Archives for March 2023

Good Mood Saturday

March 11, 2023 by Sofia Castro-Loza

What a better way to start the weekend off than with a beautiful warm-ish blue sky day! Blue skies and sunny days bring out the best of everyone and at the chimp house it was no different. Cy’s group could be found most of the day relaxing and enjoying the coziness of their climate controlled green houses. If not out there, Cy and Gordo could be found requesting multiple games of chase with caregivers. They would see the other playing with a caregiver and come by to try to sway the caregiver away from that with very persuasive raspberries. If only we could divide in two and play with both at the same time!!! On the other side of the chimp house Burrito was stealing the show. He spent most of the morning playing with Jamie, then Jody, then Foxie. It was amazing to listen to their breathy pants while we cleaned, our preferred type of ASMR. Today was also extra fun for Burrito because “lots of paper” was today’s enrichment. Caregiver Anna decorated the playroom with a whole new roll of paper and Burrito had a blast with it. Watch today’s video for a glimpse of Burrito’s awesome day.

View from the top of Youngs Hill!

Cy looking down from the platform of a green house

Honey B enjoying breakfast pineapple in the green house

Sweet Missy nesting perfectly under comfy blankets

Mave is Reunited!

March 10, 2023 by Jenna

As Anna mentioned yesterday, Mave had to take a trip to the clinic on Wednesday. While she took yesterday to herself to rest, she was ready to get back to her group today! Thankfully, Dr. Erin gave her the all clear and we were able to reunite her.

We started out by giving Mave a breakfast date with Honey B to gauge Mave’s energy level. They were so excited to see each other, although Honey B really just wanted to inspect Mave’s entire body. After the breakfast date, Mave and Honey B were reunited with the rest of the group. The arousal level was high because of how excited they were to see her, so of course, some drama ensued. But the group carried on as normal, as you will see in today’s video!

Mave has done amazing at walking away if her group members are grooming her wound too much. Keep up the good work, Mave! I think she is just so happy to be back with her friends, especially Dora! She’s been busy in the Greenhouses all afternoon absorbing some sunshine (despite the fresh snow) and grooming with others. We’re so happy the 9 are back together.

Mave on the Mend

March 9, 2023 by Anna

Earlier this week there was a fight in Cy’s group and Mave sustained an injury to her sexual swelling. It was a deep enough wound that Dr. Zamzow made the decision to organize a medical procedure in the clinic yesterday so she could thoroughly clean out the wound and help it heal. This was also a bonus opportunity to give Mave a thorough physical and dental cleaning, including an abdominal ultrasound, since Mave had previously had a large ovarian cyst removed before moving to the sanctuary.

Sofia doing the dental cleaning, Mekenzie, CRNA monitoring the anesthesia machine, and sonographer Mariah and Dr. Zamzow performing Mave’s abdominal ultrasound for her physical:

This morning nurse Honey B gave Mave’s toes a thorough inspection.

Mave relaxing in her recovery room:

Bonus! Jody and her cherry tomatoes:

Man! I Feel like a Woman!

March 8, 2023 by Kelsi

Today is International Women’s Day! I feel so blessed to work in such a female dominated field, it is truly empowering. Not only is our field dominated by women, but so is our chimp house, sorry Chad and JB :).

In the wild, males are usually the most dominate, however in captivity you can find females leading a group or allowing a male to think he the one in control, when really the female(s) are really calling the shots ;). Let’s meet the real individuals that run the show in this chimp house!

Obviously, Jamie rules this Sanctuary:

Negra, our true queen:

Jody, our forager:

The adventurer Missy:

Foxie, the prankster:

The ever so kind Annie:

Mora, besties for life:

Miss popular Mave:

The friend to everyone, Dora (but mostly Mave):

Rayne, the calming presence:

Lucky, the sweetest of sweet:

Honey B, the master of mischief:

The care staff ladies aren’t so bad either!

Dora! Dora! Dora!

March 7, 2023 by Chad de Bree

My apologies for today’s blog! Two Tuesdays a month, after cleaning is done, we have a staff meeting to discuss various topics about the sanctuary. Today’s meeting ran a little long. In fact, it lasted right up to the time it was to serve the chimps’ dinner, kind of putting me into a bind in terms of getting photos for the blog.

I was, however, able to get some last minute photos of darling Dora enjoying her evening popsicles. On days their daily food puzzle is scheduled to be given out during the day instead of the evening, we give out popsicles made of either Gatorade or water flavoring with some berries before they begin to nest in for the night. Dora is not one to ever pass up her evening enrichment, especially her popsicles.