Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

Archives for November 2020

Bubblegum selfies

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Occasionally, we offer the chimpanzees sugarless chewing gum as an enrichment treat, and to potentially help with their dental hygiene. They’re all mad for it. Whereas the seven tend to chew briefly, then swallow the gum, the three just loll around chewing it for ages, putting it in their lip to look at, stretching it out with their fingers.

I hoped to get a few photos of everyone enjoying their gum, but as you may be aware, the second you bring out a camera, Mave, Honey B and Willy B race up to see what they can see. Willy B immediately wanted to look at himself chewing gum and then look at “selfies” of him chewing gum.

Can’t say I blame him:

A bonus photo of Jamie napping peacefully in her colorful, fluffy nest, hugging her beloved boot book:

If you subscribe to our newsletter or follow us on FaceBook, you hopefully got a chance to watch the video Diana shared full of thanks from all of us to all of you! It’s incredible what you make possible every single day for these ten amazing chimpanzees who call Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest their home. And tomorrow, on Giving Tuesday (December 1st), do we ever have a doozy of an exciting announcement for you!

Bovine Thanksgiving

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The sanctuary’s four rescued cattle have a pretty good life.

During the colder months, the bovines live in the winter paddock. Although it’s not as expansive as their full complex of pastures, this smaller area contains everything they need to stay happy and healthy. They have 24/7 access to fresh hay, heated water, and a couple of warm, straw-lined shelters. (Caregivers, on the other hand, have to muck these areas each day. That’s a story for another blog post.)

In the warmer seasons, they roam the grassy hillsides without much need for human interaction. You’ve probably seen a lot of this idyllic lifestyle on the blog. As with the chimps, we don’t always emphasize the barriers that contain these individuals, but we don’t want you to forget about them, either. The picturesque backdrops and dedicated caregivers cannot change that these four domestic cattle are living in captivity against their will. At times, it may even be necessary to confine them for their own safety. To offset the injustices of captivity, we are obligated to give them more freedom in whatever way we can, facilitating a lifestyle of relative comfort and choice.

For the cattle, the ability to roam around at will is paramount. Each winter, we typically keep the bovines in the paddock because the steep trails that lead to the other pastures turn into muddy slush. This slick terrain is not ideal for four Jersey cattle, so we close off the pastures to be safe. This year, we had to shut the gates in the middle of November, much earlier than we’d normally prefer.

Fortunately, the weather dried out and warmed up a bit last week; Thanksgiving brought us sunny and clear blue skies. While the chimps were napping off their holiday feast, we decided to open the swing gates to let the cattle back out onto their pastures.

When bovines get excited, they will trot, gallop and buck until they are content. The best time to see this behavior is when they get access to a new pasture. Even though it’s almost winter and it had only been a few weeks, they still seemed to appreciate having their familiar pastures once again.

P.S. Thanksgiving may be behind us, but there’s a lot to be excited about. In just a couple of days, we will be participating in Giving Tuesday and we have some exciting news to share!

Fun Inside, Outside, and In-between. Subtitle: Caging is OK

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With the right camera lens and the right distance, we can “focus through” the fencing that surrounds the outdoor habitats so the fencing disappears or turns into blurs in the foreground.

It’s a trick of the camera. The fencing doesn’t actually go away.

But our eyes perform the same trick. This is roughly where Willy B was looking in the photos above and exactly what that hillside looked like to my eyes too.

We love sharing the sanctuary with loyal supporters and new interested folks too. One comment that people often make when they see a video from us for the first time on Facebook or Instagram is that the chimpanzees shouldn’t be indoors or “in a cage.”

I tried to answer this years ago in this blog post, but I felt it needed an update.

It is helpful to begin as that post did with the image of the type of cages that many of the chimpanzees at CSNW spent the majority of their lives:

cage outside

That is a cage.

At the sanctuary, there is also caging.

Caging makes people uncomfortable. They want to see chimpanzees outside “where they are meant to be.” They want to imagine that they are free and close to nature.

I’m not immune to it myself.

Just yesterday, I noted what a lovely afternoon it was and tried to implore Jamie to go outside. The voices of my parents echoed in my head as I said, “you should be outside, it’s beautiful.”

When my parents issued similar sentiments, I’m not sure if I ever responded out loud “well then why aren’t you outside?” If Jamie could speak, she would have been right to ask me the same question. She was perfectly happy making a nest by the window in that moment.

We all have individual preferences, and how we want to spend our time can change from one moment to the next. The chimpanzees are the same.

They like different spaces for a multitude of reasons. I hope the video above illustrates both the utility of caging and also how the chimpanzees might view it differently than we do; without all of the symbolism that we humans put on it.

It took us a little more than three years from the time Negra, Burrito, Jamie, Foxie, Missy, Annie, and Jody arrived to give them Young’s Hill – their two-acre habitat surrounded by double electric fences.

In those three years, the chimps were not unhappy. They played, foraged, nested, and spent lots of time in the indoor/outdoor greenhouse.

We knew they should have more, and we wanted to see them truly “outside.”

I can’t imagine Jamie not having Young’s Hill now. She loves it. She owns it.

Negra, on the other hand, can take it or leave it. Seeing her outside in the spring, though, still takes my breath away.

We can’t get inside the heads of the chimpanzees. We can’t ask them what they are thinking. But we can observe them and watch where they choose to spend their time and how they utilize different spaces.

We can (and should) do things to encourage them to GET OUTSIDE, but it’s worth asking ourselves if we are doing that for their sake or for our own – to fulfill the vision we have of what chimpanzees in captivity should be doing instead of what they want to be doing.

These chimpanzees cannot live in the wild. Our job is to give them the best possible captive life possible, with lots of choice and variety, based on their individual needs, personalities, and quirks.

We’ll continue to blur the fencing out of some photos and put the cameras up to the caging for an unobstructed view, but it’s not because we want you to forget that it’s there; it’s so you can fully see the unique and wonderful chimpanzees who are choosing to do whatever they are doing in the moment when the camera shutter closes.

Someone to lean on

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Annie has always had a nervous disposition. In the years immediately following her arrival at the sanctuary, she was prone to bouts of acute anxiety akin to panic attacks. Thankfully, these have become less and less frequent over the years but they still occur on occasion. While it’s hard for us to say exactly what sets them off, they appear to be triggered by tension or ambiguity in social relationships. It’s hard to be a primate, as we all know too well.

This afternoon, I spent some time photographing the chimps as they quietly patrolled the hill, foraged for browse, and climbed the various towers and play structures. At one point I noticed Annie nearby with her hair standing on end. I could tell something was wrong.

She began to pant-hoot softly, each hoot trailing off into a whimper. Alone, she walked hurriedly to a climbing structure and began to climb the ladder. But she turned back before reaching the top.

Soon her whimpers grew into screams.

Her walk became a sprint.

She was alone and desperate for reassurance.

There’s only one person that Annie looks to in moments like these.

Just then, Missy emerged from the greenhouse and into Annie embrace.

And like that, Annie’s face began to soften.

And her breathing began to slow.

As Katelyn mentioned recently, the relationship between Annie and Missy can be complicated at times. Thankfully for Annie, there are still times when it is predictably straightforward and simple. Because Annie is the kind of person that needs someone to lean on.

Thanksgiving Day 2020

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Today I am thankful for the chimps and the way they are a steady anchor of normalcy in the sea of chaos that is this strange year. For many of us, Thanksgiving might look a lot different this year.  For the chimpanzees, it looked just about exactly the way it always does. It was filled with FOOD! Wishing everyone a safe and joy filled holiday -from all of us at the sanctuary.

Favorite Foods

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We all have preferences for food. Our likes and dislikes. The chimps are no different. I can’t tell you how many times Foxie has poked away something green and looked offended that I would even offer kale. Or how many times Honey B has politely given back pieces of food she does not want. I thought you might all want to know what foods the chimps think are the most delicious and the worst! Let’s start with what collectively everyone loves; cabbage and lettuce! So simple and plain, but the chimp house will erupt in excitement when they see a head of lettuce or slices of cabbage.

Now, let’s get into personal preferences. 🙂

Negra, as we all might know is all about chow and peanuts. Negra is a carbs girl so of course for our special holidays she gets the most excited for dinner rolls, well, maybe besides Burrito. They might be in a tie for that one.

Jamie will never say no to any type of pear. She really loves onions in any form, green onions, leeks, raw onion, baked onions! Jamie loves them all.

Missy might be the easiest to guess. She eats, sleeps, and breathes tomatoes. Missy also really like lettuce, sweet potatoes, and ice! For her birthday, we do tomato parties!

Foxie can be a bit picky. Do not give her green foods! Foxie mostly lives for smoothies and fruits! She also likes sweet potatoes (especially baked), tomatoes, and ohhhh she loves avocados! Foxie for her birthday gets watermelon bowls, which are one of her favorites.

Jody is a forager. She loves going on the Hill and finding prickly lettuce, dandelions, cattails, flowers, and whatever else she can find. Jody really likes bananas and carrots. There are many amazing things about Jody, but the best is when she is really content or happy Jody makes the dinosaur groan of satisfaction. That is how we know she is really enjoying something good.

