Fresh pineapple is a real crowd pleaser!
Sounds of spring
The noises that accompany springtime have started to return to the sanctuary. This morning Negra was on high alert, alarm calling at the sound of a raucous bird making noise to the east side of the sanctuary.
Jody is always good for a reassuring hug, this is her concerned face as she rushed up to her good friend Negra:
Most of the other chimps delegated themselves to lookout duty. Here’s Missy:
Once the coast was clear, morning exploration could recommence! Missy(left) and Annie (right):
You may have noticed a new look for the blog! Well, we’ve been working on a *NEW WEBSITE* for many months and are so happy to announce that it launched today! Take a peek and spend some time at http://wordpress-506039-1693250.cloudwaysapps.com
Thinking spring
This morning’s rain melted more snow so that we can see big patches of ground underneath. It won’t be long before the thought of snow is a distant memory and new green grass comes shooting up for the chimps to enjoy. Until then, we will have to enjoy a few throwback photos from April 2016.
Three chimpanzees that are big fans of spring:
Negra
Jody:
Foxie:
Wrestling on a Wednesday
If Jamie is wearing a giant play face and laughing loudly, chances are that Foxie has something to do with it.
Central Washington Wildlife
The chimpanzees share their home with a variety of native Washington wildlife. You just never quite know what you might see around the sanctuary on any given day!
Foxie the destroyer
Foxie often plays pretty rough with her dolls, quite different than she would probably treat a real infant. She will throw them, smack them and bite them one minute, and be hugging and grooming them the next. We may never know why Foxie likes certain dolls so much, but we do know that she doesn’t seem to feel any of that same affection for stuffed primate dolls.
A history of Foxie
Today I went waayy back into the blog archives and found this post from Diana about visiting Foxie while she still lived at Buckshire:
“Foxie is a small chimpanzee with a dark, inquisitive face and a somewhat mischievous charm. She was born into captivity in 1976, fated to be used by humans for their purposes. Her caregiver at Buckshire has described her as shy, but everyone from CSNW who has visited her has found her initial shyness to be short-lived.
For the first hour or so during my visit, Foxie remained mostly out-of-view in a corner of a cage farthest from the door. But I could tell she was paying attention to everything and was curiously assessing the situation. I think she felt safer remaining near Negra, who also occupied the farthest of the four small cages. Foxie warmed up to me once I began to give out peanuts. She put her hand behind her to catch the peanuts that I dropped into the food chute of the cage, and she was very pleased that I made a point to return frequently to ensure she got her share.
When I had given out all of the peanuts, Foxie ventured into the next cage, climbed up as high as possible (which is only about six feet), pressed her belly to the caging and looked down. I had a rolled-up newspaper in my hand and I reached up with this and tickled her belly. She was thrilled. She came down to the floor, bobbed her head (a chimpanzee gesture communicating play) and put her belly up to the caging again. For the rest of my visit, she was very active and wanting to play, and I indulged her as much as possible. By the end of the visit, Foxie was sitting in the first cage near her friend Burrito. I am looking forward to seeing Foxie and Burrito romping in the playroom at the sanctuary and I expect she will take advantage of every inch of her much expanded world.”
Foxie’s personality was apparent, even in cramped and extremely stressful living conditions, which is a true testament to her resiliency. Here is where Diana found Foxie almost 10 years ago:
In sanctuary, Foxie’s world has truly expanded, just as Diana knew it would:
