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Behind the Scenes

January 15, 2019 by Elizabeth

Morning is the busiest time at the sanctuary. Here’s a photo tour of the first few hours of the day today.

Coming up the driveway to the sanctuary, you can see (L-R) the trailer that houses our mobile medical clinic (which will soon be replaced with a stationary medical clinic in the new expansion), the enrichment shed for storing extra toys and blankets for the chimps, the gate to the chimp house, and the barn, which is now used to store hay and straw for the cattle. Young’s Hill, the chimps’ two-acre outdoor habitat, is out of frame to the far left.

For the chimps’ safety and privacy, the sanctuary is not open to the public.

Today staff member Anna is Lead Caregiver.

The first order of the day is to greet the chimps and work through a brief morning checklist. (That’s Annie in the background.)

Meanwhile, volunteer Linda starts preparing breakfast.

This is usually how we find Negra first thing in the morning: huddled in a pile of blankets in her favorite spot on the playroom catwalk.

And this is usually how we find Burrito: working up into his morning display.

Anna checks the day’s enrichment for safety before it’s given to the chimps.

Anna and intern Rose check some doors and locks in preparation for entering the greenhouse for cleaning:

Linda, Rose, and intern Sofia start in the greenhouse…

…while Anna brings out a basket of clean enrichment and blankets.

These guys are the true MVPs of the sanctuary. They run every hour of the day.

When greenhouse cleaning is done, Anna gives the chimps access to the greenhouse, and Linda starts serving breakfast in the front rooms while Anna closes off the playroom for cleaning.

Burrito and Annie (if you look closely you can see a tiny Jody behind them in the greenhouse):

After some more door and lock checks, it’s time to clean the playroom.

Enrichment gets a thorough cleaning, too.

While Linda, Rose, and Sofia get started in there, Anna starts the trek up the hill for her Young’s Hill perimeter check…

…and back down the other side.

Once she determines that the hill is secure, she unlocks and opens the door.

Missy, Foxie, and Annie can’t wait to get out and explore a little.

Some chimps preferred to remain in the warm front rooms.

After playroom cleaning, Anna double-checks some locks…

…and then gives the chimps access to the playroom and closes off the front rooms for cleaning.

Jamie found a new book on predators that she was captivated by.

In the kitchen, the volunteers start preparing tonight’s evening enrichment (peanut butter pinecones) and lunch.

After some checks to make sure the front rooms are chimp-free, Anna unlocks them for the next round of cleaning…

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Kathleen Klueh says

    January 15, 2019 at 3:23 pm

    Wonderful tour. Thank you for the “behind the scenes” photos

  2. June Ireland says

    January 15, 2019 at 3:31 pm

    Wow, this is clearly a labor-intensive love affair!

  3. Tammie Lynch says

    January 15, 2019 at 3:40 pm

    Excellent view into what goes on every day at CSNW. Really enjoyed it!

  4. louise Manson says

    January 15, 2019 at 3:42 pm

    Wow, thanks for the tour. It must be with great love for the chimps that so much care is put into their habitat. You all do such a wonderful job of giving them a healthy clean life. Thank you

  5. Kathleen says

    January 15, 2019 at 4:44 pm

    Thank you for all the photos documenting the busy bustle of the hardworking caregivers, interns and volunteers. Wow. You guys are amazing, thank you for your dedication and extreme attention to every little detail. I bet a romp around Young’s Hill with Jamie is a nice break from all the cleaning. : ) Those are seven very lucky chimpanzees and four very lucky cows….. oh, and one lucky elk too!

    Quick question (only if you have the time to answer!), what time do you usually finalizing the cleaning of the building? Does it take the majority of the day?

    • Elizabeth says

      January 16, 2019 at 9:33 am

      Hi Kathleen! On a typical day, we’re cleaning enclosures for the first 3-4 hours of the day. 🙂

  6. Chris Hines says

    January 15, 2019 at 5:00 pm

    This was great! I am really interested in the details of their lives and your hard work and schedule! I have a sort of weird question….I wonder if chimps are at all fastidious about where they poop or pee. And do you use special machinery, for lack of a better word, to clean up?

    • Elizabeth says

      January 16, 2019 at 9:35 am

      Hi Chris! They tend to go wherever the mood strikes. In the photo of Sofia and Rose in the greenhouse, you can catch a glimpse of our advanced poop scooping technology. 😉

  7. Karen says

    January 15, 2019 at 5:02 pm

    Boy, does this ever put into perspective how much care is needed for the chimps. I had no idea it took so much effort. Thanks for this very important walk through a day in the lives of seven very lucky chimps!

  8. CeeCee says

    January 15, 2019 at 5:31 pm

    Thank you for all your hard work.

  9. Francoise says

    January 15, 2019 at 6:25 pm

    ? for all your hard work, for washing, wiping, cleaning, mopping, lifting, carrying, peeling, cutting, chopping, stuffing, whipping, mixing, squeezing, toasting, roasting, cooking, freezing, loading, unloading, locking, unlocking, checking, double-checking, observing, entertaining, amusing, playing, feeding, treating, grunting, hooting, loving, caring, imagining, creating, painting, drawing, celebrating, snapping, filming, building, hammering, writing, mailing, walking and walking and walking, running, for saving bodies, souls and minds, for giving sanctuary to the innocent.

    • Francoise says

      January 15, 2019 at 6:27 pm

      That’s supposed to be a heart at the beginning. oops. :))

    • Elizabeth says

      January 16, 2019 at 9:37 am

      Aww, thanks Francoise!

    • Karen A Bonura says

      January 16, 2019 at 11:53 pm

      Beautifully said Francoise!

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