The group of seven got into a fight yesterday and poor Negra sustained a significant laceration on her back side that required stitches. The staff got her isolated and Dr. Erin began mobilizing for the procedure. We are grateful to have been joined by Jim Repsher, PA-C, from Kittitas Valley Hospital who, with his background in surgery and emergency medicine, was able to tend to her wound while Dr. Erin, Sofia, and other staff gave Negra a full workup.
Negra handled the procedure well and got an ultrasound of her heart, x-rays, blood work, and a dental exam while receiving her stitches.
Diana ensured that Negra’s IV remained in place while Negra was repositioned for various diagnostics.
Sofia examined Negra’s teeth and gums.
Identification tattoos on each of Negra’s thighs serve as a stark reminder of her decades spent in various laboratories.
Negra’s caregivers often have to hold her arms to ensure that the various cuffs and catheters stay in place. These moments bring us some comfort, even if Negra is unaware of our presence.
Getting sutures to remain in place, especially in fragile tissue, can be a challenge with chimpanzees, who are prone to pick at them and pull them out. For this reason, we often employ distraction techniques so that they will direct their attention elsewhere while they recover. In some cases, we place shallow “distraction sutures” in areas away from the injury. Here, Sofia paints Negra’s fingernails so that she will have something else to pick at while she recovers. It’s a tip we learned from colleagues at another sanctuary and it certainly can’t hurt to try.
Before long Negra was back in the recovery room in a pile of blankets and stuffed animals, with her team of caregivers monitoring her closely.
By morning she was alert and ready for some juice.
She made a nest next to the caging and gave kisses through the mesh before eventually falling back to sleep.
That is, until Annie started spitting water on her to get her attention and make sure she was OK! Once Negra sat up, Annie was satisfied and let Negra go back to bed.
We’re pretty confident that Negra will have an uneventful recovery – after all, she lives her whole life on restricted activity! But she will remain isolated, with her caregivers watching over her and her chimp family next door, until Dr. Erin is confident in her healing.
The life of a chimp vet is never dull. For the last month, the staff have been taking turns doing overnight duty, sleeping on a cot in the chimp house foyer to monitor the newly integrated group of nine and respond in the event of a serious conflict. Friday night was Dr. Erin’s night, and I’m sure she was looking forward to a day of rest following her shift. The chimps had other plans, though. As always, we are grateful to have Dr. Erin caring for these sixteen chimps and four cattle and we hope she can get some rest today.
If you’d like to contribute towards the veterinary care of Negra and her friends, we have had (thanks to the folks who purchased these so quickly!) a dental scaler and a polisher on our Amazon wish list that would be a huge help the next time one of the chimps finds themselves in the clinic.
Linda C says
Thanks to Dr Erin (For “dorm duty” as well as today!), Jim, and Sofía…Sofía, “Manicurist” is now on your list of duties!
Yeesh, just before her big day!
which. JB and Diana…not sure if you saw the suggested title, but I put forth “A Very Very Negraterry Celebration” (at least until we come up with something better).
And tell the other ladies and Burrito to stay off her case!
Tobin says
Oh, my poor, dear and beloved Neggie. I know that she is in good (human) hands, but I am remorseful to learn of her injury. Given her aversion to drama and her usual ability to remain uninvolved in it (see the video from 5.28.2017), I am surprised that she found herself in the midst of the melee.
I shall hope and pray for Negra’s recovery and recuperation, as well as that of the human veterinary staff which attended to her wounds.
Deb says
Poor Neggie! I find it ironic how everyone is on alert for the nine and it ends up the injury is in the seven.
Linda C says
Right!?
Nancy says
Awh poor girl. I’m glad she is ok. I love that Annie wanted to make sure she was OK too. wishing her a speedy recovery.
Laurie Mowat says
As upsetting as it was at least you were able to run other health checks while she was getting her stitches.
I love Annie’s way of making sure she’s alright.
Feel better soon Negra!
Karen says
Oh poor Negra!
I hope she is ok, she looks so fragile after surgery, I remember the same fragility in the photos of Burrito.
It must be a double edged sword for the carers, you dont want her hurt but its an opportunity to hold her hand.
Interesting, but sad to see the tattoo, I had never thought of how they would have been identified before.
I would love to know if she reacts to her fancy nail polish!
To the rest of the 7, dont injure Negra, shes old, its like beating up someones Grandma!
Mary Garripoli says
Thank goodness Negra is recovering. Poor sweetheart. She must have been so scared. Thank you all for taking such good care of her ?.
Betsy says
As a friend of mine would say “Oh my gatos!” I never would have guessed Negra as the recipient of a serious wound. Who doesn’t like Negra? My best wishes for her uneventful recovery, and admiration to the team who set her up for healing. That nail polish is just the best, I hope it keeps her busy. Let us know!
Gabby says
Was Negra at the wrong place at the wrong time? Like between two chimps being rough?
May her recovery be smooth.
J.B. says
Hi Gabby – Negra is typically not the instigator of a fight, though she does steal food from her friends on occassion which can get everyone worked up. When she’s involved in a fight, it’s usually because Burrito took a swipe at her to assert his dominance or vent some frustration and she retaliated.
Rosalie Allen says
Thankful Negra will recover and that she is in loving care. Also grateful for all who who love and take care of her-and all the family there!
LAURA B says
We are gutted to hear that Negie has been hurt. It is truely comforting to know she is surrounded by folks who love and value her. I wish she had a tiny sense of her extended fan base who are cheering on those who are nearby and can fix her up, hold her hand, check her out give her a manicure (pedicure?) and check on her with a spit shower. Thank you for all that you ALL do for these lovely folks you’ve helped us come to know and love. Negra, let them spoil you.
