We run a pretty tight ship in the chimp house. Given the decades of uncertainty, fear, and stress that the chimps faced, it’s important for them to have a routine in which they can trust and know what to expect and when things will occur. And there’s a lot for the humans to get done each day to keep the chimps healthy, engaged and happy, as well as to keep their home clean, safe and comfortable. Of course, within that routine we add as much variety as possible to their days in the form of enrichment, activities, food, interactions, etc. But despite the best laid plans, each day in the chimp house can be unique unto itself due to the chimpanzees’ choices and needs for the day, staffing and volunteer changes, unexpected circumstances, and a myriad of other reasons.
Take today for example, we started out cleaning the chimp house like any other morning only to end up relocating a mouse mama and her newborn babies, spending a good half hour (successfully!) catching and releasing a hummingbird, and then ushering out a snake and a Swallowtail butterfly by the time things were done. If you’re new to the blog, chimpanzees are very territorial and completely unwelcoming of guests in their home so the chimp house is no place for other creatures and we do our best to rescue anyone whose made a poor choice to make a chimp house call.
Here’s Missy taking a break from chasing Annie to check on our progress in the greenhouse so the chimps can go in for breakfast:
And in between all the tasks of the day Anna and I took turns walking with Jamie under bright blue skies and in a blazing 95 degrees. Now Jamie often enjoys taking her time on these walks and we don’t blame her. She likes to spend time under the crow’s nest on the Twister structure to check on the neighborhood happenings. Please note the boss lady also enjoys sitting under the crow’s nest for the lovely shade it provides. The caregivers who walk with Jamie, however, have no such luck. So during this particular walk, I sat down and waited for her to decide it was time to move on…
and waited…
…and waited. But don’t be fooled into thinking Jamie is so busy she’s unaware of us or where she left us off. (And if you’re wondering, yes, she gets upset if we decide to take the initiative to leave or go in another direction on our own!).ย So as it became clear that Jamie was going to be awhile, and with black cowboy boots blazing on my feet like the fire of a thousand burning suns, I thought I might as well make myself a little more comfortable and take them off while Jamie did her thing. Oh, I could not have been more wrong. Jamie immediately turned to me and gestured with her hand to put them back on. So you see, Jamie also runs a tight ship.
Meanwhile back in the chimp house, after playroom cleaning was done we added a new addition of a personalized photo blanket for Negra that one of her wonderful pals sent to her. Foxie was the first to check it out (notice her hand on Negra’s photo):
And here’s Negra making a nest with her new blanket:
The chimps then enjoyed a lunch forage on Young’s Hill (including fresh watermelon and cabbage donated by a guest). And in other news, Annie continues to sport the blue ’80’s style sweatband that she made a bold fashion choice with yesterday. Missy even pulled it off of her during a play session, but Annie put it right back on. (I can’t tell you how this makes my heart smile!):
Later in the afternoon, I found good friends, Burrito, Foxie (and Dora), feeling snoozy in the warm greenhouse and enjoying the summer breeze:
After a small afternoon snack of green beans and cherry tomatoes straight from the garden, the chimps gathered for dinner in the greenhouse which included fresh sweet potatoes donated by our amazing friends at Darwin’s Natural Pet Products. (L to R): Missy, Burrito, Foxie’s ear :), and Jamie:
After the chimps are served dinner, they receive their beloved night bags (if you’re unfamiliar with these, they are small bags of dried fruit, nuts and seeds that the chimps receive each evening). Here’s Jody enjoying hers in one of her classic relaxed poses:
As I finish up this post, the chimps have received their evening food puzzle of frozen banana and peanut butter in PVC tubes and are tucked into their nests for the night in the cool chimp house. Some of the doors are still open and a finally cooling evening breeze is drifting in, and all is perfectly still and quiet. Except that is, for the boss lady, Jamie. A boss’s job is never done. And in this case neither are her caregivers’. At least until she decides otherwise. So now we’re off to look for those cowboy boots which, of course, are made for walking. And we wouldn’t have it any other way.
Sounds like the “outside the fence” walker needs a parasol!!!!
Yes, Meg!!! At least on the non-windy days!! ๐
What an excellent adventure you took us on today Katelyn! I feel as if I was there with you every step of the way. A few things:
1. I had never thought about other creatures getting in the chimps home, especially birds! Do they fly into the greenhouse often? How do the chimps react to the birds when they do fly in? (I know Negra has a sweet tooth for hummies!)
