Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

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Archives for September 23, 2011

Reassurance

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As I mentioned earlier, we’ve been putting forages out on the hill to encourage the chimps to go out. Negra will do anything for lettuce, so we’ve been using trails of lettuce leaves to lead her across the log bridge to the lowest platform. Tonight she climbed to the top of the platform for what I think was the first time.

On her way back she heard something that startled her. Determined to stay with her lettuce, she sought reassurance from a caregiver from afar, and then from Jamie who approached from below.

Negra amazes me. Imagine the courage that it takes to venture out into the wide open after living 35+ years in cages scarcely bigger than your own body. I am thrilled to see her on that hill.

Missy

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So far Missy is the star of Young’s Hill. She is completely at home out there and already has her favorite spots picked out. There’s the two structures connected by a fire hose ladder at the top of the hill, which provide a great vantage point:

Then when she needs to rest in the shade, she heads down to the hammock:

Many of you already know that Missy loves to jump. She’s already discovered the best place for that:

We’ve been putting out forages on the hill each morning to entice some of the more hesitant chimps to venture out. Negra came out three times this morning and even did some lounging under one of the platforms. Jody is still too scared to go out, but that doesn’t mean she hasn’t been able to enjoy the forages. This morning, we watched Missy walk bipedally down the hill with her arms full of food. When she got to the greenhouse, she dumped it all in the front of Jody and took only one piece for herself. Jody was very pleased.