While Burrito and Annie utilized their bipedal skills to navigate the growing grass on Young’s Hill in the hopes of finding a missed piece of forage, or a new patch of wild greens sprouting up…
Burrito:
Annie:
Jamie, of course, opted for something a little higher up.
And in other news, if you’ve been following the blog for awhile you’re probably aware that as the weather grows nicer boss lady, Jamie, often keeps us out late walking around the perimeter of Young’s Hill with her. After the chimps are served dinner at 4:30 they typically start heading inside to collect their evening food puzzle and make their nests for the night (unless you’re Jamie). The humans’ day ends at 5:30 after the chimps are all safe inside and mostly asleep. But if anyone (again, Jamie) wants to stay out late, we stay until they are ready to come inside. But who do you think stayed out past bedtime this evening?…
Yep, that’s Negra!! Sitting on her current favorite mound at the very top of Young’s Hill happily eating prickly lettuce! No matter the evening sky is growing darker with the threat of a storm coming, the Queen is in no hurry to come in. So it looks like we have a second boss lady in town. But that’s what sanctuary is all about. And this is probably a rare job where one’s heart grows a little bigger every time your bosses make you work late.
What a photo – Jamie on a slack line!
Love it! The best reason to stay at work ????
Great photos! Surprised to see the lovely Queen Negra out so late.
It’s so wonderful to see Negra spending her time outside eating one of her favourite foods, prickly lettuce. Most pictures I see of Negra she is spending her time laying in her blankets or seating, watching the others outside or keeping busy with their “toys”. Good on ya Negra!????????????
You’ve got to wonder what she is thinking while she enjoys her lettuce in solitude like that…..
What an ending to a wonderful springtime post! I’ll admit right up front, seeing Negra up on Young’s Hill after dinner (not to mention with a dark stormy sky above!) brought tears to my eyes. I am pretty certain that I have NEVER seen a photo of Negra with sky and pines behind her. Dear Negra is either under a blanket, enjoying a party, or sitting comfortably in the lush, green grass. Lettuce is the key, her desire for this simple pleasure gave her the courage to push beyond her comfort zone and my head is spinning with all the wonders in this simple act. Negra has grown, she’s brave, independent and looks so comfortable with her CHOICE to do this! I honestly never thought I’d see the day where Negra would be the one who stays out late, later than Jamie, the one who you are privileged to keep company until she chooses to come in for the night. (tissue please!)
I have to ask you Katelyn, how late did Negra remain outside?! And how wonderful did you feel to be the witness of this historic event?
“Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage.” ~Anais Nin
Here’s to expansions that are far greater than the ones we can build or imagine. ; )
Hi Kathleen,
I believe Negra stayed out until around 5:30 or 6:00. Late for her. In the end, Jamie did decide to enlist Anna as her perimeter walking partner, despite the rain, and called it a day around 6:45. Early for her. 🙂 Every time I see the chimps take courageous new steps to express themselves or enjoy their lives further, I feel a profound sense of relief and contentment for them. It’s an honor to hold witness to all those years of weight and darkness lifting off their souls day by day and makes me hopeful that they feel it as well. I think their choices can only indicate that they do. And I know we all feel so much gratitude for all the people who love them and are providing them with the lives in which they can choose (as you stated so eloquently) “expansions that are far greater than the ones we can build or imagine.” That line made ME teary. 😉 Thanks for loving them so.
Well the tears are spreading. What a heartwarming delight to see Negra and her companions brave the world more and more everyday. If there are special places in heaven on hold for the truly worthy, they are already booked solid with the chimps and all who care for them every single day.
Has anyone ever wanted to stay out all night? I have read at some sanctuaries that the chimps sometime sleep outside.
Hi Barbara,
The chimps haven’t shown any interest in nesting or sleeping on the hill yet and even Jamie gets uncomfortable outside the darker it grows. It will be wonderful if they ever do, but I think it can still feel pretty overwhelming for them to be out there sometimes. So far the hill is more like a play area for them. 🙂
I think that they would want to be in the company of their family. So unless all go…
Jamie looks so happy in those photos!
As usual, late to the party, but now that class is out for summer, I have some time to play catch-up.
Food puzzle? Is that just another name for their night bags? Don’t think I’ve heard of this yet. Unless it’s the name for how you wrap some of their dinner in things like banana leaves or something similar and they have to unwrap it to get at their goodies.
This *has* to mean that Negra is slowly healing from her PTSD, and while everyone knows my heart belongs to the oh-so-manly Mr. Sweet Potato Head, Burrito, it was Negra’s video of her 42 birthday celebration that made me squee myself to death. When she’s eating Patty’s carrot waffles and having a fruit smoothie for breakfast, she introduced me to the fascinating talent of “food squeaking”, and I. was. hooked. Out of all the videos you’ve posted through the years, I have absolutely worn that one out, watching it the most. I never tire of hearing how much she enjoys her special breakfast. ?
I am grateful that this sanctuary’s staff is so interactive with their public. It makes me feel like a very real and honoured part of its residents’ community, and seeing as how I’ve never even had the joy of seeing great apes in a zoo, that equates to high points in the day, so you have my endless thanks.
Hi Carla,
Food puzzles are separate from the night bags. They are commonly used enrichment items for animals in captivity that we put out in the evening after dinner so that the chimps have an activity to participate in as we are leaving for the day. These consist of things like Kong toys hanging food puzzles with nuts inside, food items outside the caging to be reached with tools the chimps have, peanut butter magazines, etc. We come up with all kinds of things. It’s just one more thing to keep them occupied and help relieve boredom while encouraging some of their natural behaviors and intelligence. 🙂 Thank you for your support and interest in the chimps!