It’s been a busy week at the sanctuary, but that’s not stopping us from feeling a little bit of holiday cheer.
For the most part, the holidays don’t interrupt our operations. First and foremost, the chimps need the same amount of specialized care that they always do. Additionally, the ongoing construction of new chimpanzee areas will continue right up to Christmas and is set to resume immediately after. Since the electrical work that Anna mentioned last week is still in progress, the seven chimps living on that side of the building have been somewhat inconvenienced. For the past few days, they have had to hang out in the heated Greenhouse and cozy front rooms while the larger playroom is unavailable.
That hasn’t seemed to bother them too much, though. They have ample enrichment puzzles, nesting materials, views of the contractors, human caregivers to socialize with, and each other’s company.
Jamie seems to enjoy watching the electricians. Although she can’t see their faces because of their masks, Jamie nodded approvingly at their footwear today. The guys seemed proud when I told them The Boss was pleased.
Fortunately, the first days of winter have been relatively warm and consistently clear, so the chimps have also felt comfortable making frequent excursions outdoors. The amazing weather convinced us to spread forages on Young’s Hill both Saturday and Sunday, but they seem to be motivated by other factors in the days since. Maybe they want to survey the land and spy on the neighbors, or perhaps they’re just looking for some recreation. Either way, it’s nice to see them using the large outdoor enclosure this late in the year. I took the following photos during Sunday’s special activities and today’s regular patrols.
Foxie, in particular, seems to value her time outdoors. Based on her tendency to wander off from the others, I’d guess that she enjoys the brief periods of solitude.
Of course, she may just be taking in those sweet views of the surrounding pastures, forests, and snow-covered mountains.
I hate to ask but I notice a few more barren spaces not only on Jamie but also on Missy. Any ideas what might be causing this? My late friend in Chicago (a sheep dog) used to have bouts of skin irritation which her human caretakers speculated may have related to water, either water she drank or water she waded in at Lake Michigan. I know that the chimpanzees aren’t much for wading in water, but do you suppose that the hairlessness on their torsos and limbs might be an allergic reaction to something which they are drinking or eating, or perhaps from chemical residue in their blankets? Or, is their skin dry from the weather and altitudes of their environs? I certainly hope that they are not in pain.
Hey Tobin! Thanks for the great question.
J.B. touched on this in his last blog post: http://chimpsnw.org/2020/12/the-stories-we-tell/
“Jamie has been picking more of the hair from her belly. We don’t know why. Sometimes these self-directed behaviors are old habits, unconnected to a chimpanzee’s current state, but they can indicate stress.”
Jamie tends to pick at that spot during certain times (possibly when she is feeling anxious about something) and we’ve been observing closely since the resulting bald patch recently grew. Still, without any other symptoms and no apparent side effects, it’s difficult for us to “treat” the behavior apart from simply monitoring it. Jamie seems to be doing fine otherwise!
As for environmental causes, it’s difficult to pinpoint which of the factors they may be exposed to could be causing discomfort. We generally stick to products that are “free and clear” of potential irritants, and we thoroughly rinse any strong cleaning products. As of right now, we have no indication of these chemicals or the local climate doing any harm and Jamie’s plucking behavior still seems to be the simplest explanation for her hair loss.
Hi Tobin,
I just wanted to jump in and add that Missy hasn’t lost any hair. Certain camera angles and lighting in photos can reveal their skin behind the hair but Missy is the same as she ever was. We observe the chimps very closely and besides the small spot of hair on Annie’s waist that was pulled out during a tussle, Jamie’s belly is the only change we’ve seen and it is definitely the result of plucking.
Regarding Jamie, we’ll have time in future blog posts to discuss this in more detail but I’d like to emphasize Anthony’s point that we don’t see her exhibiting any other signs of anxiety. Hair plucking is one of the most common abnormal behaviors in captive chimps – seen in 58% of chimps in accredited zoos, according to one study, second only to feces-eating (83%). Its widespread occurrence doesn’t make it normal, but it does highlight the challenges of determining and addressing the root causes of such behavior. We see Jamie plucking on days when she is busy and fulfilled and seemingly happy, so we’re reluctant to attribute it to acute anxiety or boredom – though we also wouldn’t rule anything out. We can say confidently, however, that it is behaviorally caused and not the result of any irritants.
When I look at the whole I see happy foragers who are lucky to be enjoying your days of sun and no snow. Well, I guess the “whole” may not approve of no snow — Burrito may be that single tree in the whole forest who is a wee bit disappointed with lack of participation from Old Man Winter! Great photos of Sundays forage on Young’s Hill. I just love the chartreuse color of the bamboo, so vibrant. And I’m happy Jamie approved of the electricians footwear.
Dear Santa, This is our list for 2020. We hope there’s room on your sleigh.
1. Jamie: A partridge in a pear tree, just skip the partridge. And a cowboy boot store.
2. Jody: A nurses uniform, tons of blankets and a fruit and vegetable farm.
3. Missy: A new pair of running shoes and a big bucket of tomatoes.
4, Annie: A big field of grass and a hug from Missy.
5, Foxie: A million Troll dolls and a smoothie machine.
6. Negra: A peanut farm and some more fluffy blankets
7. Burrito: A field of snow, lots of food and some blocks.
8. Willy B: A good movie and some rosy apples.
9. Honey B: A nice car, some of Foxie’s smoothies.
10. Mave: An orange tree and lots of spaghetti dinners.
11. Our friends, the cattle: lots of yummy hay and warm beds.
And of course, our wonderful caregivers: Lots of hand kisses, tug of war and running games. We love them.
I love your post! I only add … and a lot of hugs from friends!
I would also be proud if Jamie liked my shoes LOL.