Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

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Archives for December 2020

Up Close and Personal

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I had a whole blog post in my head (How to be Cool like Jamie), but today was the rare occasion that Mave, yes Mave, decided to let take some photos of her this morning. Many of you might know that Mave often does not want her picture taken or can be hard to capture in the moment. However, this morning as I was taking a few quick photos of Willy B, Mave sat down and stared at the camera phone. I asked her if I could take a few, normally I get a finger poke towards the camera and I take that as a no. But Mave just looked into the camera and let me take some close up shots. The rest of the day had the same theme. Jamie wanted her pictures taken or tolerated the camera being around. I wasn’t able to get everyone, really it was just Honey B, Willy B, Mave, and Jamie, but the ones I got are pretty good. The chimps were all in extremely playful moods today too. It was hard to choose a blog topic because I was even able to film some great play sessions! But I will save that for another blog! For today please enjoy some up close and personal photos.

This is what Mave’s pokey fingers look like.

Willy B was checking himself out in the mirror of the camera.



Honey B giving a “sup” look.

Honey B’s eyes are so mesmerizing.

Miss Mave.

Missy did not feel like participating, so she said goodbye and swung away.

I snapped a quick one of Foxie before she stuffed a doll through the mesh to play! Foxie’s eyes could make your heart melt.

The one and only Jamie.

PPE: Projects, Play, & Enrichment

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As mentioned on Sunday, there were a couple of mechanical issues that need to be fixed. When there is an upcoming project to take place, we as caregivers try plan the day out to ensure the projects can be finished in a safe manner, while not impeding on the residents’ daily activities too much. With so much going on during days like today, it can be somewhat difficult trying to take photos and develop a blog. So when the projects were completed, I was running around trying to salvage what time I had left in the day to at least get some photos. As the minutes kept ticking away, I may have started to panic a little bit. I almost decided to give up and just post whatever crummy photos I was able to get and call it a day. Then Honey B happened.

As I was still trying to get photos, I found Honey B, who immediately wanted to groom. As she was plucking rocks from the bottom of my boots, Mave made her way up to the Mezzanine. She began hooting, started to become piloerect, and was working herself up for a display. Honey B stopped grooming and started playing with me. I can’t confirm this, but it sounded like she exaggerated her laughs so Mave could hear. As Mave continued to build up her display, Honey B finally walked over to her with a play face, grabbed her foot, and raced away laughing. Mave’s hair was soon no longer on end and she raced after Honey B, playing a game of foot grab along the way. The game then evolved into a wrestling and tickling match. Here are a few of the photos captured with faces visible within a cloud of fur and laughter.

Earlier, Mave, Honey B, and Willy B were also treated to one of their favorite food puzzles: firehose cubes. When they first caught sight of the cubes, there was a chorus of pant hoots, food grunts, games of chase, and excitement that followed.

 

 

Unfortunately, Honey B grabbed hers and headed down stairs, so I was not able to get any photos of her.

Now that the day is over, Willy B is ready for bed with his favorite cheetah print blanket!

Tea for ten

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Now this is a terrible title because you aren’t going to actually see ten chimpanzees drinking tea. Just one.

But first things first! Before we get to the tea party, we’re happy to report that Meredith has shown some improvement today. Staff convened early this morning to get her situated for her exam with Dr. Erin. The entire time her mom, Honey, and small bovine family of Betsy and Nutmeg, stayed by her side or were nearby. Cattle are such intelligent, sensitive, herd oriented beings and while it’s not something that most of us get the chance to witness, unfortunately, it’s incredibly endearing to see how they stick together and the importance role they each play in the well-being of one another. But of course, they’re no different than any other animal, including we human animals.

Dr. Erin was able to give Meredith a thorough exam which went well and we’re awaiting the results of a few basic tests to make sure nothing is missed. In the meantime, Erin provided Meredith with a few treatments to help her feel more comfortable as we continue to observe her and ensure she keeps trending toward her old self. Thank you for all your kind thoughts and concern for her and of course, we will be sure to keep you updated.

Sweet Meredith, with her mother, Honey (in a classic Honey move) butting Nutmeg out of the way:

Now for the tea. A freezing fog wafted around the sanctuary all day, leaving much of it beautifully covered in a thin layer of crystals.

The chimpanzees raced onto Young’s Hill in a series a “false starts” throughout the day only to get part way out, realize how chilly it was and race back to the greenhouse. But eventually, Burrito and his buddy, Chad, made a couple loops in the cold. Once they returned, with everyone hunkered down in the toasty playroom, I thought what better time for warm tea (fruit herbal tea because chimpanzees sure don’t need caffeine). Jamie pant-hooted in excitement the second she saw me making it!

