Today is Honey B, Willy B, and Mave’s two year anniversary at Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest! It has been an honor to get to know each one of them. I can’t imagine life without Honey B’s spunk, Willy B’s dashing good looks, or life without a laid back Mave would just be disappointing. The day was full of their favorite foods and enrichment. There were mangoes, avocados, eggplant to name a few! We put out a LOT of paper, raffle tickets, and buckets of soapy water!
While it’s their anniversary we were still doing one on one introductions. Today was actually the last day of one on one’s before we take a little break. As Sofia stated yesterday, Honey B with no surprise is a wild card and so is Gordo. Honey B still had to meet Gordo and Cy. We also knew these might be some of our hardest introductions. I just need to state how proud we are of Honey B! She did really well overall! It shows us that Honey B can form relationships with new chimps and gives us hope for the future. But she still makes us hold our breath when we open up that door.
First up was Cy. They did great! Cy was playing with her so rough, we were all really for Honey B to freak out, but she didn’t. She loved playing with Cy! As you will see in the video they are laughing and wrestling. That was them playing gently too, we didn’t capture the true wrestling because we thought it might escalate, but to our pleasant surprise it didn’t! Next up was Gordo. Honey B and Gordo met at the mesh yesterday and seemed pretty playful. However, today they both seemed to have taken a slower approach. Eventually we opened the door and they seemed a bit indifferent. Indifference was totally fine, we just wanted them to get comfortable. They warmed up to each other and started to play. It was really fun to watch, but it was short lived. We think there was a little miscommunication on both ends and we quickly ended up having to separate them. Gordo is fine and has a small wound on his foot. We brought Honey B back so her and Gordo had a chance to make up at the mesh, but Gordo wasn’t too interested in coming down. Honey B did give him some good positive behaviors at the mesh. We are hopeful that they can move past this and with a few more meetings understand each other a little bit better. Miscommunications with chimps happens a lot. Foxie and Annie had a lot in the beginning too and even some times to this day!
As an update we are taking a small break because everyone has met everyone for our one on one introductions. We will be doing one on ones occasionally and we will be working on two on two soon as well. For now, us humans and chimps are going to get a few good nights of sleep! Overall, the intros so far have gone as well as we could have asked. I just want to say this again because I think Honey B deserves this. She exceeded our expectations and to watch Honey B play with Cy, Dora, Rayne, and Lucky is exactly why we are doing this. Honey B was so expressive, so happy, and she is a chimp that deserves to have more socialization with other chimps! This proved that, but that doesn’t mean this road is easy or even guarantees this will work out.
Let us all cheers to one on one introductions being over and two incredible years with Honey B, Willy B, and Mave!
Gordo and Honey B. This was right before Honey B came over to Gordo and tried to give him a reassuring kiss!
Cy and Honey B wrestling!
Mave enjoying her whole mango! Mave was so excited, her food squeaks were unreal!
Paulette Wrisley says
Gosh Cy is a BIG boy! Honey B looked so small. Cy is magnetic. Everyone likes him. I adore him:heartbeat:
I’ll miss the excitement of the daily introductions, but I’m glad you all will get a well deserved break from the tension. Sweet dreams!
Tobin says
I am so glad that Mave, Willy and Honey Beezie came to live at the CSNW. Who knows? Perhaps their new neighbors (and, in H.B.’s case, siblings) will want to venture outside with Willy Wonderful one of these days. I hope that it won’t be too long before Gordo and Mave can meet again for a chaste social hour.
Linda C says
I like the two by twos next. cheers!
sounds like Miss Mavelous waa getting excited near the end.
hope things work out better with Gordo and Terry and Beezus
@Saunieindiego says
Thank you all so very much for giving these beautiful creatures a loving, safe, stable, caring environment full of enrichment and social contact (when possible) with other chimpanzees. They are very lucky to be there.
marianne says
I can’t believe it has been two years; time does fly when you are having fun and whole mango’s to eat.
That juicy mango looks delicious; I would make unreal foodsqueak too!
I hope Gordo can find it in his heart to get over his wounded ego and has the time to see how amazing Honey B. really is.
So happy with the results sofar, excited for the new rounds to start…..rest well everybody.
And Kelsi, I do appreciate you sticking up for Honey B. She has a multidimensional personality, she is special, and maybe not always understood by everyone.
Mary Garripoli says
Happy Anniversary, sweet ones! I wish you many more years of safety, love and happiness.
Nancy says
Such encouaging news!!! I’m proud if Honey B too!!! Happy 2 year anniversary to the three?
Kathleen says
Happy 2 years of a fun-filled-fabulous-life in sanctuary to Mave, Honey B, and Willy B! WOW! Can’t believe it’s been two years. “Thank you!” to all of you at CSNW for stepping right up and helping Wildlife Waystation rehome these deserving chimp people. I just watched NAPSA’s video with the invincible Jane Goodall endorsing everyones efforts to rehome the Wildlife Waystation chimpanzees. Her voice will raise more awareness and needed funding to help the chimpanzees still at WW while they wait to go to their new home in a NAPSA member sanctuary. The California Three (and the Lucky Six) should be poster chimps proving that a new and better life is possible.
Go Honey B! What a day. I appreciate everything you wrote about Honey B. It is apparent Honey B has a dear friend in you Kelsi, so how can she loose!? 🙂 I was surprised to see the difference in size between Honey B and Cy! Or more like the difference in overall mass — I mean look at Cy’s thighs!
Reset your Stress-O-Meters and enjoy your break away from introductions for now. Thank you, thank you, thank you for expanding your sanctuary and your hearts capacity and for taking this amazing (successful!) leap to help these chimps in need. I look forward celebrating every single anniversary in the years to come! CHEERS!!
Don says
two wonderful years that have flown by so fast. I am so happy they are
here ….i love mango, too – I adore those photos!
Paulette Wrisley says
QUESTION:
IF the nine does integrate, does that then free up space for another group from Wildlife Waystation? Since there’s two greenhouses and playrooms?
Barbara Huljak says
That was a wonderful blog. So nice to see the chimps get along and get to know each
other and be chimps-playing and having fun. Looks like the hard work of the staff has
paid off nicely. Congrats to all.