Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

Archives for July 2014

Negra’s lips

by

One of my favorite blog posts is one that J.B. posted about the stages of Negra’s lips drooping. I think her heavy lips are one of her more endearing qualities, wouldn’t you agree?

web_Negra_heavy_lip_close-up_gh_dg_IMG_2145

web_Negra_heavy_lip_close-up_gh_dg_IIMG_2146

web_Negra_heavy_lip_arms_crossed_close-up_gh_dg_IIMG_2153

A quiet moment between friends

by

We are in the middle of our second heatwave of the season and the chimpanzees are spending much of their time in the cooler chimp house. (With the exception of Jamie who just returned from her third perimeter walk of the day and is currently on her fourth). I recently found Foxie and Dora lounging in the greenhouse, enjoying the breeze:

web_Foxie_closeup_relax_dora_enrichment_look_at_camera_GH_kd_IMG_2309

web_Foxie_closeup_relax_look_at_camera_GH_kd_IMG_2314

Usually the second that Foxie sees us she makes a beeline to us to pass us her troll or Dora doll and start a game of chase. But it’s just too hot for such shenanigans. So we sat for quite awhile just gazing at each other and giving the occasional head nod:

web_Foxie_closeup_relax_look_at_camera_GH_kd_IMG_2306

Those friendships in which you can just spend time with one other without saying or doing anything are pretty great. It is no small gift.

Lounging with Enrichment

by

It’s another scorcher of a day here at Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest. The chimpanzees have been taking it in stride though by lounging during the heat of the day with various enrichment in hand (or mouth).

Jody playing with a plastic toy while wearing a sock:
web_Jody_lie_down_floor_enrichment_sock_on_foot_plastic_toy_FR_kh_IMG_2362

Jamie lounging with a toothbrush in her mouth:
web_Jaime_lie_on_floor_toothbrush_in_mouth_enrichment_PR_kh_IMG_2328

Jamie with one of her newest favorite boots:
web_Jaime_lie_on_floor_hold_boot_red_enrichment_blanket_pillow_feet_up_look_at_camera_PR_kh_IMG_2334

Foxie with her bestie:
web_Foxie_lie_on_floor_dora_doll_enrichment_hold_feet_hands_PR_kh_IMG_2324

Burrito lying around with a brush:
web_Burrito_lie_down_floor_brush_enrichment_toy_in_hand_PR_kh_IMG_2346

Negra even held on to a wooden toy:
web_Negra_close_up_droopy_lips_enrichment_lie_down_catwalk_wood_toy_relax_PR_kh_IMG_2353

Although Annie didn’t have a piece of enrichment with her as she lounged on the catwalk bridge, she certainly seemed to be enjoying the relaxation time:
web_Annie_lie_down_catwalk_bridge_relax_PR_kh_IMG_2303

And Missy decided to stay out of camera view as she snuggled up in her blanket nest.

Burrito and Negra

by

We often talk about Annie and Missy’s friendship, Foxie’s ability to get her friend Jamie to relax, and Burrito’s reliance on Foxie for reassurance when times are tense and their goofy play sessions when times are relaxed.

There are several close relationships among the chimpanzees. One that we haven’t talked about much is that between Burrito, the youngest chimpanzee, and Negra, the oldest.

Negra seems to give Burrito respect as the one male of the troop, perhaps more respect than some of the other ladies show him (ahem, Jamie).

Burrito and Negra often go to each when there’s something exciting going on, like setting up for a party, and they are frequent grooming partners too.

Today, as you can see from the photos below, they spent several minutes grooming one another after Negra was a bit concerned over a noise she heard.

Negra made a “pout face” as a reaction to the noise (which was a bird calling). This looks similar to when chimpanzees trumpet their lips to pant-hoot, but a pout face is used during times of concern, distress, or frustration:

Negra hoot face

 

Then Negra approached Burrito to be groomed, which can be a form of asking for reassurance:

Burrito Negra look at camera

Burrito groom Negra

Burrito groom Negra profile

Burrito groom Negra 2

 

Later, she reciprocated the grooming:

Negra groom Burrito

Burrito and Negra groom each other

Negra groom Burrito 2

web_Burrito_Negra_groom_deck_gh_dg_IMG_2188

Living in a social group of others who understand their wants and needs is one of the most important aspects of sanctuary life for the chimpanzees, and we understand that they need to turn to one another, not to us humans, for their deepest and most important relationships.

Balance

by

Chimpanzees have a well-deserved reputation for being aggressive. They fight over food, over sex, and over territory. They fight for dominance and out of jealousy.

web_Missy_fear_face_fight_conflict_jody_annie_gh_dg_IMG_9336

Sometimes I don’t think they even know why they are fighting – some fights among the seven end with all of them standing in a circle, screaming and looking around at each other as if to see if anyone else remembers what they are fighting about.

web-jody-missy-annie-foxie-conflict_mg_2830

But as violent as chimps may be, fights are relatively infrequent. They are much more likely to be hugging,

web Burrito hug Foxie 2 IMG_3258

and kissing,

annie kiss missy

and grooming,

web2 Missy Annie groom OA 1

and holding hands (and feet).

web_Annie_Missy_hold_hands_jody_GH_jb_IMG_0846

web_Missy_hold_Annie_hand_jody_foot_GH_jb_IMG_0849

I used to think it was strange that animals capable of such extreme violence could be so tender and gentle. But I’m beginning to think it’s precisely because they are so violent that they are also so tender and gentle. A society with that level of aggression would not last long without an equally powerful force holding it together.