Maureen says
It pulled at my heart strings when I heard sweet Negra was hurt. I hope it was accidental and that she’ll recover soon, and painlessly. So happy that the medical team was there, and that Annie cared and went in to ensure Neggie was safe.
CeeCee says
Poor little Negra. The pictures of your hand holding made me cry.
I’ll bet Diana slept right outside of her cage all night, just like she did with sweet Burrito.
If I could, i’d like to whisper in sweet Negra’s ear that I love her, and please feel better soon.:revolving_hearts:
And To Enjoy your beautiful new Nails !
Caroline says
Oh my sweet Neggie, thank you for taking such good care of her and I wish her a full recovery, pampered every day, of course! I also love how dear Annie made sure her pal was doing okay! Thank you all for being so amazing!
Bonnie Stevens says
Feel better sweetie
Kathleen says
I’m unsure what upsets me the most. Is it that my dearest friend suffered a painful injury and now she needs to rest, recover and heal or is it that I have now seen with my own eyes that this beautiful beloved Queen, who was born in Africa, was reduced to “41B” by scientists who found it appropriate to tattoo this degrading label into her thighs. Oh Negra…..
I feel overwhelmed by these photos. How far Negra has come from that tatoo! The love and personal attention and care from all of you is exactly what Negra deserves. I can actually feel your love through these images. Who else but Queen Negra gets a manicure during stitches?! I am so grateful to each of you for all you do. Thank you Dr. Erin. A night on the cot followed by a trip to the on-site ER is not what you had in mind. Thank you for always being there in a flash. And I send all my gratitude to Jim Repsher, Sofia, Diana, and you J.B. as well as the staff on hand. Now all I can think about is how very lucky Negra is in her sanctuary life! Please thank Annie for me too. I so appreciate her checking in to be sure Neggie was alright.
Send Negra my love. Remind her she has birthday celebration coming up that she needs to attend. While she recovers she can ponder over what color nail polish she’ll wear for the occasion.
Hugs to all of you.
Michelle says
Best wishes and prayers for our Neggie. Have a full recovery and enjoy the rest. Love from your Aussie friend :heart_decoration::heart_decoration:
marianne says
How heartbreaking! Dearest Negra!
I do hope it was a case of “at the wrong place at the wrong time”, and that she was just in the way and nothing personal, if it ever is personal during a fight?
I am sure that her unconcious Self knows that you humans are looking out for her and taking care of her, and I think she shows her apreciation by wanting to give away kisses.
I wish Negra, but also the caregivers ( +Dr.Erin ) a good recouvery with no extra problems.
May peace return to the sanctuary !
Marya says
Oh, goodness!!! I second what everyone else has said and do hope that today finds Neggie quiet but alert and on the mend. I adore the nail polish distraction and do hope she doesnt’ decide it’s tasty! Since I don’t recall reading about any fights that resulted in injuries in the recent past, the first thing that I wondered after I calmed down from reading about it is whether there is anything about the newly integrated group’s presence that prompted the fight. Some politics around power w/ the two larger groups now across the way from each other? Maybe there are scuffles that we don’t read about because they’re mostly political and don’t include injuries so maybe the struggles happen more often than I’m aware of. Maybe I’m trying to “figure this out” in order to deal w/ my feelings of concern!! Thanks to all the staff for your valiant part in Neggie’s rescue and healing, and Diana, for the hand-holding image which made me cry. And the tatoo — a horrific past that I’m so grateful she and the others are no longer living in!!!
J.B. says
Hi Marya – Things have been a lot quiter in the Cle Elum Seven group since Burrito’s castration but they still fight. The most recent major incident prior to Negra’s was when Jamie bit Jody’s foot resulting in a toe amputation and a nonresolving mass that had to be removed. That was in 2020. Before that there were regular fights that resulted in missing ears and toes as well as bites and lacerations too numerous to count. They have a couple of screaming matches a day, on average, which is far below what it used to be when Burrito was in his prime. Thankfully most don’t result in any aggressive contact but we regularly treat them with analgesics and sometimes antibiotics for their wounds. Some of this is just natural for chimps, some is the result of their unnatural histories, and some is the result of the group not having a strong and fair leader.
That said, energy is kind of contagious for chimps (and humans, too!) so if there’s some tension in the group and a group across the way is making noise all day it can certainly be an influence. But it mostly just brings tension already within the group to the surface.
Gabby says
I so hope Cy will be such a strong, fair leader for his group.
Bella says
Oh Dear,
What an unfortune for poor sweet Negra. I’m so sorry it happened, but grateful that the veterinary team was close at hand. Hopefully she will recover quickly and easily (and in the bargain, she got a health checkup, and some fancy nails). By the way, did she get both hands and feet nails painted?
Much love :two_hearts: for Negra (and her pals), and of course all the Good people that care for these precious chimps.
Love from Sweden :flag_se: :monkey_face:?
Carla René says
Yes, I’m late to the party as usual.
A few things upset me as I read it.
First, anytime one of these chimps gets into a scuffle that results in injury, I realise what must come next: the dart. For someone like Negra suffering from PTSD and trying to put that behind her, that had to be traumatic and cause her terror seeing that thing come at her, knowing she would be “put down”, even though it was for her best. Did you notice whether she was visibly upset at that darting occurred?
And when I saw Diana holding her hand, well, I bawled like a baby who is forced to spend my own money. I wish it could be such a situation where caregivers could regularly hold the hands of them when they’re awake and can enjoy it. But I know better.
So glad she’s okay, and thanks for taking care of them.
Cheers.
J.B. says
She was not happy, no. Being nearly 50 and overweight, she is not a candidate for transmucosal drugs. She did present her arm for a manual injection but pulled away so the injection was only partial. We had to follow up with a dart. Lucky for us she is quite forgiving, and we’re told the diazepam premedication makes it less likely that she’ll remember the process.