Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

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Archives for October 2015

Video: the drama of Jamieween!

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The video below shows just some of the highlights of Jamieween (turn up the volume if you want the addition of music to add to the drama).

 

 

In addition to the fun adventures in the video, Jamie received not one, not two, not even three, but four pairs of new cowboy boots from her fan club of supporters.

One of Jamie’s top favorite foods is pears, so I decided to hide a whole pear in one of her new boots – sort of both a trick and a treat.

She immediately took that pair of boots, inspected, and nested with them:

Jamie inspecting new boot

Jamie nesting

 

She even tried one on:

Jamie trying on boot

 

But, apparently it wasn’t the one with the pear, because the pear was still in the boot when I went into the playroom later that day to spot clean. I was shocked!

It took another couple of hours, but Jamie did finally find her birthday treat.

 

Jamie eating pear

Thank you to everyone who made this a special day for boss Jamie and us humans who had the privilege of celebrating with her!

 

Keeping things interesting

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We’ve always considered Young’s Hill a work in progress. This was partly out of necessity, because it started as an empty horse pasture and it would have taken a lot of time and money to build everything at once. But it was also in part by design, because life in captivity can be boring, and adding even a few plants or a simple climbing structure to the hill each year keeps things interesting for the chimps.

The structure we built last weekend is a big hit.

Annie:

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Foxie:

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Jody has been sampling the new bamboo plants, but it seems they are best enjoyed while relaxing in the greenhouse, so each day she breaks off a new cane and hauls it downhill. Yet another reason why we need to keep planting more…

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Happy Birthday, Dawn!

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Today’s day of sanctuary was sponsored by Jo Arroyo in honor of Dawn Garcia on her birthday! Jo and Dawn are long-time friends and supporters of the chimpanzees and Jo shared this beautiful message about today:

“I want celebrate Dawn on her birthday. Dawn’s heart is full of love for our planet, everyday she points out its beauty. She has the faith in humanity, that sometimes I lack. She is the most positive, happy person I know, she brings love and sunshine into my life. And so do the chimps we dearly love! They are the epitome of strength, courage, forgiveness, adaptability, and remind us to live in the moment! Thank you to the extraordinary individuals and all the donors who step-up everyday to give the chimps the closest thing to freedom!”

Jo, thank you so much for sponsoring this special day for Dawn and the chimpanzees! We are so grateful to you both for holding the chimps in your hearts. And Dawn, all of the primates here at the sanctuary wish you the happiest of days filled with all the beauty, joy and love you bring to life and inspire in others. Happy Birthday!!

I am pretty sure your pal, Burrito, would send some birthday pant-hoots your way!:

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Food in different forms

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One of the easiest ways to enrich the lives of chimpanzees is through food. We try and provide the Cle Elum 7 with as many different kinds of produce as possible in an effort to keep things exciting for them. Caregivers do their best to make sure the chimpanzees don’t have repeated fruits or vegetables when they prepare breakfast, lunch and dinner. Not only do we look for variety in food, but we also try and change up the ways in which we serve an item. For some meals we might roast a food like pumpkin, while other days we might choose to serve it raw. Each day the chimpanzees enjoy fresh fruit for breakfast, frozen fruit in their smoothie, and a couple pieces of dried fruit in their evening night bags, all to help increase food diversity!

Yesterday, volunteer caregiver Stephanie brought Brussel sprouts to contribute to the chimpanzees’ dinner. Instead of coming in the more traditional bag of “mini cabbages,” these Brussels sprouts were in their original stalk form. There were lots of food grunts and squeaks as Katelyn scattered the stalks around the playroom. Burrito and Jody were exceptionally successful foragers, but Negra was the easiest photography subject. She decided to eat her stalk in front room 4 (also known as the portrait studio).

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Hitching a lift

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As autumn transitions into steadily colder and darker days, the chimpanzees (even Negra!) have been extra busy on Young’s Hill. And thanks to the Armstrong family, with a new structure to explore, and new dolls to explore with, Foxie took her current favorite troll doll along to check things out. And JB got some ridiculously adorable photos!

One of Foxie’s most endearing habits is how she carries her dolls on her back. Chimpanzee mamas are highly invested in raising and nurturing their children. The bond they share is the same we experience with our human children. They carry their infants for about the first six months of their lives and then as the babies become strong enough to grasp for extended periods, they begin to ride around on their mother’s back. Chimpanzee children are highly dependent on their mothers and even as they grow and become more independent they remain in close contact for the first several years of their lives.

