Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest
Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary
Summer has officially arrived at the sanctuary, with temperatures soaring close to 100 degrees daily. Keeping our chimpanzee residents and staff cool, calm, and collected is no small feat when the heat tries to bring out our grumpier sides! In today’s blog video, we’re sharing some of the ways we combat boredom, using play and enrichment, to keep everyone happy and comfortable despite the sweltering weather. Check it out!
Bonus photos of Cy, because he is always a good vibe:
It’s officially snake season at Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest!
Last week, we had to recall Jamie’s group off of Young’s Hill 5 times by 10:30am! Whoa!
Luckily, most of our snake encounters are with non-venomous snakes, like the one we caught in the greenhouse, which you’ll see in today’s video.
Caregiver Ellen identified this snake as a Western yellow-bellied racer, Coluber constrictor mormon! That’s quite a mouthful!
According to Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife, the Western racer (Coluber constrictor) is one of 11 subspecies of the North American racer. Racers occur in warm, dry open or brushy country. They are often observed streaking across roads. The racer holds its head and neck above the ground when hunting, and it may climb into shrubs (we found it sitting in the middle of a bamboo bush!). The diet of racers includes small mammals, reptiles, and insects.
We try our darndest to keep the chimps safe from venomous snakes. Our 4 acre outdoor enclosures are surrounded by snake fencing that extends several inches into the ground. Every day, before letting the chimps out onto Young’s Hill and the Bray, we do a perimeter check to ensure that the snake fencing is still in place. But there are certain types of snakes that have the ability to get around the snake fencing because they’re so tiny, so it’s up to us to catch them and remove them from the property – luckily they are usually non-venomous.
For more stories about our snake encounters, check out the following blog posts:
As “usual” Honey B declined to shift out of the Front Rooms yesterday so we could clean them all at once (which is much more efficient). She also had an accomplice in her friend Dora. As you can see, the girls made the best of their one-on-one time.
Last week our local fire department came to visit the chimps! Theses firefighters must know the way to Jamie and Foxie’s heart, because they came bearing gifts of boots and troll dolls! We are so appreciative of our first responders, not only for the work they do but also for taking the time to learn about the chimps that we so love! As you will see in the video, Foxie approved of them and the troll dolls!
Foxie’s new dolls:
Look at those TOES!
Bonus photo of little Honey B:
Lounging amid the grassy hills of Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest, you will find 3 somewhat unexpected animals, given the name of the sanctuary…our hardworking cows! These ladies help to keep the fire load in check by grazing on the grasses around the sanctuary and are valued members of our sanctuary family.
So this blog is about the cows! I was taking care of the cattle a few weeks ago and felt inspired to bring the camera along so that we could share some new photos with you all of these lovely ladies. They are a little bit of everything…sometimes spicy, sometimes sweet, and if you’re Betsy, always at least a little bit mischievous!
Betsy is a “the grass is greener on the other side” kind of gal, who has been known to use her smarts to let herself and her herd graze on grasses beyond their designated pastures by unlatching the gate and seeing themselves out. We adapted quickly, and now have more secure gates with clips that even Betsy can’t open! Our beloved Betsy is a softy too, I always give her hugs while she eats her meal and she doesn’t seem to mind one bit. She also enjoys licking us.
She is very food motivated too…just look at the face she makes when she sees her grain arrive!
Betsy
Honey is the sassiest of the three cows, often giving some intense side-eye if you look like you might be thinking about touching her. She does allow head scratches at times, which is always a special occasion! She enjoys food, with hay pellets being her favorite part of any meal. She is Meredith’s mom, and a good friend to Betsy. She is the lightest in color of the three cows, and a very pretty lady!
Honey
Meredith is right between Betsy and Honey in terms of coloring. She is light brown, but not as light as Honey. We have provided a lot of specialized care for Meredith over the past year as she has dealt with arthritis and had a procedure to provide her with some pain relief, which included a somewhat lengthy recovery time separate from her herd. She is doing well currently, still dealing with her arthritis but able to be with her herd and enjoy the different summer pastures we are able to move them between. She is a sweet lady, who enjoys being brushed and getting scratches, and gets a regular serving of applesauce with her medications which she seems to really enjoy!
Meredith
Meredith
Silly close up of a Betsy nose boop!
Betsy licks Honey
Betsy licks Meredith (there are plenty of Betsy licks to go around!)
When Jamie is in a good mood, the sun breaks through the clouds, the flowers begin to bloom, and the birds sing a joyful chorus. Happy Good Mood Jamie Day to each and every one of you.
For many years Joan O’Flaherty has sponsored days of sanctuary for the chimpanzees and bovines in honor of Ned and Noreen’s shared birthdays and anniversary (today) as a way to celebrate them and their legacy. Joan shared this note about today:
“In memory of my parents who loved animals and cared for the environment.”
Joan, thank you so much, we’re so touched you choose to honor your parents in this way. You (and your parents!) continue to make such a difference in the lives of the chimpanzees and bovines. May they lift your heart today as you think of your parents.
Rayne and Willy B:
Amazing Missy:
Her equally amazing daughter, Honey B:
Betsy:
Burrito and Annie:
