It was another laid-back Sunday, aided by cooperative chimpanzees and incredible personnel.
We haven’t been doing any complicated projects or maneuvers on Sundays, giving our staff and chimpanzees time to focus on maintenance and recuperation before diving into the upcoming week. Today’s most exciting moments didn’t rival the excitement of Jamieween or the tension and chaos of an integration event. Even on our calmest of days, however, we still have to maintain and operate an intricate facility in order to manage multiple groups of chimpanzees with complex needs and preferences. Getting through each day requires a lot of teamwork, focus, and commitment among the humans.
Today, our staff had stellar assistance from two dedicated volunteers and two excellent interns. They carved and baked pumpkins, conducted safety checks, scrubbed floors, observed chimps, folded blankets, dehydrated fruit, and prepared enrichment for the chimps. (Thank you for your help, Courtney, Dusty, Katie and Rose!)
We also had two students undergo their first orientation so that they can begin helping us this winter. (Welcome to CSNW, Riley and Ashton!) With all the changes that have occurred over the last few months, we are beyond thrilled with how helpful and adaptable our volunteers and interns have been. It’s not an understatement to say that they are an integral part of the team.
As the humans worked hard to clean and provide care, the chimpanzees did chimpanzee things in the chimpanzee areas. Spaces such as the Playroom and Greenhouse don’t resemble an African jungle, superficially, but they serve a critical purpose; the interconnected enclosures provide a functional environment in which the chimps can engage in species-typical behaviors. At one point this morning, Willy B and Burrito proved that they can make a formidable duo when throwing enrichment objects across the open spaces in the Playroom. The explosive display provoked a boisterous response from the females on the other side of the wall. After lunch, however, the Chimp House was remarkably quiet and peaceful as the chimpanzees channeled their energy into positive social interactions.
Honey B and Mave continued to forge new friendships with Negra, while Willy B and Burrito kept lounging, eating and grooming together. The Girl Gang (composed of Annie, Foxie, Jamie, Jody, and Missy) spent the day socializing with each other, pant-grunting at the boys through the Playroom windows, and exploring Young’s Hill. I’ve included some snapshots of today’s activities at the bottom of this post.
We’re preparing to facilitate more meetings between chimps this week as we continue the gradual integration of the two social groups. It’s going to be an exciting week, so we’re appreciating the serenity and comfort of a lazy Sunday afternoon.
P.S. If you haven’t seen the news yet, there has been a critical setback in the effort to transfer the remaining populations of retired chimpanzees from biomedical facilities. Although it does not directly affect our future plans here at CSNW at this point in time, there is now a very real possibility that 44 chimpanzees will not be transferred to permanent sanctuary at Chimp Haven in Louisiana. I recommend the following articles to any of our followers and supporters who want to read further about the issue and be informed advocates for captive chimpanzees:
October 30 – Opinion – LA Times
as always, great content and photos. caregiver photography just keep getting better and better!
Hi Anthony,
Thanks for the pics….loving Annie’s long hands, as always…
Good to see Neggie having fun…
Is that a fresh spot on Willy B’s face?
Good observation, Linda. That spot is not new. Willy got some superficial wounds on his face during the fight three weeks ago. They’ve mostly healed, but chimps have a tendency to pick off each other’s scabs while grooming. That has left Willy with some pale patches of skin on his face and arms that will most likely darken as they finish healing.
Thanks, Anthony. …must be the first time anyone’s got him at this angle since “the big fight”? (and here’s hoping that we can always use that in the singular!)
Beautiful post Anthony and thank you so much! Love your prose!! Love and hugs to you all…
Anthony, Thank you so much for your time & always interesting blogs…I find myself really looking forward to them as they’ve actually become an important part of of my day-to-day life…I really appreciate the photographs & accompanying stories, & I got such a good belly laugh today reading about & seeing the photo of Miss Neggie & her “exuberant” playfulness…I with Honey B… : ) What made me literally CrackUp though, was learning those girls would look out of the playroom window to “spy” on the boys & then pant hooted at them…It’s so endearing as was Jamie leading the gang during her patrol duty, & then looking behind her to make sure they were still following her…
I’m glad that you enjoy reading about the sanctuary!