The tea service started out with everyone delicately (and decidedly very un-chimpanzee like) sipping their tea. But once they decided they loved it, the tea service turned raucous and rowdy, so juggling the tea and the camera in the midst of a cacophony of Bronx cheering and banging and yelling at this human to “hurry up” didn’t help with actual photos being taken (or at least turning out). Here is the only one, of Jamie enjoying her tea:

Meanwhile, on the other side, even Willy B, who is notoriously offended by tea, loved it! Speaking of Willy B, Honey B and Mave, their schedule was a bit off today as we have some repair work in their area pending, but they took it all in stride as they usually do, and were so happy and playful all day.

Honey B started a new job as self-appointed supervisor of the painters. Just part of the crew:

Mave enjoyed a leisurely day relaxing in the warm mezzanine and spent some time enjoying scrolling through my phone looking at photos of her friends at Wildlife Waystation who, as you may have heard, we hope to be welcoming to our family next year.

Here’s a random funny story. For much of the afternoon I was worried about Jody. She spent much of the day resting in the loft of the playroom and while that’s not unusual, she was just lying on the floor. Now if you know Jody, she is a master at nest building and knows how to spend her day in luxury. She acknowledged me when I’d call her, but she wouldn’t get up. She even skipped tea service. When she came down for dinner, I asked Chad if she was eating normally and if anything seemed amiss, but she not only ate well, but tried to relieve some of her neighbors of their dinner. So as the chimpanzees continued to eat, I was spot cleaning the playroom and putting out their extra evening blankets and food puzzles, still pondering what, if anything, could be going on with Jody. As I climbed the stairs to the loft I burst out laughing! There, in the corner, where Queen Negra had been napping next to Jody, was every single blanket we had put out in the playroom earlier in the day, wrapped into a well over foot high nest! Jody had been resting on the floor because Negra had taken ALL the blankets!! Now, there were other blankets available in other areas Jody could have come down for, and to be clear, the chimp house is kept toasty warm and even has heated floors, so Jody was by no means suffering. I think she must have been standing guard waiting for Negra to vacate that glorious nest and of course, Negra wasn’t budging.

And here’s Foxie, because, obviously…

Have a lovely, cozy evening, all!

Sunday, Crummy Sunday

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Sundays are usually quiet around here but today was unusually busy and a bit chaotic.

We experienced some of those bright moments that we expect when working around happy and healthy chimps, but we also encountered a few unexpected hang-ups that ensured this day would not go as smoothly as we initially hoped.

These days happen from time to time. Such is the life of a sanctuary caregiver.

Today’s minor obstacles included staff car troubles, sheets of ice on our vehicles and sidewalks, and mechanical issues around the building that required substantial effort to fix. I even hit snooze too many times and missed out on my usual dose of coffee. We’ll be fine (especially since I keep emergency coffee grounds in the Chimp House), but I would have been happier if everyone made it through the day without further setbacks.

To add some sour frosting to this moldy cake, Chad noticed that Meredith was acting strangely (even for a Jersey cow) and we gave her a preliminary diagnosis of A.D.R. (the common but dreaded condition of simply “ain’t doin’ right”). Of course, this condition warrants a follow-up exam by a veterinarian, so we called in Dr. Erin.

We love seeing Dr. Erin at the sanctuary, but we definitely prefer when she’s hanging with the chimps or delivering supplies for the vet clinic. Having to do an unexpected physical exam on a curiously-behaving bovine is not ideal, and it was difficult to get the suspicious cattle isolated as the sun rapidly set and plunged the pasture into darkness. We eventually secured Meredith and her companions into the winter paddock for what we hope is a quick check-up tomorrow morning. Hopefully, this is just some temporary discomfort and the cattle will be back to their usual activities soon.

With all this stuff to do, I didn’t have time to take many photos or type out any additional thoughts. Therefore, today’s blog will center around this portrait series of Burrito, the Most Charismatic Chimpanzee in the World. I happened to capture this moment as he ventured out onto the Hill this morning (before everything else unraveled).

As with most of the unusual events that transpire around here, it’s much easier to get through if you maintain a wry sense of humor and a little optimism. Of course, as with any life situation, there’s also a Simpsons bit that encapsulates my feelings perfectly.

Like Mother, Like Daughter?

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I stand by Katelyn’s post from the summer that there is no doubt that Honey B is her own unique person, quite separate from her biological history of having been born to Missy. But just as time shows us her own special uniqueness, new similarities between mom and daughter have also revealed themselves.

These two formidable and intelligent beings were tragically separated from one another at the Laboratory for Experimental Medicine and Surgery in Primates (LEMSIP), shortly after Honey B was born on June 11, 1989.

Missy was forced to continue her life of servitude as a laboratory test subject and breeder and Honey B went to the lab’s “nursery” where she was raised by humans in preparation for the same future. Unlike many other chimpanzees at LEMSIP who moved to a notorious laboratory in New Mexico called the Coulston Foundation, Honey B escaped that future when she and dozens of other young chimpanzees were moved to Wildlife Waystation in California as LEMSIP closed permanently.

Missy and Honey B were only reunited here at Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest 30 years after their separation.

