For their first 30 days here, our new arrivals will be in quarantine to protect the health of the chimps already at the sanctuary. In addition to keeping the groups physically separated, the staff must change scrubs, gloves, boots, and masks anytime they go between groups in order to prevent cross-contamination. To make life easier, we dedicate two staff members each day to work with the new guys while the rest of us care for everyone else. You can imagine how badly those of us not working with the Lucky Six want to pop over and say hello!
As it was not my turn today to work with the new group, I’ll have to share some photos I took the other day. I’ve been reminded a lot this week of when the Cle Elum Seven first arrived back in 2008. We were all so eager to get to know them, but whenever we tried to spend time with them there was one chimpanzee – Jamie – that hogged all of our attention. Likewise, as much as I’m dying to get to know Rayne, Lucky, Gordo, and Dora better, for me this whole week has been The Terry and Cy Show.
Terry enjoying some chewing gum:
Fun fact: Terry really wants to lick everyone:
Cy, the alpha of the group:
By the way, if you haven’t noticed already, Terry and Mave are brother and sister from another mother and mister. They even do the same “smoosh face”, wherein they greet you with their faces pressed up against the caging.
While Willy B has been putting on some of his best displays to make himself known to the chimps on the other side of the wall, Mave has offered up only the occasional recumbent pant hoot to back him up.
Thankfully, our record-breaking heat wave is over and we’ve returned to a seasonally appropriate level of too hot. But it is a relief in comparison and the chimps have been spending a little more time outside.
Foxie:
Missy and Annie:
Burrito:
