Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

Archives for April 2023

Negra’s Adventure

by

We often get asked why the chimps do particular things, and I always think to myself—with apologies to all you Trekkies out there—”Dammit, Jim, I’m a primatologist, not a psychoanalyst!” Primatology is largely concerned with species-wide patterns of behavior, but in sanctuaries we are dealing with individuals with unique histories and personalities. I’ve spent much of the last 25 years trying to understand chimpanzees and when it comes to explaining the behavior of individual chimps, I’m honestly not sure I’ve made much progress. It’s frustrating at times but it can also be a source of wonder and joy.

I have no idea why Negra finally decided to walk to the top of the hill, but I do know that we can never give up on the chimps in our care. Because one day, they might surprise us.

Grooming Party

by

Since you are reading this, you likely know that grooming is an important activity within a chimpanzee group, whether that group is in the wild or in captivity. Because us humans are a part of their social network, we take part in grooming with them, both as the groomer and the groomie (is groomie an actual word? grooming receiver is perhaps the more technical phrase).

Grooming, like many social behaviors, can be somewhat contagious, in that if you see some friends grooming, you might join in or you might find someone else to groom with you.

Happy April Birthdays!

by

Happy Birthday, to all our friends out there who are celebrating this month!

While we do have Easter (April 9th) and Earth Day (April 22nd) ahead, April is one of those rare months in which we have no sanctuary resident birthdays so we are counting on you to go big! If you’ve been following the chimpanzees for any length of time, you should all be well instructed at this point on a myriad of celebration options and ideas. Just ask yourselves, “What would the chimpanzees do?” and go from there…well, within some form of reason. 😉

Officially, we’re several steps into spring here in the northern hemisphere. Unofficially, it seems that what has felt like an extra long winter for many, continues to be so here and there. Dependent on where one dwells in this county, you may be anywhere between welcoming this first weekend of April under a winter storm warning, or maybe something a little more spring-like at lower elevations. Maybe it’s just part of the whole April Fool’s theme. But really, that’s pretty apropos for the strange alchemy of winter turning to spring, vacillating between wild and calm, rest and reawakening, dark and light.

Whether you missed the news or not it definitely bears repeating, so feel free to revisit Negra’s inspiring and heart-lifting spring adventure here. I’d say Negra sums up the very nature of spring and all of the seasons of our lives in which it’s magic appears.

Fashion risk-taker and trend-setter, Annie:

One of my all-time favorites of Jody from an Easter past. What you can’t see here is that in her delight, Jody had stopped to give us all one of her endearing genital bounce greetings. (Now, I know many of you are now thinking you want to see this if you haven’t already. I’m sure there are other examples somewhere, but a good one is seen in this way, way back video of an exciting early years event, at 00:35 – it’s kind of Jody’s signature friendly greeting behavior). I have this photo hanging in my kitchen and unfailingly, it makes my heart sing every time I look at it.

Timeless Burrito:

Burrito with easter basket

Willy B and an Easter carrot:

Nutmeg and his mama, Betsy:

Sweet Terry:

Thanks so much to you all for being here through all the seasons of the chimpanzees’ and bovines’ lives, and not least of all, your own. We’re so grateful to you, and birthday or not, we celebrate you and everything you make possible in the lives of all who call the sanctuary home, every single day.

Happy Birthday, April celebrating friends! Happy spring!