As Katelyn mentioned in her post, there were no signs of particular recognition or even fondness between the pair when they met face to face before we abandoned the introductions of the two groups last fall.

Though they do not share the same rooms or have close interactions with one another, they do still see each other every day.

Just today, I spied Missy in a window of the playroom spying on her daughter as Honey B snacked on some lettuce in the Chute.

To be clear, there are shared preferences, quirks, and other similarities among some of the unrelated chimpanzees (the stand-out example is both Honey B and Annie wearing stretchy headbands around their waists), so who’s to say if the similarities between Missy and Honey B are inherited or simply coincidental. If you’ve ever taken a psychology or biology class or just on your own pondered the “nature vs nurture” question, you know the answer is almost always “both”.

Yet, it’s fun to consider that some of these traits just might have an element of heredity to them.

Similarities were brought up by other staff earlier this week, so it seemed a good time to reflect on what I’ve noticed that seem to characterize both mom and daughter.

Athleticism

Kelsi’s and Chad’s posts earlier this week that included the videos below clearly showed that Honey B and Missy are both quite quick on their feet and run for sheer enjoyment. That is not really the case for the majority of the other chimps.

It’s not just running that defines their love of movement. On any given day we see both of them climbing, swinging, leaping, and balancing.

Honey B
Missy

Playing Ghost

This was again inspired by a post earlier this week, this time Anna’s. Check out Missy’s ghost play with Annie from a few years ago compared to Honey B playing with Mave this week in the two videos below:

Playing Ghost is not specific to Honey B and Missy. Notably, Jamie sometimes ghosts around too:

Even when by themselves, Honey B and Missy seem to enjoy their version of ghosting.

Honey B

 

Missy covered in sheet
Missy

A Love of Tomatoes

If Missy could have one food for every meal for the rest of her life, that food would be tomatoes. I have never known another chimpanzee to like tomatoes with the sincerity and fervor of Missy.

Honey B, however, comes a close second, though she is pickier about the quality.

Headstands

Perhaps this goes along with athleticism? I’m really not sure. Either way, both mom and offspring seem to like being inverted, both during play and sometimes when making a nest.

Missy upside down

 

Missy

The photo above of Missy comes from a blog post that I wrote over ten years ago. For some reason I remember putting it together like it was yesterday.

Honey B upside down

Socks

Missy wearing a sock while playing
Honey B wearing a tomato sock
Honey B pulling a sock on her arm
Missy with a sock on her arm

The photo of Missy above with a sock on her arm is from the first month that the seven arrived at the sanctuary. You can still see Missy’s shaved belly from the medically indicated hysterectomy she had before coming here. Our photography equipment and file saving procedures were in their infancy – that’s why I couldn’t find a larger photo.

Missy removing a sock from her arm

 

Missy’s feet in socks

To be fair, Mave and Jody are also pretty into socks:

Mave

Jody’s style is to wear the sock just over her toes

Jody

I was reminded of one other similarity today as I was shifting the chimpanzees during meals to make it safe for us to enter a space for cleaning; if you were a betting person and you had to bet on which chimpanzee in each group would hold up shifting, it would be very safe to put your money on Missy and Honey B (Willy B’s more recent bout of rebellion notwithstanding). Missy is generally the last person in her group to leave a space and the least motivated by food. Her daughter? Pretty much the same.

A Taste of What’s to Come

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I should know better than to make predictions regarding construction timelines but I think it’s safe to say that we are within a couple months of the “Cali 3” moving into their new playrooms. Then, assuming our year-end fundraising is successful, we move on to completing the greenhouses. When that is done, we plan to welcome six more chimps and then create a 2nd two-acre habitat. It’s going to be a busy year!

Chimps always seem to know when the things we are building are meant for them. When we built Young’s Hill in the summer of 2011, the Cle Elum seven knew right away that it was their new habitat. How would they have known that? They’d spent their lives in small cages and hadn’t been outdoors since they were little kids, if ever. And surely they had never seen an electric fence before. But somehow they knew. In fact, months before we were ready to let them out, I took out my keys to unlock a chain near the entrance to the new enclosure and the chimps began hugging and screaming – they thought I was letting them out! Needless to say, I felt pretty bad about that. Luckily, they did go out later that summer and now Young’s Hill is part of their home. Honey B, Willy B, and Mave are just as ready to claim their new spaces and we’re looking forward to seeing them run, climb, and swing their way through the new playrooms and beyond.

In addition to the video above, I thought I’d share some bonus photos of Foxie from this morning. This is typical Foxie – she starts our patrolling with the gang and then wanders off by herself. She’s got a real independent streak.

The Ghost of Upcoming Christmas

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When he wrote A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens forgot to mention the most important holiday ghost of all, the Ghost of Upcoming Christmas! This afternoon, Mave was visited by this joyful, sheet covered apparition. In case you were wondering, the only way to rid the sanctuary of this phantom is through tickles. Good thing we had Mave on the case.