Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest
Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary
I keep thinking about the photo below. Jody looks so fragile. Like all of the chimpanzees who came from the laboratory, Jody’s hair is very sparse and her skin is loose over her atrophied muscles. I think this will be a “Before” photo and I will take another photo from the same vantage point in several months. Soaking in the sun and having the ability to climb and run and play will make a huge difference.
I’ve got my hands full today processing a whole bunch of produce that Safeway gave to us this morning. They’ve been wonderful and are setting aside produce that they pull from their stock each day – most of it has only slight blemishes.I wanted to be sure to tell everyone that the chimpanzees are now in the big playroom. The stairs were secured this morning and we did a thorough check of the area. The actual “release” into the play area was fairly mellow. I think that the group was fairly uncertain about going into that big space. Once in, however, they settled in pretty quickly. Missy almost immediately began nesting, and when she saw Annie making a nest in another spot, Missy took her blankets and made her bed right next to Annie’s. Jamie is checking out everything and, as predicted, especially likes to look through the window into the human kitchen. She’s pretty excited about Safeway’s generous produce gifts and is watching me intently as I wash strawberries, carrots, potatoes, melons, apples, radishes, and organic lettuce. When Foxie went into the play area, she was clearly a little wary, and she spent at least 20 minutes just walking around the perimeter of the inside of the room, checking everything out. Although there’s a sturdy set of stairs now in the play area to get to the loft and catwalk (mostly for the benefit of humans), Negra has decided to use the railing instead, chimpanzee-style. It’s great to see her do this and I look forward to reporting more new behaviors and acrobatic prowess from all. I’ll post photos as soon as I can! Diana
It seems like months since the chimpanzees arrived. Has it only been two and a half days? Here are a few things we’ve been privileged to learn from the chimps so far:
1. Jamie is a problem solver! She took a bucket of soapy water and a scrub brush (which we put in the cage as enrichment) and scrubbed the floors and walls! She also likes to wear clothes and look through purses and bags.
2. Missy and Annie are best friends. They spend pretty much all day together, grooming and playing.
3. Negra loves to hide under blankets. Last night during dinner as she sat on her platform in Cage 1, I saw her put a blanket completely over her whole body (and head!), taking her cantaloupe with her. I could see her eating her fruit underneath.
4. Foxie likes mirrors. Diana held one up for her yesterday and she spent a long time gazing at herself in all sorts of different facial expressions. My favorite was when she kept making a pant hoot face (with trumpeted lips) into the mirror. Negra used the mirror to look at other people without having to turn around!
I’m going to post pictures in the next entry right now.
Foxie gazing at playroom from first front room.
Click on the words “Negra’s Home” at the end of the paragraph for a video of Negra filmed yesterday coming into her new home!! She was the last chimpanzee to be tranferred in. You can see in the video that she comes right in and excitedly greets Sarah, who was taking the video. When the door is opened for her, she goes through to meet up with her chimpanzee friends waiting in the other front rooms. Negra’s home