Foxie’s four children were all taken from her during her years in biomedical research and it’s emotionally appealing to think that she carries the dolls on her back with her children in mind. But we can never know what she’s truly thinking and it may just be a natural and effective way of carrying her beloved dolls with her when she’s on the go. Whatever the reason, though bittersweet, it never fails to warm our hearts and I think it’s safe to say, hers as well. And that’s what matters most.

Foxie and troll, on the go:

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Identification

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Before we enter any chimpanzee enclosure, all staff and volunteers that are participating in cleaning must positively identify all seven chimpanzees and make sure the appropriate doors are closed and locked. This is part of our safety protocol so there is no chance that a chimpanzee shares the same enclosure as a human. When new trainees come in, they must learn to identify each chimpanzee by their physical characteristics. It is important that they not rely on circumstantial evidence (such as knowing that Foxie often holds a doll or Negra sleeps with a blanket over her head), because other chimpanzees have been known to behave in a similar fashion and this could lead to a mistaken identification.

Today while walking around the hill with Jamie, I heard rustling in the bamboo grove. I couldn’t immediately identify the chimpanzee, but I could tell they were getting a snack. It reminded me of how challenging it can sometimes be to identify the chimpanzees, especially for a new volunteer or a first time blog reader. I chose a couple photos from my walk that give hints to the identity of this bamboo forager.
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The first clue is a circumstantial hint (not a strict rule for identifying this chimpanzee). This chimpanzee is an avid runner and athlete. She (or he?) is often seen sprinting and climbing around Young’s hill. In the climbing photo you may catch a glimpse of a freckled chin…
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The second clue is a physical characteristic of this chimpanzee. She (or he?) has a “square” stature and we often say it looks like she (or he?) has “no neck” because of the way it looks like her head sits directly on her shoulders.
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And the identity is…..

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Missy!

Special Visitors and New Stuff for the Chimps

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Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest has held several online auctions over the last few years, filled with fun items to bid on. Some of the coolest and most popular items have been donated by Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day (this year he gave a personally-signed guitar to the Summer Biddin’ online auction).

The Armstrong family has been following the lives of the Cle Elum Seven for a while (proving something that doesn’t need proof: Burrito is irresistible), and Billie Joe’s wife Adrienne, who also owns Atomic Garden in Oakland, and her sister-in-law Jessy have visited the sanctuary a few times – always wanting to directly help out while they are here!

This past weekend, Adrienne, Jessy, Billie Joe, and Jessy’s husband / Adrienne’s brother Steve, owner of Familia Skateshop in Minnesota, all came out for a visit and to lend a hand. Susan Holmes McKagan, Billie Joe and Adrienne’s friend and model, fashion designer, and wife to bassist Duff  McKagan also came out for the afternoon on Saturday.

We learned a few things over the two days they were here, including the fact that chimpanzees love Billie Joe. Jamie was extremely excited when he was willing to run with her around the hill, and invited him to do so several times. She didn’t even insist on him wearing cowboy boots:

walking around the hill

Billie Joe Armstrong running with Jamie

Billie Joe and Jamie taking off

And a few of the chimps listened while he played an acoustic guitar. Here’s Negra lending an ear:

Negra listens to Billie Joe Armstrong

 

Adrienne brought some rare brown-haired troll dolls, which Foxie immediately adopted

Foxie with new brown haired troll doll

and brought on a walk around the hill with Adrienne and Susan:

Adrienne Armstrong and Susan Holmes McKeagan walking with Foxie

 

The main task for the weekend was putting up a new structure on the hill that consisted of two tall log posts and a few metal bars that were to be installed between them for the chimps to climb on and swing from.

JB, Steve, and Billie Joe constructing

JB testing the bar structure

 

Not surprisingly, Jamie and Missy were the first to inspect and play on the structure after a forage was put out for everyone to enjoy:

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Missy on new bar structure

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The chimps didn’t have all the fun, though. The humans did a little “chimping around” during their breaks from manual labor:

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Billie Joe Armstrong walking across the shaky bridge

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The new bar structure is really neat, and there’s no doubt that the chimpanzees are going to enjoy it, but I was equally excited that Adrienne and Jessy got the holiday tree from last year planted on the hill:

holiday tree on Young's Hill

The tree has been living in a pot in the greenhouse since last December, and the chimps, especially Jody, have been periodically snacking on it:

Jody biting tree

Jody eating tree bit

I’m really curious how that little bedraggled tree will do on the hill – I have high hopes!

 

As a well-deserved thank you for all the Armstrongs have done for the chimpanzees, both this weekend and in the past with their donations, they got to watch the chimpanzees enjoy the fruits of their labor from the observation deck looking out onto Young’s Hill:

watching the chimps

 

What an awesome weekend for everyone!