1997 – 2017 YEARS Annual Report 2016 © NJ Wight Dear Friends, We have so much to share with you in this annual report and so much to look forward to in the years ahead. We take this time to update you on the past year and to share some of the vision, dreams and goals for the year and years ahead. Looking back at 2016 we have so much to be grateful for, special new friendships with Dolly and Blackie, and welcoming new supporters, volunteers, interns and friends into our lives. We are blessed to have an amazing team of caregiving staff as well as office, grounds and maintenance staff who take care of all aspects of Fauna. Most of all we are so grateful and blessed each day to have the continued support of © NJ Wight Sue Ellen our amazingly loving and supportive long time friends of Fauna, you!!!! Deborah Fouts. They came to visit a place to live. That name was Dr. For without you we would not be with Tatu and Loulis and of course I James Mahoney and in February of able to provide the lifestyle we do know their visit would not have been 1997 we made the journey to New for our residents and for that we are complete without spending time York State to meet him. It was on deeply grateful. with Mary Lee and her youngest that day 20 years ago we met Sue daughter Addy. It was a very special Ellen, Billy Jo, Donna Rae, Yoko, We are blessed to be celebrating 20 visit for me, I must say, for without Jeannie, Melalot, Petra, Chance, years of caring for our remarkable this wonderful group of people Rachel, Jethro, Regis, Binky and residents. To have Sue Ellen here my destiny would have been very Annie. We had not yet met Pablo, with us as she celebrates her 50th different. Pepper, or Tommy. birthday is something special indeed. Sue Ellen has outlived the As many of you know, I first was To come full circle and to have two group she came to Fauna with back inspired while meeting Roger, Debbi, of the first five chimpanzees I had in 1997—that amazing group of and Mary Lee on an Earthwatch met in my life,Tatu and Loulis, here chimpanzees who started it all for expedition to their sanctuary, with us now is such a blessing and a us. Up until a few weeks ago Sue the Chimpanzee & Human miracle. Now I have the opportunity Ellen was our eldest resident ever. Communication Institute (CHCI) to learn all that I missed learning Now the circle of elders has grown in Ellensburg, Washington. It was before from Roger, Debbie and with Dolly and Blackie moving to my time at CHCI that set my path Mary Lee. This is more than I can Fauna and the celebration of Dolly’s and my fate. I feel as though Roger, ever have dreamed of happening. It 50th Birthday. That day there were Debbie and Mary Lee were my was as though the stars were aligned lots of homemade muffins in the mentors, although we did not spend and our paths were meant to cross chimp house, a favorite of Dolly much time together, their influence once again. and Blackie we have discovered! It and support gave me the courage to is a joy to see our elders enjoy the begin a sanctuary. Friends of Washoe and Mary Lee are lifestyle Fauna offers them. fully immersed in our daily lives now. It was 20 years ago in January 1997 They have always been the ones who A highlight this past year and deeply when Richard and I made a trip to planted the seed in my heart and moving day for me was to have Ellensburg to discuss the details soul. They have watered and fed the people I feel are responsible of starting a sanctuary. It was that that seed over the years in so many for the life path I am on visit Fauna. January when Roger gave us the ways and are without a doubt part of We were blessed to have a very name of a contact in a laboratory the root system of Fauna. special visit this year from Roger and with chimpanzees who would need 2 Dr. Mary Lee Jensvold as you our residents combined with the remaining four passed away leaving may know is on Fauna’s Board, is great knowledge that comes from just Dolly and Blackie who have now Fauna’s Associate Director, and CHCI. We feel there is nothing joined our family. In all Fauna has our successor. Working with Mary more important than providing the been home to 23 chimpanzees and Lee every day has been such an best possible care and caregivers. 7 monkeys. Our numbers are small incredible experience. It is never Caregivers who understand the compared to some of the bigger too late to learn new things and our needs of captive chimpanzees and sanctuaries but perfect as a place to partnership has set Fauna on a new who communicate with appropriate train and teach caregiving skills. path towards the future with a focus chimpanzee behaviors provide the on how to care for chimpanzees best care possible. It is so much This year we lost a very dear friend in captivity by understanding their more than just handing out blankets and Board Member. A remarkable behaviors, showing deep respect for and giving food!!!! It is complex, man Norman “Taylor” Walsh came their preferences and boundaries, complicated, requires intuition, into our lives many years ago with and, of course most of all, their compassion, empathy, concern, his heart of gold and personality communication. intelligence, speed, attention to unmatched by anyone else. Taylor detail, and so much more. lit up our lives in a way that is hard Twenty years later that seed has to describe and the lessons he turned into a very big tree with Our dream is to share our taught us about “doing the right many branches and much strength. knowledge and skills with others thing” were invaluable. We will As we grow toward the future we and help those who look forward continue to advocate on behalf are moving in new direction. Our to a specialized career in caring of all chimpanzees from all places, sanctuary is full of chimpanzees for chimpanzees in a sanctuary laboratories, private ownership, and full of possibilities to help environment. There are so many entertainment and those losing make a brighter future for other things we do at Fauna that are homes in their land of origin. We will chimpanzees who hopefully will unique and important for the well speak out for our monkey friends make it to sanctuary. being of chimpanzees in captivity. and work hard to see some of the We are hoping to share our culture same changes made for them When we first began our sanctuary with others and help make a brighter that we saw for chimpanzees. We 20 years ago there were less than future for more chimpanzees. will always do our best to make a 10 chimpanzees from research in difference in the lives of those in sanctuaries in the US or Canada We are blessed to have had the need and we will do it in honor of at that time. Today there are more opportunity to build a home and Taylor and other special friends we than 500 chimpanzees in sanctuaries offer a new life for the first and only have lost this year who believed in and hundreds of chimpanzees still chimpanzees to live in a Canadian our work and our vision. waiting for their chance. Some may sanctuary. Our first 15 residents were never get that chance if we don’t very special, 8 of the first 15 made I pray you will support this vision work hard to make it happen and history as the first HIV+ chimpanzees and realize just how important it create places for them to live. to ever retire to a sanctuary. They set is. Remembering always that you the course for so many others after have had an important role in all we With this demand for new them. have done. Your commitment and sanctuaries, there is a great need friendship has been an inspiration for qualified people to care for the While our story started with 15 and a blessing. All you have done chimpanzees in them. Some lab chimpanzees, we have experienced and continue to do for us has researchers have an idea of retiring 8 losses, we welcomed other made dreams come true and most the chimps at the facilities where chimpanzees in need of a home importantly has made a difference in they currently live—in the labs! This and today we have 14 residents. the lives of others. plan from our perspective would In 2013 two special chimpanzees not really be the best for the chimps Tatu and Loulis came back into my God bless you and thank you for if the same people with the same life. In 2002 we welcomed our first without your help none of this could attitudes and ways of doing things chimpanzee from a zoo in Northern have been possible. continue to care for the chimps. So Quebec, Toby. In 2007 we welcomed there is and will continue to be a three more chimpanzees, Spock, need for newly trained caregivers. Maya and Sophie, from a zoo in Quebec City. This left only one more Our vision and focus for the years zoo in Canada to have chimpanzees, ahead will be on sharing all we Parc Safari.