. Her records indicate she was born in 1975, possibly in the wild. We celebrate her birthday on Mother’s Day each year to honor the nine children she brought into this world, all of whom were taken from her in the labs. Nicknames: Jo, Jo-jo, Farmer Jo, Jody the Harvester Favorite things to do:…
Read MoreFoxie chimpanzee
Age: 39. She was born on August 8th, 1976 at Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research in Texas. Nicknames: Fox, Fox-fox, Tiny (she’s the smallest of the chimps here at CSNW) Best friend: Burrito Favorite food: Fruit and fruit smoothies!! Best known for: Her love of troll and Dora dolls. She also loves to play “Toss…
Read MoreCelebrating Valentine’s Day Chimp Style
How did the chimpanzees celebrate Valentine’s Day? Well, with a party of course! Volunteer caregivers Patti and Debbie prepared today’s breakfast smoothie and enrichment along with the help of staff member Elizabeth. After we finished cleaning the Playroom (one of the chimps’ indoor enclosures), we laid out blankets in the shape of hearts on the…
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