2. J.B Needs to build the caregivers a Twister style structure so you can relax in the shade while you wait for Jaime! Inside your tepee you can have chairs and a cooler!
3. I just love that photo of Negra with her special blanket, she looks so pleased with herself all wrapped up in it. What a sweet gift.
4. Thanks for keeping us up to date on new style maven Annie. These photos make me laugh so hard I could cry. And from Annie of all people. I just love it!
Hi Kathleen,
1). Yes, being in the country, we have many smaller animals neighbors who get into the chimp house occasionally (squirrels, snakes, birds, mice, etc), typically entering through the open air caging of the greenhouse (since the panels are off for summer). Of course, they can also get right back out, but sometimes get confused. If any animal enters the chimps’ habitat or enclosure they go after it which is natural behavior. Usually we know right away because the chimps are raising a ruckus or attempting to catch the “intruder” and at that point there is no distracting them. Although the other morning, all the chimps were back inside and Foxie alerted me to an unfortunate terrified and water-logged squirrel who was hiding in a corner of the human area of the greenhouse, unable to get back through the caging because the chimps had been spitting water and throwing bark mulch at him/her (and fortunately we were able to usher the squirrel out). Foxie also alerted me to the hummingbird this morning and as the chimps were going in for breakfast we were able to catch it while cleaning. Of course in the wild, chimps do occasionally hunt (primarily monkeys, bush pigs, small deer, etc). Outside of Negra’s instances of eating frogs and the hummingbird, these guys have not shown any interest at all in consuming the animals, but if they catch them it’s usually a quick demise.
2). Yes! JB needs another project, I’m sure. ๐ One of our volunteer caregivers suggested parasols which isn’t a bad idea at all. Except for our notorious winds!
3). Very sweet gift. Particularly because it even has photos of two of her children, Angel and Noah, on it.
4). We can’t get enough of style maven Annie!! We can’t wait to see if she goes for Day 3 with it tomorrow!
Kathleen – Please note that I monitor the comment section and reserve the right to delete any and all comments that recommend, suggest, or otherwise imply additional work on my part ๐
Oops! Busted! Big Brother really IS watching. So sorry J.B., I clearly do not want you to take on anymore work. Unless, of course, you decide to write that book about CSNW . ; )
Any chance Central Washington University has interns interested in construction?!
I got a good chuckle picturing Jamie keeping you in line while she took in the view. There’s no messing with rituals.
Hi Franรงoise,
I know! I couldn’t believe it, but I had to really laugh. Nothing gets by that lady. ๐
How does Jamie let you know that she intends for you to accompany her on walks? I know that evening is a routine, but at other times of the day how do you know she isn’t just going out on her own?
Hi Nancy,
Good question! Jamie is generally very specific about her intentions. Typically when she’s ready for us to accompany her on a walk she repeatedly gestures toward her boots (either a pair she can see or the bin in the kitchen where her collection is kept – and she memorizes every pair). Once we find the pair she has in mind, she gestures toward our feet for us to put them on and when she’s confirmed we’ve done things to her liking she races outside to meet us for a walk. And not just any caregiver or pair of boots will do at any given time. For example, this morning I was wearing the right boots, but I was the wrong caregiver and Jamie gestured toward Anna and then gestured for her to put on the boots I was wearing. And as I was leaving work tonight, Jamie was headed on a walk with Diana and then raced back inside to gesture for me to put the boots on and accompany them. Jamie does enjoy going for walks on her own or with some of the other chimps on occasion. ๐
So glad you rescued Mama Mouse an her babies. It amazes me how the chimps convey what they want and when they want it. Selecting the boots she wanted worn but not wanting YOU to be the one to wear them truly amazes me. And ordering you to put the boots back on when you decided to rest and remove them blows my mind. You caretakers have a lot of patience and a lot of love. Remarkable human beings.
A great recap of a day in the life, and the attention to small details taken to give these Chimpanzees a happy and peaceful life, is especially striking when pondering the contrast with their per-sanctuary lives. It is nice to see that you also look out for other animals who inadvertently endanger themselves by locating within the Chimpanzees home.
What a great post. Love all the details of the day. Thanks so much!
Another fabulous post – thank you! I must say, I do envy you all – you do have the dream jobs in my mind! ????
You caregivers show such generosity of love and patience and time and good humor. Here’s a virtual hug for each of you! Thank you for everything you do. You contribute to making our world a better place.