Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

Archives for October 2019

Dolls in danger

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A little background with today’s blog..

While Foxie clearly has a passion for the many dolls she owns, she sometimes has an odd way of showing it. In addition to hugging and carrying her dolls around lovingly, she also seems to use her dolls to test out unknown situations and will put them in purposeful “danger” so she can go rescue them.

This afternoon I let the “girl gang” have access to Young’s Hill through the new Phase 1 chute. All 5 girls were quickly on patrol and had to investigate Door Y which is an access point (currently closed off) to the Greenhouse. The rest of the chimps were hanging out securely in the Playroom (Willy B, Honey B, Mave and Negra) and the front rooms (Burrito while he recovers), with the Greenhouse temporarily closed off as a buffer between the groups.

Foxie just received a new pair of Strawberry Shortcake dolls today in the mail that she seems quite fond of. Of course she toted her dolls around with her while she investigated Young’s Hill:

But then when Foxie went to check out Door Y, she decided to also stick her arm through the gap under the door and place her new dolls on the decking in the Greenhouse:

While I can’t really guess her true motivation for this bold move, it’s entirely possible she just needed her dolls to “test the waters” of this strange situation. Seeing no immediate harm come to her treasured possessions, Foxie recovered her dolls and kept on with her day:

Not Today, but Maybe Tomorrow

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Today we gave Mave, Honey B, Willy B, and Negra access to Young’s Hill. I am not sure we have talked about this much. Though this is not the first time we have given them access to Young’s Hill, a 2 acre outdoor space. I feel I should also mention that as far as we know the three have not had an outdoor space like this in almost 30 years or maybe ever. So you can only imagine how exciting, but also terrifying and scary this space must be for them. The Hill is a large outdoor area with unfamiliar fencing, ground, and also not knowing if anyone else is out there. The other chimps obviously haven’t been on the other side when they have access to the Hill, but the unknown can be intimidating! Right now Burrito is still alone recovering and the girl gang was inside phase 1 so they wouldn’t be too much of a distraction to the nervous 3 and Negra just napped the whole time.

Our first attempt was almost a month ago, before introductions had started. It did not go the way we had planned or the way I am sure the 3 chimps wanted it to go. We tried to show the chimps not to touch the electric fence. However, the electric fence was foreign and all they have ever really known is that they can hold onto caging. But the “caging” was shocking them and it was suppose to be safe. So there was screaming and they were nervous to say the least. Even with preparation and showing them not to touch, they still touched it, a lot. You might be wondering how we demonstrated this to them. There are many different methods. We pretended to touch the fence and get shocked. We made chimp vocalizations and screamed. J.B. grounded himself and made the fence spark (safely) and screamed as well. When the seven went out for the first time they had a mock test fence to touch so the chimps understood it would shock and J.B. also touched the fence to give them the real effect. J.B. did not want to touch the fence again (weird) and we didn’t feel that the mock test helped the seven not touch the fence, because they also got shocked the first time or two as well. An enclosure is all these three have known and mesh caging is what they are used to grabbing. Even the ground can be uncomfortable, for example, Willy B doesn’t like walking across the wood chips and tries to avoid them. This probably has a lot to do with living on concrete floors for most of his life.

There is a lot of adjustment for Honey B, Mave, and Willy B. We have continued to offer them the Hill when possible. However, they are scared. Honey B did go out again, but curiosity got the best of her and she touched the fence again. Though no one went out today, we will keep trying and hopefully one day they will feel comfortable enough to go out and explore, and not touch the fence as well!

Mave relaxing in the green house:

Honey B a little out of focus, enjoying some sun in the green house:

This photo shows a little bit of how Willy doesn’t like walking on the wood chips. He uses only one foot and tries to get across as fast a possible. Or tries to walk on chairs and enrichment to get on to the platform. This is actually every common for chimps in captivity that are adjusting to new environments. The unknown is scary until they can get use to it.

Negra in a cozy nest. Negra also spent some time grooming with Mave and play wrestling with Honey B.

Later in the afternoon the “Girl Gang” received access to the Hill. The girls and cattle went on a patrol together:

 

 

Girl Gang

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As some of you might know Jody, Jamie, Missy, Foxie, and Annie are in phase 1 together. We recently have been calling them the “Girl Gang” because, well, that is what they are. They are a bunch of hoodlums up to no good. Okay, well that might not be true, but they are a bunch of tough chicks ready to take on whatever comes next! What is next you might ask? Well, that plan is still being worked on, in the meantime enjoy some photos of these independent women!

The girl gang was enjoying some time outside on Young’s Hill. But they were also on a mission. They were doing patrols, checking the raceway, and surveying the land. After everything looked clear they sat in the Chute looking eagerly at Negra, Mave, Willy B, & Honey B.

Jody:

Jody inspecting door Y’s lock:

Missy sprinting around the Hill:

Fierce Foxie:

Annie:

Annie also inspecting door Y with Jody:

Jamie starting one of many patrols:

After their Hill adventures everyone enjoyed a bit of time inside.

