Missy and Annie spent some time grooming on the platform outside this afternoon. It had just started to sprinkle, so Missy covered herself up with a blanket to stay dry.
When chimps find something good during grooming (usually a piece of dead skin), they will often inspect it. Here, Annie is holding out her lower lip to check something out.
We love you, Karen! :)
Annie and Missy never seem to tire of each other. Maybe it’s because they’re always thinking up new ways to play. This morning, during a lengthy play session, Annie decided to stand on Missy.
Volunteers Amanda and Tennyson helped us build a new enrichment device for the chimps. The woven fire hose has pockets to stick browse in (browse includes leaves, branches and twigs – an important part of a chimp’s diet). Many thanks to Chimps Inc. and the Honolulu Zoo for the idea! Annie, Missy and Jody spent hours picking out the cattails, bamboo and fennel.
While we were installing the browse feeder, we also hung a few more fire hose swings near the new windows. As you can see, they created the perfect game for Missy.
Today we celebrated Missy’s 35th Birthday. What a great day! We set the party up first thing this morning and scattered tons of gift bags of goodies from Dick and Robbi, and set up a forage of oranges, peaches, carrots, frozen cantaloupe, and “night bags” (or “breakfast bags”, if you will) of sunflower seeds, which were hidden inside the gift bags. The chimps loved the party and were in excellent moods for the duration of the day!
If you are friends with Missy or any of the Cle Elum Seven chimps on Facebook, you might have seen posts this morning about another birthday fundraiser. It’s not too late to participate- send us a $35 donation and I’ll email a special gift to you and a friend (be sure to put your friend’s email in the gift note section of the donation form). She’s celebrating with her friends, why don’t you celebrate with a friend as well?!
Missy:
Negra enjoying her “breakfast bag”:
Burrito and Foxie enjoying some frozen cantaloupe:
Jamie, in true spirit of a party:
Missy eating a carrot:
Here’s a peek at the party:
In case you haven’t heard through all of the chimps’ Facebook status updates (yes, each chimp has their own FB page, which can be found through this link), thanks to volunteer Stephanie Perciful, the chimps had a pirate-themed party yesterday. What an awesome idea! Stephanie did an awesome job (as usual) collecting pirate-themed enrichment for the chimps, so the playroom was covered in buried treasures (e.g. gold beaded necklaces) and skulls and crossbones. Thanks, Steph!
Tickets are selling fast for Out of the Box, the 2010 Auction Gala Event!
Below are a just a few of the incredible art items that will be up for auction, these pieces are of the Cle Elum Seven chimpanzees. There are a lot of other art items, as well as wine and just for fun certificates and getaways. Check out the Auction Items page for a list (and check back often for updates!)
Lucy Birkitt’s oil painting of Negra:
Margaret Parkinson‘s oil painting entitled “Jamie Undercover”:
Diane Frederick‘s wood burned portrait of Annie:
Sally-Anne Ryan‘s painting, also of Annie
Join us for an Out of the Box evening. Get your tickets now!
Missy managed to get three of the seven onions that were just harvested from the garden:
When Missy was done with them, Jamie finished them off:
Annie enjoyed the carrots from Cloudview Ecofarm:
Burrito munched on lettuce:
Jody, as usual, laid down to eat:
Great news! Today we installed the last of the cageless playroom windows.
Here is a before shot of the garden side of the playroom:
And here is the after shot, with four caged windows replaced with chimp-proof glass:
Here is a before shot of the wall facing the chimpanzees’ outdoor area (these are the windows you’ll see in the video below, from the other side):
And here is the after shot, with three upstairs and one downstairs window replaced with chimp-proof glass:
This video was taken yesterday when the chimps were first given access to the outdoor area after the installation of the two upper left picture windows. The upper right window wasn’t quite finished, but it was the first time the chimps could sit in that windowsill because it was previously covered by a large polycarbonate panel on the outdoor area side. Everyone was visibly excited about the new additions and spent the remainder of the afternoon climbing in and out (and in and out) of the new windowsills.
To everyone who has given funds, time and energy, or kind words: We can’t thank you enough. You have given the chimps a brighter view!
Get your own copy of the book Sanctuary: Year One. Forward by Jane Goodall. Full of amazing photos of the Cle Elum Seven. Shop for all items in the online store.
