• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

  • Our Family
    • The Chimpanzees
    • The Cattle
  • Blog
  • About Us
    • Visiting the Sanctuary
    • Philosophy
      • FAQs
      • Mission, Vision & Goals
      • Privacy Policy
    • The Humans
      • Staff
      • Board of Directors
      • Founder
    • Annual Reports
    • The Future of CSNW
    • CSNW In The News
  • You can help
    • Donate
      • Become a Chimpanzee Pal
      • Sponsor A Day
      • Transfer Stock
      • Be A Produce Patron
      • Be a Bovine Buddy
      • Give from your IRA
      • Personalized Stones
      • Bring Them Home Campaign
    • Leave A Legacy
    • Employment Opportunities
    • Volunteer
    • See Our Wish List
    • Events
  • Resources
    • About Chimpanzees
    • Enrichment Database
    • Advocacy
      • Advocacy Action Center
      • Apes in Entertainment
        • Trainers
        • Role of the AHA
        • Greeting Cards
      • Chimpanzees as Pets
      • Roadside Zoos
      • Chimpanzees in Biomedical Research
      • Conservation
        • African Apes
        • Orangutans
  • Shop
    • Merchandise Store
  • Contact
  • DONATE NOW

Smoothie Bandit Strikes Again!

April 8, 2025 by Chad de Bree

A recent study added to vast knowledge we know about chimpanzees. One area in chimpanzee studies that keeps surprising us is their use of tools. A recent study added to what we know about chimpanzee tool use. The study conducted by Dr. Alejandra Pascual-Garrido and team at Gombe Stream National Park in Tanzania; the same area Jane Goodall first observed chimpanzees using tools to complete a task.

The task at hand? Fishing for termites. What Dr. Pascual-Garrido and fellow researchers determined that chimpanzees don’t just use any ol’ stick lying around. Their tool is carefully selected based on what the chimpanzee wants to accomplish. For instance, with termite fishing, chimpanzees were found to use certain sticks/stems based on their qualities and features. Since termite mounds are a series of long, winding tunnels, the chimpanzees will use tools that are more flexible to better weave through the tunnels to find the colony.

If you are an avid blog follower, then you know we have a handful of chimp residents here who use tools for various things. Whether its a stick Jamie picked out that is sturdy enough to groom caregivers’ boots, or Honey B ripping the bamboo out of the ground in her greenhouses and cutting it down to size, we have some pretty amazingly intelligent chimpanzees. A few years back we found some chimps who found new use for these long, plastic straws they are given as enrichment.

One new use that had the entire blog following rolling in laughter was Annie’s use of the straw to siphon Jamie’s smoothie right out of her hands. Well, seems like someone found this use and decided to try to get Negra’s morning juice supplements as she was drinking it… TWICE! On two separate occasions!

Be sure to watch the video to find out who!

Share
Tweet
Share
Pin
Chimpanzee BehaviorFriendshipSanctuary

Share

Share
Tweet
Share
Pin

Subscribe To the Blog and Get Notified of New Posts First!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Linda C says

    April 8, 2025 at 6:24 pm

    Oh, no! 🙂
    Annie!
    It’s funnier when she steals from Jamie, because you know that Jamie has done it to her tenfold!
    But stealing from the Queen AND (it looks like) her BFF!

  2. Tobin says

    April 8, 2025 at 6:44 pm

    Hmmm…it appears that the kerfuffle regarding trade and tariffs have appeared amongst the trading partners who reside at the CSNW. That’s one smoothie move, Annie Bird.

    And that embrace between Mora is just beautiful. Per yesterday’s blog post, I am glad to read that Mora B is reunited. Besides which, doesn’t their girls’ club meet on Fridays?

  3. Kathleen says

    April 8, 2025 at 8:10 pm

    That video of Annie shamelessly slurping away on her big straw is one of my all time favorites! Gutsy move on Annie’s behalf to steal from Jamie’s smoothie, of all people!!! Poor Jamie keeps lowering her cup but even with her amazing dexterity it is still a slow process and Annie takes serious advantage of this fact. I love every second. Especially the drop-the-straw, I’m done, goodbye, ending. My how Annie has blossomed!

    Cy seems to be working overtime these days. No time for fun. Poor Mave. Thank goodness Dora was nearby to comfort her.

  4. Adrienne says

    April 8, 2025 at 8:42 pm

    Slippery Sipper in action! :rofl::kissing_heart:

  5. Susan Kathleen Feeley says

    April 9, 2025 at 12:32 am

    Well, good on you my sweet and artful Annie and, yes, you sure have blossomed. Smoothie bandit indeed and I’m sure snagging it from someone else’s cup made it taste that much sweeter. You little beauty.

  6. Eli says

    April 9, 2025 at 1:40 am

    That’s my Annie Bird! She might be shy and a low-ranker, but don’t let that fool you! She can be devious when she needs to be! I was just thinking about her smoothie heist last night! Brings me so much joy to see her pulling it off again.

Previous Post
A New Approach
Next Post
Beautiful Morning

Primary Sidebar

Subscribe To the Blog and Get Notified of New Posts First!

Archives

Calendar of Blog Posts

June 2026
S M T W T F S
 123456
78910111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
282930  
« May    

Categories

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER

Footer

PO Box 952
Cle Elum, WA 98922
[email protected]
509-699-0728
501c3 registered charity
EIN: 68-0552915

Official DDAF Grantee

Menu

  • The Chimpanzees
  • Blog
  • About Us
  • You can help
  • Resources
  • Contact
  • Donate

Proud Member of

Connect With Us

Search

Copyright © 2026 Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest. All Rights Reserved. Site by Vegan Web Design