Foxie:

Annie:

Missy:

Jody:

Jamie sizing the scrubbing brush:

Rain, nap, repeat

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The rain has poured down all day long here and is expected to continue through the night. It’s predicted to be sunny and a bit warmer the rest of the week so until then the chimps have been napping, grooming, enjoying pineapple coconut juice water buckets, food puzzles and some silly games with the humans as they continue to rest, recover and wait out the rainy day.

Burrito preparing for his after breakfast nap:

Cabin Fever

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My blog days always seem to be the quietest (e.g., last Sunday), which is odd given all the drama we have been experiencing lately. As we’ve mentioned, the chimps have been resting and recuperating after an attempt to introduce the remaining chimps did not go as hoped on Wednesday.

Because we rushed to separate the chimpanzees after severe fights repeatedly erupted in the Playroom, they ended up in slightly unusual social and spatial configurations. Burrito is physically isolated in one part of the building, with visual and auditory contact with the chimps in the Playroom. In there, Negra was effortlessly reintegrated with Honey B, Mave and Willy B and has been in her preferred state of passive cohabitation with them ever since. On the other side of the “Howdy Door,” in the newer wing of the building, Annie, Foxie, Jamie, Jody and Missy are spending time exploring the novel surroundings and trying to glimpse their familiar neighbors.

We’ve been giving the group of five females access to Young’s Hill via the outdoor chute. Today, however, the weather was damp and chilly and they spent most of their time goofing around in the Mezzanine.

Overall, things have been a bit odd lately. We’re planning on using this weird arrangement to the chimpanzees’ advantage, however, by giving certain individuals more opportunities to get to know each other. The tentative plan is to keep moving forward with the integration of the two groups, albeit in a more gradual and controlled manner. For now, we’re letting the chimpanzees hang out with their closest friends and (metaphorically and literally) lick their wounds.

Burrito was bitten a few times during Wednesday’s scraps and is probably sore from all the running, jumping, flailing and screaming (because, in case you haven’t heard, chimp fights can be physically and emotionally intense, even between friends). Although he immediately reconciled with Willy B and recovered quickly in spirit, he has needed some time to recuperate without the excitement and tension of another introduction. He definitely seems interested in the chimpanzees occupying the adjacent spaces, so we’re all eager for him to be back in the mix when he’s back to full strength. He certainly acts like he’s ready.

He’s also been taking some incredible naps. He’s not a skilled builder of nests, so volunteer Erin crafted a blanket nest for him during routine cleaning this morning. He loved it.

Burrito isn’t the only one eager for the next steps. The chimps are certainly aware of their neighbors, and most seem to be anxiously anticipating their next opportunity to interact. Willy, for example, continues to listen to the neighboring females from the safety of the Playroom. We’re not sure how the next meeting will go, but we’re continuing to be hopeful and trust that the chimps will figure it out eventually.

New Space

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While we are on a bit of break with the introductions, Jamie, Missy, Jody, Annie, and Foxie are spending their time in the new Phase 1 area of the building. Foxie was with Burrito in there for about a week, but Wednesday was the first time the others got to go into that space (and the chute too!).

I wasn’t able to get any good photos of them in the chute (or when they went on patrol on the hill) today, but here they are enjoying the new indoor rooms:

Foxie and Missy playing downstairs:

Then grooming upstairs in what we are referring to as the mezzanine:

Jody inspecting some toy tools next to Foxie:

A grooming triangle with Missy on the left and Jamie on the right:

Missy trying out a new bed/bench in the mezzanine (I think it met with her approval):

Annie just holding Missy’s foot while lying on the floor in the mezzanine:

 

Rebuilding

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The result of our final introduction was disappointing, to say the least, but all hope is not lost. I’m sharing this short clip so you can see how Burrito and Willy B got along while separated by mesh. It was a 45-minute love fest. And this was the morning after their conflict.

This is a good illustration of one of the core truths of chimpanzee life: severe conflicts do not necessarily preclude or end meaningful relationships. We didn’t force these two to get together like this; they were desperate to be together, and remain so. They were scared at first, sure, but within minutes they were grooming, kissing, and even sticking fingers in each other’s mouths – a sure sign of trust. They got off to a bad start during their first meeting but they were intent on reconciling. And after just a short time together, they would actually seek each other out for reassurance when they got anxious.

Still, it’s important to remember that these one-on-one meetings through the mesh do not necessarily predict how they will behave when meeting in the same enclosure again or when surrounded by other chimpanzees (such as, ahem, a band of very closely-bonded and strong-willed females). Behavior does not exist in a vacuum. These two will be influenced by many of the same factors if and when they meet again in person. And they, in turn, will influence those around them. Perhaps next time there will be a little less fear and uncertainty.

Burrito and Willy B have had difficult lives and they’ve missed out on so much. But the door has not closed all the way. In the wild, bonds between males are lifelong and central to their social lives. Maybe it’s not too late for these two.