Annie is easy to please. She really likes everything, except for mangoes. She is allergic to mangoes! Annie loves grass, flowers, green onion, and kale.

Burrito LOVES food! Obviously, his favorite is pasta, but he only gets it on special occasions! Burrito is also pretty easy to please. He really like all potatoes, regular or sweet!

*** Willy B, Mave, and Honey B are hesitant to try new foods. Often, they just stare at you when you try to serve them something new and delicious, like you are trying to poison them. For example, for Negra’s brunch we served waffles to everyone. The three just stared at us like we were crazy for offering! Eventually they tried the waffles and enjoyed them. ***

Willy B loves cabbage. He also really likes carrots and sweet potatoes. Willy thinks cucumbers are disgusting. He does not like tea or any other beverage that might look like a suspicious drink. However, Willy B is a fun individual to watch eat. For example, when Willy B eats a carrot or cabbage he eats it like Bugs Bunny!

Mave is a California girl! She loves a really good avocado and fresh pineapple! Mave was hesitant about baked goods, but now she loves baked onions, pumpkin, and sweet potatoes! Mave is always the first one up for breakfast, it might be her favorite meal. Mave will only eat a cucumber if there is nothing else, it is her last choice.

Honey B LOVES lettuce and smoothies! She also likes carrots, popcorn, and brussel sprouts. Something you all should know about Honey B, if you don’t already is that she is the world’s slowest eater! Honey B also rarely eats a cucumber.

When Honey B is eating, she likes to stare deeply into your eyes. We joke that her actually food is our souls. If looks deep enough she will steal it :). I believe this photo embodies that.

Mave eating is pure bliss.

Mave’s facial expression feels almost looks like a taunt. Like, you hungry? Or, you want some of this?

I managed to get an action shot of Willy B eating his cabbage like Bugs Bunny!

Don’t forget to check up on our Wish List! Thanksgiving may be tomorrow, but Christmas is just around the corner and we are slowly adding items on their list!

All Smiles

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Chimpanzee smiles are one of the greatest things to see. Granted let’s not confuse a true chimpanzee smile with a fear grimace. What most humans recall when they think of a chimpanzee smile are those usually found on cards or advertisements. Usually a juvenile chimpanzee dressed up in some costume, and full teeth showing with the edges of their mouth going from ear-to-ear. For those of us who work with or study chimpanzees, fully showing the upper and bottom rows of their teeth is the indication they are fear grimacing. Chimpanzees use the grimacing to show that something is causing them anxiousness or fear, or to show off their impressive canine teeth to intimidate another.

A true chimpanzee smile, one used for play and enjoyment, only the bottom teeth are usually exposed. I say usually because there are occasions where something may be super exciting or really funny is too hard to contain. In these circumstances, other chimpanzee behaviors are looked for such as laughter, breathy pants, etc. But once we, as caregivers, confirm they are indeed chimpanzee smiles, and if directed toward us, it makes the day so much brighter.

Here are a few I was able to capture of Mave. Both the lead up and the actual smiles.

First was last week as I entered the Willy B, Honey B, and Mave’s side of the building. She really wanted to play an interaction called “shoe tickle.” As J.B. described in his blog a few weeks back, “shoe tickle” is when the chimpanzees fully extend their fingers through the mesh and can only touch the bottoms of our shoes with just the tips of their fingertips. This is to avoid them grabbing us in some way.

Then there is this sequence from Sunday of her in serious play mode.

Yesterday I was able to catch Honey B’s smile during a play session as well!

(Note the coloration of Honey B’s eyelids! It’s one of the many, many, many things I love about her that makes her unique!)

I tried to round this off by getting some photos of Willy B’s smile and play face. However, as some of you know, he is really difficult to get photos of. Either he’s too close for the cameras we have on hand, or he stops doing what he’s doing if a phone is brought out. Though Willy B is serious about 85% of the day, the other 15% he can really be a goofball. Though most of the time he doesn’t showcase a smile or play face, once in a while he’ll let one slip and it’s amazing!

I tried to supplement it with someone who almost always has a smile on his face and can be heard throughout the sanctuary laughing nearly 95% of the day.

Though Burrito spends nearly the entire day laughing and playing, it actually can be difficult to get photos of his smile. But this is what I could get.

Hopefully these smiles brightened up your day as they do ours!

And remember:

When you’re smilin’, keep on smilin’ and the world smiles with you.”

-Louis Armstrong