Continuing with the Valentine’s-month blog posts featuring each of those in our care, I made sure to reserve Jamie to write about because I do have a great deal of love for her.
Unfortunately, we don’t know a lot about Jamie’s history. Unlike many of the other chimpanzees at the sanctuary we are not aware of any of Jamie’s relatives. We don’t know where or exactly when she was born. We were told she was owned by an animal trainer until she was nine years old, but we don’t know how she was used. In addition to their use in movies and television shows, it wasn’t uncommon back then for chimpanzees to be used in roadside attractions or even rented out as entertainment for birthday parties. That’s our best guess as to how she was used to make money for her owner.
Many chimpanzees in similar situations, like George who was born on a training compound, were used in the entertainment industry for only a few years before they were deemed too strong, willful, or just too much trouble and cast aside, replaced by younger chimpanzees. At nine, Jamie remained in entertainment longer than most.
She bares the signs of being raised in a human environment. When she first arrived at the sanctuary in 2008, she would choose to wear clothes on a regular basis. She does something I’ve never seen another chimpanzee do: tie knots. Sometimes tied in the scarves that adorn her neck.
Sometimes tied in a nest-blanket she’s weaved through the mesh.
We choose to celebrate Jamie’s birthday on Halloween in honor of her mischievous ways.
Fittingly, Jamieween has become the biggest party of the year at the sanctuary.
I consider Jamie to be a good friend. A friendship that has developed over many years. The kind of friend I can just sit with in relaxed comfort.
I understand some of her frustrations of captivity, notice her need for things to be “just so”, and admire her ability to take charge and run towards potential threats to her group, like snakes.
There’s no question that she can be a bully and has a heightened sense of entitlement (she views all food as belonging to her, unless she says otherwise, for example). This quality can make her a less-than ideal roommate, especially for lower-ranking chimpanzees like Foxie and Annie. And it can lead to some funny moments, like this one years ago that reinforced her reputation for being “the party police.”
Perhaps because of her penchant for intimidation, when Jamie is in a good mood, being silly and playful, there’s really nothing better. And she can be quite funny. Jamie really appreciates when you listen to her and know what she wants. She releases a low moan/groan when she’s truly happy, which can often be when a human goes searching for and gives her the particular boot or book (or both) that she had in her mind.
Making Jamie happy makes everyone happy.
It doesn’t take much for Jamie to get up in the morning, because she has an internal list of items on her checklist for the day. Jamie is most likely to be found busy doing something, whether it’s patrolling her outdoor habitat, demanding something from her caregivers, working on a puzzle, or crafting her own enrichment.
I hope you have fallen even more in love with boss Jamie than you were before!
Big thanks to the 9 Chimpanzee Pals that have already showed their love of this complicated, multi-dimensional, intelligent, admirable, sometimes irascible chimpanzee.
If you would like to show your love and loyalty, I encourage you to become Jamie’s Chimpanzee Pal today.
I hve inquired before as to whether Negra ever goies outside, or, whether she chooses to stay inside?
Neggie definitely goes outside sometimes! Sometimes she’s even first out the door!
Jamie is just the coolest lady around! I am constantly in awe of her ability to figure things out and solve puzzles. I know she can be a bit of a control freak at times, but I also really admire how, when her family faces an outside threat, she’s able to keep a cool head and direct everyone. She’s amazing!
I LOVE JAMIE !!!
I’m going to have to become her pal. :revolving_hearts:
Jamie is the best example of chimps as individuals, just like people: it’s a mistake to reduce someone to all hood/all bad, etc. They’re complex individuals, just as people are, and Jamie perhaps the biggest enigma of all.
Diana, I can’t help but think that, were Jamie given a choice of people, she’d choose you and JB, too.
On another note: doesn’t Honey B also tie knots? I know there’s a pocture of her in a “sarong” made of a kitchen apron.
Diana – I’ll never forget how you wrote a long time ago that Jamie appeared to be the only chimp who recognizes that she’s in captivity (I may not be saying it exactly right), that she’s aware that she’s in captivity.
Oh the stories of her previous life that are forever knotted in her brain. She is a survivor and those who she deems worthy of attention like you are truly blessed to know her.
Jamie. James. The Boss. No matter how you refer to her Jamie is a beautiful, intelligent, magnificent kaleidoscope of an individual and I adore everything about her. Everything. Even her desire to throw poop, or threaten to throw poop. I know that’s easy for me to say since I am never at the receiving end, but Jamie lived such an unnatural life at the very start of her life when it was most critical for her to learn how to be a chimpanzee that I can’t help but forgive her everything.
I had the opportunity to meet Jamie on two different occasions. Before my first visit, I was honestly nervous about meeting Jamie! I worried she may not come in view, not wanting to be near me, a stranger in her home. Not so! Jamie was very curious, inviting me to join in on a patrol with J.B.! (Be still my beating heart!) Of course I had to wear a boot of her choosing—one cowboy boot three sizes too big! I wore it proudly and was instructed by the Boss to carry the other boot.
On my second visit, I sat outside the greenhouse with Diana and the entire time, Jamie chose to sit inside her greenhouse, close to the mesh, observing us, listening to our conversation, and every now and then requesting that I hold up my sneaker clad feet and rotate my feet at the ankles so she could see my sneaks from every angle. To look Jamie in the eye and have her communicate to you so clearly is an experience that brings tears to my eyes just to recall it. I love Jamie chimpanzee deeply, but what made that day all the better and richer from my perspective, was seeing the mutual love and respect that continuously passed back-and-forth between Diana and Jamie. Their bond was so visible and so strong….. you could taste it.
Jamie is more than my Pal. Jamie is a part of my heart. :revolving_hearts:
I’m so jelaous!
What a girl! Love Jamie