Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

Archives for January 2017

An update

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As many blog followers may know, Negra’s toe was injured during a fight about a month ago. After monitoring the injury closely, we knew we had to perform a minor surgery to help it heal properly. I’ve been gone for a few weeks (one week vacation, one week out sick), so it’s been a little while since I’ve seen the Queen of the sanctuary. I’m happy to report that she’s all rested up and she’s recovered back into the fiery (maybe a little bit demanding) chimpanzee we all know and love! As an added bonus, her blood work (done during her procedure) just came back and everything looks normal.

A few photos of Negra from today’s lunch:

Happy Birthday, Meg!

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A special day of sanctuary was sponsored for the non-human and human primates at Chimpanzee Sanctuary NW today by our dear friend, Meg Lunnum! Meg shared this message about today:

“Since I am having a milestone birthday today, I wanted to share it with all the primates at Chimpanzee Sanctuary NW. Each one of them contributes so much to making everyday a happy day!! Thank you!!”

Meg, thank you so much! We are really touched that you would so generously include all of us in your special day and we’re so excited to be celebrating with you! We are grateful for your compassion and dedication in sharing with others the value of our fellow animals and the importance of protecting them, especially our chimpanzee and bat friends. (Yes, bats! Learn more about our Pacific Northwest bat populations and how to protect them through the non-profit, Bats Northwest).

We hope you have the happiest of birthdays yet, Meg! Hoots from the chimps and hugs from the humans and many wishes for a day filled with love, joy, and good stuff to eat! Happy Birthday!!

Negra:

Negra close-up

Foxie:

Jamie:

Burrito:

Jody:

Annie:

Missy:

Jamie’s Mission Today

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If you are new to the blog, Jamie is our master tool user here at Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest. When she has something on her mind, she tends to find just the tool to get the job done. Sometimes she finds small sticks and plants on Young’s Hill to use (the 2 acre outdoor enclosure), while other times she picks from an assortment of enrichment objects we give to the chimps.

Check out J.B.’s recent video blog post of the chimps using various tools at the sanctuary.

This afternoon, I was taking photos of Annie in the Playroom, with her leg up in the air, grooming herself. It was a quiet, peaceful moment, when all of the sudden, Jamie came running through the doorway between the Greenhouse and the Playroom. Her mission….

…yes, you probably guessed it. It was to get chunks of snow from Young’s Hill.

Once she dug at the snow, chunks came off and she brought them back to the Greenhouse to eat.

More snow adventures & thanks to volunteers!

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Annie is continuing to show her newfound adventurous nature.

annie in snow

annie standing on snow

The other chimpanzees (well, most of them) were inspired to follow her out into the snowy expanse of Young’s Hill this afternoon.

The pair of photos below of Annie and Jody are my favorite! It’s so uplifting to see the chimpanzees support one another and share in adventures big and small:

jody and annie in snow

profiles of jody and annie

 

Foxie and Missy were 3rd and 4th out. The photo below is of Foxie giving Missy a quick hug before continuing along the path:

foxie hugging missy

 

Foxie didn’t have to go very far to find a snack:

foxie sitting with snow

 

Nor did Missy:

missy gathering snow

missy holding snow

 

Jody seemed to be in awe of the snow:

jody profile close-up

 

and dove right in for a taste:

jody eating snow

jody eating snow

 

Jamie came out after a few minutes and headed straight for a structure. She often takes the lead in adventures, but not today.

jamie sitting on structure

 

Though she did win points for her acrobatics once outside:

jamie tightrope

jamie swing

jamie swing 2

jamie swing 3

 

She also found some big chunks of snow to bring back into the building to savor:

jamie smell snow

jamie carry snow

 

Negra and Burrito didn’t follow these adventurers, but I did see Negra coming in later in the day, and I have no doubt Burrito at least reached an arm out to get a taste.

 

Before ending this post, I have to express our gratitude for volunteers and interns. This week we have really relied on you!

After being sick for a week herself, Katelyn has been the only healthy full time staff member this week. We’re very deliberate about staying away from the chimp house when we are feeling under the weather because we don’t want the chimpanzees to catch our bugs, so volunteers and interns have been life savers!

Today I’m much better but still not at 100%. I was able to don a mask and gloves to operate doors but luckily had an incredible crew of volunteers and Central Washington University interns who did the (literal) dirty work all day.

rachel

josephine

kyle

lars

 

Thank you to all of you who give your free time to the sanctuary – it makes a huge difference to all of the primates here!

 

Chimpanzee shenanigans

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Today the chimps started out arguing and fighting and ripping and hooting, a little more than usual. But whatever family business they had to work out seems to have been resolved and they’ve spent the afternoon lounging about and engaging in a variety of goofy and endearing shenanigans.

Jamie has a routine of building a nest in one of the front rooms and napping/supervising the humans as we clean the playroom. Even while at rest, she usually has a project or a plan in progress…

and today she chose this:

Jamie is very creative and often likes to repurpose her enrichment:

(Happy Jamie flailing about):

Viola! From sock to ankle bandana:

Later in the afternoon, Foxie joined Jamie nesting in the playroom. Here is a good example of different nesting styles – Foxie doesn’t like to use blankets, whereas Jamie gets pretty creative:

With these two, it isn’t long before wrestling ensues:

And here it is folks, the ever-elusive Jamie play face!!:

Foxie is the one person who can really get Jamie to cut loose. But Jamie takes everything pretty seriously (she is the boss after all) so even when she is in full play mode, we don’t often catch a play face. So we need that in a closeup:

Foxie laughing as Jamie play bites her hand:

And last, but certainly not least, I leave you with this guy:

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Are you a Negra or a Jody?

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Winter evokes a variety of emotions, thoughts and interests in each of us. Some of us love nothing more than bundling up in a cozy nest wishing to hibernate until spring, and some of us love the adventure that cold weather and snow bring. I definitely fall somewhere in the middle.

I think it’s safe to guess where Negra falls:

And while Jody is definitely a lover of a extravagant nest and a leisurely day, she always seems to enjoy the adventures each season brings:

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