Archives for January 2016

Contagion

January 7, 2016 by Elizabeth

Excitement spreads fast in a chimpanzee group. All it takes is for one chimp to get excited or upset, and the whole group is on fire before you know what happened. The chimps respond to each other’s vocalizations even when they’re not in the same room. If someone starts pant hooting in the playroom, you can bet that someone will answer with a pant hoot of their own from the greenhouse. It makes sense that it would benefit a chimpanzee – maybe especially a captive chimpanzee – to be responsive to others’ emotions and moods. I know that if I lived in an enclosure with whirling dervish Burrito, I’d be on guard at the first sign that he was getting worked up.

Today shortly after we let the chimps back into the playroom after cleaning, there was a very brief and mild scuffle. You’ll see how quickly Jamie and Annie respond.

Mr. B’s birthday buffet

January 6, 2016 by Katelyn

Today we are celebrating our guy, Burrito’s, 33rd birthday! And if you are celebrating Burrito that means you are also celebrating food. We serve the chimpanzees three meals a day by hand and/or forage in addition to a smaller forage, occasional snacks and food puzzles which consist of things like fresh vegetables, seeds and nuts. But today we decided to spread the meal service out and serve something every hour, all day long! Needless to say, Burrito has been enjoying his birthday.

Burrito has been so happy and playful today and has been anxiously watching for what comes next. We started the day off with gift boxes full of nuts and primate chow in the greenhouse as a breakfast appetizer. Anna got this photo of the birthday fella looking particularly sweet, watching through the playroom room window as we set them out:

After breakfast was served, Burrito took over Jamie’s usual spot atop the barrel in the front rooms and watched us clean the playroom as he awaited the third course of the day. Let me tell you, this adorable guy made it pretty hard to get any work done.

After the playroom was cleaned, we put out a forage of more nuts in gift boxes and smoothie in tiny cups. Burrito was so excited I had to wait for him to calm down and stop shaking the door leading into the playroom so I could open it. You can see in the photo below how excited he is by his pilo-erect hair (standing on end).

And though this one is blurry, I love that it captures Burrito’s excitement during the forage – pilo-erect hair and flying across the playroom in mid-air. (It also may give you an idea of why we didn’t have much luck getting party photos – this guy was on the move!):

Next up was roasted sweet potatoes warm from the oven. Here is caregiver-in-training, Ally, serving the birthday guy:

After lunch we passed out whole apples which everyone was super excited about and as I type, Burrito is excitedly watching Anna as she prepares one of his very favorites, spaghetti with tomato and pepper sauce, for part of his birthday dinner forage. We still have a couple servings to go and all of the chimps’ seem to have caught on to the theme for the day and have been posted near the kitchen window to see what’s next.

In all the excitement Burrito has been a bit of a wild man, sowing his 33 years of wild oats much of the day and frequently riling up all the girls. But I think it’s safe to say they are all enjoying the day’s celebration of Burrito and food!

Happy Birthday, Burrito!! We love you so much, Bub!!

Jamie’s Display

January 5, 2016 by Anna

Generally, a chimpanzee’s display involves pant hooting vocalizations, pilo erect hair (hair that stands on end), and it builds up to a dramatic finish. Each chimp seems to have their own preferred method or technique when they display. Burrito often claps his hands as he runs around the enclosure. Jamie usually has a plastic barrel with her to bang on and push around. Sometimes she adds in other enrichment for more impact..

What happened today?

January 4, 2016 by Keri

This morning while we were cleaning the Playroom I noticed that the chimps were pretty quiet in the Front Rooms so I went to check on what they were up to. Annie and Missy were on the ledge in room 2 grooming one another, while Burrito sat quietly nearby. Unfortunately, none of the photos I took of Annie and Missy turned out, but the one of Burrito I think is pretty cute.

Burrito

Negra was on the ledge in room 3 in one of her blanket nests.

Foxie and Jody were on the ledge in room 4. Jody was just out of camera view, so I couldn’t get any clear photos, but Foxie wasn’t camera shy as she showed me her dora doll.

I kept walking back and forth looking for Jamie, figuring she must have been in the Greenhouse or on Young’s Hill gathering snow. I kept looking, but couldn’t find her until Katelyn said she was in room 2. I looked again and realized why I missed her. I initially thought it was a pile of blankets, but upon closer inspection, I could see her eyes and top of her head peaking out from her nest.

This photo was actually taken from the Playroom looking back into room 2.

After we finished cleaning the Playroom, we set out blankets, various sized boxes filled with enrichment items (boots, dolls, paper, brushes, socks, wooden blocks and tools) and filled their new blue bucket with snow. We also put out lettuce as a forage food.

Missy trying to open one of the boxes.

Sometimes you just have to put your whole body into it when two hands just doesn’t cut it.

Foxie took some time to inspect (and lick) the box that one of our new office computers came in (thanks again to Diana Petri for purchasing the computers from our Amazon Wishlist).

Jamie’s first mission was to gather lettuce before checking out any of the boxes or eating any snow.

Annie sat and ate snow that she took out of the blue bucket.

And Jody did her best at staying out of camera view by gathering the lettuce we had put out as a forage and heading up to the loft to make a blanket nest in front of one of the windows that overlooks the neighbors farm.

A look of contentment in their eyes

January 3, 2016 by Keri

Often times I catch myself gazing at these chimpanzees, wondering what they are thinking. It’s easy for me (and maybe for most people) to attribute my own human feelings of awe and wonder as I watch them explore Young’s Hill (their 2 acre outdoor enclosure) or sit quietly looking out the windows from the catwalk in the Playroom. It seems that there is a sense of excitement and enjoyment when they are playing with one another and a curiosity as they inspect new enrichment items.

Looking at the pictures below, I can’t help but think that there is a sense of contentment in their eyes.

Jamie

Negra

Burrito

Jody

Foxie

Missy

Annie

Happy Birthday, Manuela!

January 3, 2016 by Katelyn

Today’s day of sanctuary is sponsored by Manuela Santacreu! Manuela is celebrating her birthday today and shared this lovely message:

“My birthday will be even more beautiful if I know that I am contributing to the happiness of these seven superb chimpanzees! For my 40th birthday, I spent a month in the Congo with chimpanzees while with Help International. I really hope to see Foxie and friends for my 50th! Best French regards!”

Manuela, thank you so much for sharing your special day with the chimpanzees and for choosing to celebrate your life by making a difference in their lives! We truly appreciate your support and hope you are able to visit the sanctuary one day. Have a beautiful day full of all that makes your heart happy, and from all of us here at CSNW, we wish you the happiest of birthdays!

Foxie and her beloved Dora: