Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

I Love Lucy the Bonobo

by Chad de Bree

Jamie is a person of particular tastes. She knows what she likes, and what she likes she really likes. One item that she really likes is the book series of Lucy the Bonobo.

You may have seen these books in the blog, when we do a shameless plug for our Amazon wish list (which this is also a shameless plug and you’ll see why soon), social media, and other places.

If you have been following for the past year or two, then you might also know Cy is a literary lover. Cy, however, has more of a taste for celebrity gossip magazines. He is, however, not the only one in his group who likes to thumb through books and magazines.

I realized today we haven’t touched upon the other “reader” in the group other than maybe a casual mention here and there.

For a long while now, we knew Rayne tends to seek out the cardboard children’s books to flip through, though she does have a “eat after reading” mindset. Lately, however, we began putting some Lucy books in her group’s daily enrichment. Rayne has taken a liking to Lucy as well! We have been noticing her carrying around Lucy books a lot lately. Unlike the cardboard children’s book, she has not adhered to her “eat after reading” policy. She leaves them intact and holds onto them as long as possible. Even taking them out onto the Bray with her.

It was this morning when I saw her holding the previous days’ Lucy book close to her chest that sparked the inspiration for today’s blog.

She even kept one to take with her to her nest later on in the day.

Hopefully now you know why this blog is a shameless plug for our wish lists. With two Lucy fans, we are going to need to have a stockpile ready.

In fact, we might have three Lucy fans in our midst! Several times today, I have seen Lucky carrying one around!

Unfortunately for Lucky, every time I saw her flipping through one, Rayne would come by and take it from her sooner or later.

Only time will tell if Rayne’s Lucy fascination will stick and if Lucky will be able to showcase her admiration of Lucy more.

So please help us keep our stock plentiful if you can!

Bonus Photos

“Mavey see, Mavey do!” Today, Mora had a leg up, literally.

Okay. Okay. Okay. In reality, if anybody copied anybody here, it was Dora copying a Queen of Relaxation.

And of course, our very own handsomely lovable Teeny Tiny Terry!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Linda C says

    Chad, I’ve sent a couple of carboard books with opening doors, etc, and always wondered how they fared….question answered! :joy:
    Man, this group eats *everything*!
    Still, I’ll keep my eyes open at the library store next time I go.

  2. Lynne Kampel says

    Love reading and i think it’s fabulous you have such book loving chimps! Do you keep extra copies as they get worn out?

    • Linda C says

      Hopefully, but as books go out of print, the remaini g copies get more expensive. i always keep my eyes oeeled for copues where I am, though we have few sec8ndhand bookstores here. I don’t know if you know, but maybe search “dumpster diving for Jaime” in the archives to see what happens wgen you toss her curre t fav!
      web_Jamie_LucyBook_Nest_FR2_GC_IMG_2405

  3. Tobin says

    Jamie and Raynie (and if she is so lucky, Lucky’s) seeming affection for their primate cousin, Lucy, is simply endearing.

    Does anyone know of any sanctuaries — in their native Africa or elsewhere — for bonobos? How I wish that were more people like Lucy. Indeed, I wish that there were more people like the yoga practitioners (Mora) working off their extra Yuletide calories…

      • Paulette says

        But that might be because I subscribe. Check it outthere is also a movie about the Lola ya Bonobo sanctuary. It’s called “bonobos, back to the wild.” I see it’s on YouTube rightnow. It says it’s free, But that might be because I subscribe. Check it out

        • Linda C says

          it’s there, Paulette, thank you! Free means you watch it without ads. I’m a plebe, I’ll watch it with ads:wink:

          • Paulette says

            I haven’t seen it for several years. I think I’ll watch it tomorrow. Shall we go to the movies Linda?Tobin?Marie?Darn I’m all out of popcorn

    • Adrienne says

      I donate regularly to two organizations protecting bonobos – the one is the above mentioned Lola Ya Bonobo Sanctuary (via Friends of Bonobos) and the other is the Bonobo Conservation Initiative. On YT there are lots of interesting bonobo documentaries, but mainly in French (Une Saison Chez Les Bonobos with 6 episodes, Les supers mamans des bonobos, MINUTE ECOLO : LOLA YA BONOBO etc). In English you can also watch The Bonobo Connection on YT, Frans de Waal is interviewed in it. By the way, Frans de Waal – he has a wonderful book dedicated to bonobos with beautiful pictures (Bonobo – The Forgotten Ape). If you want to watch bobobos living wild, I can recommend the YT-channel called Primate Research by Takumasa Yokoyama. The guy has carried out field researches in Africa until recently and puts up regular short videos about the bonobos and also very informative short video lectures.

  4. Linda C says

    Hopefully, but as books go out of print, the remaining copies get more expensive. I always keep my eyes peeled for copies where I am, though we have few secondhand bookstores here. I don’t know if you know, but maybe search “dumpster diving for Jaime” in the archives to see what happens when you toss her curre t fav!

  5. Kathleen says

    Well, it just so happnes that I sent “I’m Lucy” (hardcovered version) your way today via Amazon from your Wish List request! It was sent as a gift for Jamie, but, if she is happy to share her precious out of print book with the girls on the other side, you have my permission to share the joy. 🙂

    Isn’t it funny the “Lucy” series are enjoyed so much. I’ll say it again, we need to contact the author and photographer and beg them to reprint the original book “I’m Lucy”. They could keep it in print just for the sanctuary! Especially now that we know there is a slight risk some copies could be eaten!

  7. Paulette says

    I worry that all of the copies of Lucy will eventually be torn up. Perhaps laminate each page instead of giving them a new book

    • Kathleen says

      Just a guess but, I believe a chimpanzee could shred and eat a laminated page with ease. 🙂 I have used custom laminations that are super thick, but it’s costly. However, the super thickness would stop even the cleverest chimps (looking at you Honey B) from destroying the pages.

  8. Linda C says

    Sure, Paulette! looks like we’re losing our movie theater here on the island :pensive:. There will be a lot of YT movies in my future, I guess

      • Linda C says

        Aquidneck. Pickle ball has been invading the tennis courts of Newport Newport is all OK with pick le ball, butt NIMBY. So they’re going to shove it in to Middletown. And somebody just bought the property where the theater is because there was a big empty space next door where there used to be aowling alley. I don’t know why that means the movie theater also has to close. But there you have it. It’s either that ot they is going to be a really huge wedding venuethere, because ….you know, we needanother one of thosehere :rolling_eyes:

  9. Adrienne says

    A few recommendations for those who are interested in bobobos: organizations helping bonobos – Friends of Bonobos and the Bonobo Conservation Initiative. On YT there are lots of interesting bonobo documentaries, but mainly in French (Une Saison Chez Les Bonobos with 6 episodes, Les supers mamans des bonobos etc). Books: Bonobo – The Forgotten Ape by Frans de Waal (but he mentions bonobos in most of his works) and Bonobos by Brian Hare. If you want to watch wild bobobos, I can recommend a YT-channel called Primate Research by Takumasa Yokoyama. The guy has carried out field researches in Africa until recently and puts up regular short videos and also very informative short lectures about bonobos.

    • Eli says

      The primate research channel is great! He posts explanations of behavior in Japanese and English, so it’s a great way to watch the behavior of wild bonobos.

      • Adrienne says

        That’s right. On many occasions I’ve had the impression that you and I are following (more or less) the same channels on apes on YT. 🙂 (The Momotaro gorilla family, for example.)

  10. Amy says

    I wonder if Jamie and your other readers would enjoy any of these books? There are still some copies of I Am Lucy out there but they are becoming scarce!

    Little Larry Goes to School (National Geographic Kids): https://www.amazon.com/dp/1426333161/?coliid=I2ASHPHFN4GJSY&colid=BPHEX5QN0LEX&psc=1&ref_=list_c_wl_lv_ov_lig_dp_it

    Chimpanzee Children of Gombe (Jane Goodall): https://www.amazon.com/dp/9888240838/?coliid=I1U8STIIT0K2Q2&colid=BPHEX5QN0LEX&psc=1&ref_=list_c_wl_lv_ov_lig_dp_it

    Chimpanzees, Nature’s Children (Scholastic; this edition only. Earlier editions combine Chimpanzees and Lizards in one book): https://www.amazon.com/dp/0531209105/?coliid=IYL4JRLINIVDJ&colid=BPHEX5QN0LEX&psc=0&ref_=list_c_wl_lv_ov_lig_dp_it

    Bonobos: Animal Friends: https://www.amazon.com/dp/162970895X/?coliid=I6NUJ1612ZED3&colid=BPHEX5QN0LEX&psc=0&ref_=list_c_wl_lv_ov_lig_dp_it