Thanks Anthony, you always make me feel as if I’m right in chimp house with you. What an exciting time to be a new intern/student working at CSNW. As if observing the chimps in a sanctuary setting isn’t enough, experiencing an integration is thesis worthy!
Thanks for all the photos, nice seeing everyone settling in and connecting. So enjoy seeing Negra paling with her new friends. Poor Willy B looks a little worse for wear, did he have a little scuffle with Mr. B?
I was deeply disappointed and discouraged to discover the NIH’s decision to keep 44 elderly chimps, denying them their chance at a new life at Chimp Haven sanctuary. For those who may be interested in taking action on this issue:
• NAVS is requesting people take action by asking Dr. Francis Collins to establish an oversight committee to review the current facilities where chimpanzees will be “retired in place” in order to ensure that they provide an “ethologically appropriate physical and social environment” for these animals. (Learn more here : https://secure3.convio.net/navsoc/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=745#.Xb-hWC3MwlI)
• AAVS is requesting people contact their legislators and urge them to demand that NIH move these chimpanzees out of Alamogordo Primate Facility and to the Chimp Haven sanctuary. (Link is found on AAVS homepage : https://aavs.org)
• And the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine asked people to take action : Tell congress the Alamogordo Chimpanzees deserve sanctuary. (Learn more : https://act.pcrm.org/onlineactions/Hi7-5zoRxUKrophA08fIAA2?emci=9239c434-45fb-e911-828b-2818784d6d68&emdi=27419a8b-f7fb-e911-828b-2818784d6d68&ceid=2106969&contactdata=IjNWoTjrry5T8h%2bYjdGfavsKC8b3SxKKLcxnk4R2JuctmwXkJVIThss7PIlVka8kQM8KGWFOSUBy3W%2byl1aAMwAOW6FKQIAN1g4GttvDSWpzDzoKGbqZRmNRmsnIQudI3%2fpZ7iefDXV%2bA%2fFOufPyf35DLEwMYb1RGCPQI1vbx3B3CwTCzGfWA1yj0oLWrOnZQgpgWivjJ6G1KjbgeCynSQ%3d%3d)
• Rana Smith, President and CEO of Chimp Haven, posted a statement on the decision from the NIH to withhold all 44 chimpanzees who currently remain at the Alamogordo Primate Facility from transferring to retirement at Chimp Haven.
For these 44 chimps, it’s their time, long over due. Whether you choose to take action by sending a letter or not, all sites have more information on why congress should, at the very least, hold the NIH accountable by asking them to convene a truly independent, non-biased panel of chimpanzee experts and ethicists to reevaluate the agency’s decision. These are elderly or diminished chimpanzees and the clock is ticking.
I too was sad to hear about the 44 medical lab chimps who were supposed to be transferred to Chimp Haven. Thanks Kathleen for all the places where we can voice our opinion. If every person who get so much joy out of reading these daily posts contacted one of the people and sites you listed it might make a difference.
Kathleen, thank you so much for providing those links! They make it very easy to contact the “powers that be.” Done and done!
I heard a spot about the NIH’s decision on NPR last week. With that and the articles Anthony linked, we can hope this issue is getting enough publicity to force a reversal. If not now, then perhaps the NEXT Administration will be more responsive. 😉
Anthony, am I remembering correctly that one of Missy’s children is still at Alamagordo?
Missy actually only has two known offspring. She gave birth to Honey B (who is now here at CSNW) and a male named Josh who is still at the Wildlife Waystation. They have different fathers.
Negra had a daughter named Heidi at Alamagordo but she is now living in sanctuary at Chimp Haven. At one point, both Jody and Foxie also had offspring housed at Alamagordo. They all died while there except for Foxie’s daughter Kelsey who was also transferred to Chimp Haven.
This information is just what we can infer from the records that we have at this point in time.
Anthony, you always put 150% of yourself into your blogs. This one, like the others, is full of useful information and observations. What a great time to have arrived at the sanctuary. The introductions of the 3 into the 7 is interesting and complicated. What a great learning experience. Thank you again for such interesting blogs. As for the 44 unfortunate chimps left in Alamagordo, would it be worth supporters writing to the state on behalf of moving the chimps or is it a done deal? Change can happen with but a ripple.