This sign, hung on the stairs in the playroom, was made by a volunteer 

Here’s a photo of some of the chimpanzees eating the nuts and dried fruit we scattered around the playroom. From front to back: Negra, Annie, Missy, Jody. The tables and the rocking dog are great sturdy toys donated from our Target wishlist - they will last a long time! You can also see other enrichment donations in this photo like the bongo drums, shopping cart, shoe, and the monkey sitting on the rocking dog (we’ve been saving that monkey for the party).

Foxie found a new toy! This is a photo of her going towards the stairs with the new toy in her left hand and Trixie the Troll in her right hand. The new toy (a play dog crate) was a donation from a young man in upstate New York who collected enrichment for the chimpanzees for his Bar Mitzvah project. 

Always hopeful for more food, Burrito checks out the toy pizza - a fun item donated through our Amazon wishlist.

For those who haven’t done so yet, this is a reminder to sign up for our e-newsletter. We’ll have exclusive updates and content in the newsletters, and I’ll be sending out July’s version soon - so join today: chimpsanctuarynw.kintera.org/join

Someone asked recently about Negra and how she’s doing. She’s still our queen! Here’s a new picture of her with one of her favorite foods: lettuce.

There’s a great op-ed in the New York Times today about the cost that comes with using chimpanzees in entertainment. Some of our residents here at CSNW are former “actors.” We know that Jamie and Burrito both had stints with animal trainers, and some of the others may have as well. I saw firsthand what Hollywood trainers do to make chimpanzees perform, and it’s a very sad life from start to finish. Only the lucky few make it to reputable sanctuaries. Please take a second to read the op-ed and send it around to your friends to spread the word. Together we can put an end to this practice. -Sarah

There is a window in the loft of the chimp house that looks out over the driveway. The chimps - Negra, in particular - like this spot because they can see the humans coming and going. When Sarah and I went into the playroom to clean this morning, we were not surprised to find a nest by this window. But with this nest there were just two toys from the dozens of new toys given out at yesterday’s party: a periscope and a pair of binoculars.  

The chimps had a great time at their housewarming party today. Here are a few photos - more photos and video to come.

Annie enjoys some cattails:

Burrito opens his new lunchbox: 

Foxie found a new doll, but hasn’t given up on Trixie:

Jamie got dressed up for the occasion:

Jody inspects her new pinwheel: 

Negra with a flip flop:

And as the party wound down, Missy fell asleep wearing her sunglasses on top of her head:

Well, it’s been a busy Saturday! Here’s an opportunity to spend a quiet minute with Jamie and Foxie. In this video you can see them grooming each other.  Grooming is a good way to build and maintain social bonds. Though sometimes it doesn’t seem like it, we humans do a lot of the same thing - think of how a mother might play with her child’s hair, or how reassuring it can be feel to hold hands with a loved one. Building social bonds left and right!  

Meals for the chimpanzees are served in the front rooms, but we figure it’s important to have changes and surprises amidst the routine, so we set up a frozen watermelon forage in the playroom after breakfast this morning. Sarah had frozen some watermelon with a long tube sticking out and tied it to the caging of the barn doors. When Burrito discovered it, he produced some of the most unreal food squeaks I’ve ever heard! Check out the video below. Oh, and speaking of surprises, we’re really excited about Sunday’s party for the chimps!! Thank you to everyone who got toys for the chimpanzees, and needed items for the humans to take care of them, off of the Target and Amazon wish lists.

These are of Jody enjoying her night package treat bag last night. I caught some pretty cute faces in between her chewing.   

Well, Sarah and I discussed it this morning and decided on the name Trixie for Foxie’s Troll doll. Thanks for all of the suggestions!!Trixie is still with Foxie - day five of their relationship, I believe. Here is a photo from yesterday of Foxie eating her after-dinner treat (when J.B. and I worked at Fauna, we learned to give the chimpanzees “night packages” - paper bags handed out individually to each chimpanzee. At CSNW the bags have sugar-free cereal, dried fruit and nuts. The chimpanzees love this nightly treat!)