Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

Archives for December 2025

Chimpanzee Grooming

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A couple weeks ago, Chad asked the blog readers for questions so that we could answer them on future blog posts. Several questions came up about grooming: what are chimps looking for on their partners while they groom, do they eat it, and what types of insects live on the chimps’ hair and skin?

Grooming is a natural chimpanzee behavior to strengthen and build social bonds. One chimpanzee will look through the hair of another chimpanzee and inspect their hair and skin for insects, dirt, or debris. In captivity, there are obviously not going to be as many insects on the chimps as there would be if they were in the wild. Although the CSNW chimps have access to outdoor spaces, they spend a lot of their day inside and sleep indoors, so they naturally aren’t going to be covered in bugs. Dirt and dry skin though? Definitely. They often eat dry skin off one another and groom the hair with their lips.

While grooming, chimps often make lip-smacking, teeth-clacking, or raspberry noises. Without looking at the chimpanzees interacting, as a caregiver, I can usually hear who is grooming nearby based on their individual grooming noises.  Each chimpanzee has their own unique rhythm or approach to their grooming noises. Sometimes, the chimps will even exaggerate their grooming vocalizations (noises) if they’re trying very hard to socially bond (say with a new chimpanzee friend) or if they see a patch of skin that looks really enticing to groom.

Grooming is beneficial for many reasons, as it can help reduce stress as well. Captive chimps love grooming humans too. Through the mesh, caregivers are able to safely interact and allow the chimps to groom the back of their hands, knees and elbows. The chimps seem to love when we have dry skin or a scab they can groom.

We also were asked if George bites his nails. Yes, he does. Biting nails can be a grooming behavior, as most chimps will tend to their own and others’ nails. However, George bites his nails more frequently, beyond the point of just grooming. I would almost classify this as a coping mechanism for George. I also bite my nails when I’m unsure or anxious, so I get it. George is still adjusting to his new world at CSNW so it makes sense for him to do something that brings him comfort.

Mave and Dora grooming:

Rayne grooming Honey B:

Mave grooming Honey B with her lips:

Mave, Lucky, and Willy B grooming:

Burrito grooming Missy:

Cy grooming Lizz’s elbow:

Ellen grooming Jamie with a tool: 

Through Cle Elum and High Water

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As Chad mentioned yesterday, the Yakima River has been absolutely raging thanks to the atmospheric river sweeping through the region. Today felt just a tiny bit less dramatic, the water receded a bit, and we even caught a few glimmers of sun, but the storm definitely isn’t finished with us yet.

Regardless of what the weather decides to do, caregivers still have to make it in, and the chimpanzees still need their meals, enrichment, and all the usual comfort. So we do what caregivers always do- plan around whatever nature throws at us and find a safe way to get to the sanctuary.

Luckily for the chimpanzees, they remain blissfully unaware of any river drama. While the humans were swapping road-condition updates like we were running a small weather station, everyone inside was having a perfectly lovely day. A little sunshine peeked through the clouds, letting everyone soak up the warmth before cozying up in their nests.

Even we humans stepped outside to enjoy the sun for a minute. Can you tell it’s winter? One beam of light and suddenly we’re all sunflowers.

Cy eating baked onions:

Cy in a nest:

 

Sweet Georgie:

 

Jamie this morning, cozy in a nest:

Negra enjoying her persimmons:

 

By and Down the Atmospheric River

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The Pacific Northwest is currently under an atmospheric river. No need to fear for our humble sanctuary though. Being on the high ground has it’s advantages. Atmospheric river or not, it still hasn’t stopped the chimps from going outside.

Foxie
Burrito
Rayne taking in the view of the Yakima River from the Bray.
Not the actual scene she was gazing upon, but close—just another viewpoint from the cattle’s side of the sanctuary.

Though the rain isn’t finished and we have several more days in the forecast, I just really wanted to celebrate and applaud my fellow staff members and volunteers who braved the floods and mudslides to make it in today. I know to them it may not seem as much, but it’s the world to the residents here. I have met some pretty gritty people in my life, but the caregivers here, both staff and volunteer, are exemplary gritty. Braving the down pours, floods, walking through the mud and muck around the sanctuary, I admire each and every one of you and all that you do for the chimpanzees, cattle, and each other.

And one last photo of one the the most handsome individuals you could ever meet for good measure:

Cy

Fast Friends

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Who do you think is faster…50-year-old Missy or 21-year-old George? The veteran hill sprinter or the new kid on the block? And, importantly, is George technically disqualified from the race if he doesn’t cross the finish line, as Missy seems to suggest?

George is being carefully integrated into Cy’s group, but that hasn’t stopped him from making some friends across the fence and, in the process, keeping everyone (caregivers included) in better shape.

Installation of Jody Statue in the Memorial Garden

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We miss Jody very much, and we are so glad that we now have a beautiful statue of her thanks to donors and artist Austin Smith.

We won’t likely have statues made of all of the chimpanzees as they pass, but it’s fitting to have one of Jody. She was always looking out for her group and now she watches over all of us.