Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest is not open to the public like a zoo. In general, we like to give the chimps their privacy. When we do allow visitors, we limit the frequency of the visits and the size of the groups, and we always ensure that the group is guided by a staff member that the chimps know and trust.
But we have one visitor that doesn’t abide by our rules.
Most mornings throughout the spring and summer, Ellie the wild elk can be found laying beneath the visitor shelter, waiting for the chimps to finish their breakfast and head out onto the hill. She seems to enjoy watching them, and they in turn have at least grown accustomed to her. In fact, we have even seen Jamie and Ellie taking a walk together around the hill without us.
Jamie and Ellie:
Burrito and Ellie:
Ellie and Jody:
Ellie, Jamie, and Missy:
So I guess – just this once! – we’ll make an exception to our visitor policy. It’s not like we could do anything about it anyway…
Wouldn’t it be fun to have Ellie bring a baby elk down to meet the chimps some spring?
Actually, in the wild, chimps would find antelope babies and other ungulate young’uns like this cute one tasty pickins. Sorry to burst your bubble.
We’re not against bubble-bursting from time to time, but I’m not sure that the Cle Elum Seven chimps would view an elk as tasty pickins. Chimps in the wild do hunt ungulates and other mammals – including other primates! But even an hours-old newborn elk calf would be on the larger side for chimpanzee prey, as they are born weighing 35 lbs or so and grow quickly from there. Ellie herself probably weighs over 400 lbs, which is out of a chimp’s league. And, more importantly, chimps raised in captivity have different tastes than their wild cousins due to the cultural environments they were raised in. I would love it if the chimps would supplement their diets with a few “free-ranging” insect snacks once and a while, but they seem to treat insects with the same “yuck” factor that many of us do. The only time I can recall the chimps eating an animal was when Negra was seen eating a small frog. I’m not sure if she saw it as food or if she just wanted it to shut up.
She’s beautiful! What a peaceful face. How long has she been dropping by? Curious if you have an age estimation. She looks young. Curious she visits alone. .. Love that the Chimps enjoy her visit. Is she the only other non-human they see?
Ellie first came by the sanctuary in 2013, so we believe she’s at least three years old by now. She was orphaned – check out the link where it says “Ellie the wild elk” in the post above for more on her unique story.
The chimps get to see a lot of other nonhumans – deer, coyotes, squirrels, eagles, hawks, turkeys and other birds, horses, cows, dogs, mice, pack rats, snakes….
Ellie is looking pretty scruffy right now. She will loose her winter coat and by summer be slick and sleek.
She is quite the attraction for all the primates around the sanctuary.
I hope she can attract a nice bull and elope with him and live an authentic elk life.
The last 3 pics speak volumes, a bit of Ellie the haughty elk (ah, non verbal communication)…..can she be convinced (maybe Jamie could do this) to be a part time walking companion, I am currently envisioning Ellie with an array of cowboy boots on her hooves clunking up and down the hill….!!!