Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

Archives for April 2021

Thank you, Jill!

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Many thanks to Jill Connolly, who kindly sponsored a day of sanctuary for, and in honor of, the chimpanzees! We are so grateful to you for helping to ensure the chimpanzees live all their days forward surrounded by love, respect, and with as much agency over their lives as possible. 

“It’s an honor and a privilege to make this small contribution to this great cause. These chimps never signed up for the life that humans chose for them, yet they paid with their blood and their bones. Now retired, humans can provide them enriching, healthy, happy lives and show them appreciation for the sacrifices these chimps made for us.”

Jamie:

Jody:

Missy:

Mave:

The Gang Grooms the Day Away

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Today has just been one of those busy days. Every time I would go to get some photos of the chimpanzees, they were in spots that are extremely difficult to get photos from. And the times the Seven were exploring Young’s Hill, I was in the middle of cleaning and didn’t make in time to take many photos. I was starting to get worried that today’s blog would just be a hodge podge of random photos I was able to get. In one final attempt, I just went to check to see what was happening in the Greenhouse. And there was the grooming party of all grooming parties.

Annie grooming Jody grooming Burrito:

Jamie and Foxie grooming:

Burrito left Jody and Annie to groom with Missy:

Jamie left Foxie to groom my boots:

And Negra passed on grooming to monitor the progress of dinner being made. Priorities.

And if you’re wondering about the hodge podge of random photos, here they are as a bonus.

Annie trying to spy on her neighbors from Young’s Hill.
Foxie returning from her own little adventure on Young’s Hill.
Foxie flexing to show how tough and fierce she is! (Ok! maybe she was just in mid-stride when this photo was snapped, but it doesn’t make it any less true!)
Honey B enjoying one of the artificial tree branch platforms!
Then climbing down to play chase with caregivers.
Willy B also enjoys this platform as well!
Honey B watching me clean one of the new playrooms in true Honey B fashion.

Intruder Alert

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If you saw Chad’s blog post yesterday, you will know the chimpanzees enjoyed a delightful Sunday with a variety of Sunday kind of activities. Despite all the relaxing, napping, and lounging going on, there were a few moments of excitement mid-afternoon! An “intruder” passed through one of the chimpanzees’ garden spaces outside the raceway that leads to Young’s Hill, the chimps’ 2-acre outdoor habitat, and Annie sounded the alarm!

Viewer Advisory No 1: If you’ve followed us for awhile and know Annie’s hatred for these particular neighbors, you may well have a good idea of who it was. And if you’re new to the blog and/or have a strong aversion to seeing snakes, well, here’s your fair warning to maybe skip this one. 🙂 ).

Viewer Advisory No. 2: No rattlesnakes were involved! And no chimpanzees, snakes, or caregivers were harmed in the making of this video, so no worries! 😉

Gorgeous Annie:

Gorgeous garter snake:

Sunday Activities

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What are some of your favorite Sunday activities? The video highlights some of the residents of Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest favorite Sunday activities.

But before anything else, the morning patrol!

Jamie couldn’t wait to do her morning patrol. She even decided her breakfast chow had to wait until she was on Young’s Hill!

Not far behind Jamie was Burrito, Missy, and Jody.

Annie decided to venture off on her own.

Missy found a perfect spot for a little solitude and to take in the morning scenery.

However, Jamie thought this was also the perfect spot to eat her chow.

I mean, who could blame Jamie? This is the perfect spot to take in all of a Spring morning’s glory.

Missy shortly left to zoom around the hill.

While Annie decided to try to spy on her neighbors: Willy B, Honey B, and Mave.

Then there is this guy. With this glance, I know my legs are about to turn to Jello, I will be soon out of breath, and make a few trips around the Hill, which was exactly the case shortly after this photo was taken.

We here all hope you had the most perfect Sunday!

Stunt Missy

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When we set out food forages for the chimpanzees on Young’s Hill, the chimps’ outdoor habitat, especially on a gorgeous day like today, all of the staff onsite tend to gather at the base of the hill near the greenhouse, frequently with more than one of us taking photos.

It never gets old watching forages, and we often narrate out-loud to one another what’s happening. Today, Missy provided some excitement for our (and her) enjoyment.

The lunch forage was whole tomatoes (a Missy-favorite!), big chunks of lettuce, celery, mini sweet peppers, primate chow biscuits, and a few pieces of sweet potato.

Missy was keen on finding the tomatoes, but was also busy gathering lettuce. We spotted her on the treat rock (an artificial termite mound) taking a moment to eat some lettuce.

She must have spotted some tomatoes on top of Negra’s cabin from the vantage point of the treat rock, because she leapt off the treat rock in a way only Missy would. J.B. got a shot of her in motion!

Here’s the zoomed-in version of that photo. I dubbed it Stunt Missy.

Negra was settled in inside her cabin, casually enjoying some chow biscuits and lettuce, when Missy approached.

Missy was determined to climb up the log support of the cabin, even with her hands quite full. The humans watching wondering if she could do it…

Of course she could! She scaled up the log one-handed, not dropping a leaf of lettuce.

and enjoyed the tomato reward when she reached the top

Serious Business

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In the greenhouse, there’s a small bench with a digital scale inside.

When a chimp sits on the scale, we can look up at the display panel and record their weight. This is important for overall health management as well as for dosing medications.

While the bench might seem to the chimps to be like any other bench, it is not. It is serious business.

The scale is a bonafide medical device. One does not play games with medical devices.

The most important thing to remember is that the entire body must be kept on the platform for accurate weight measurement.

Never stand on the scale.

Remain still during the entire process.

Do not, under any circumstances, taunt the scale operator.

Remain upright at all times! I can’t believe I even have to say that.

OK, I get it. You think this is funny.

Are we finished?

Right, then. As I was saying, this is a serious medical device.

An ode to Foxie

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Foxie is a unique character at the sanctuary.  She is equal parts friendship and independence, with a dash of eccentricity thrown in for good measure. She loves fresh fruit and creamy avocados and has never said no to a morning smoothie. It’s a rare sight to see Foxie without a prized (and well loved) doll close by. She protects her friends and is remarkably brave, despite her skeptical nature. Foxie’s playful energy is a contagious delight within her chimpanzee family and she brings joy to all who know her.  Cheers to Foxie Chimpanzee on this fine spring day in April!

 

There never was a finer play face! Not pictured- Burrito and his supreme tickling abilities.