Humans share numerous behaviors with chimpanzees, including the tendency to yawn after just waking up. I can’t seem to stop yawning myself when I look at these photos of boss Jamie.
Just two friends having a great time
I can’t decide which is better, Burrito’s play face, or Foxie squishing Burrito’s belly. You decide.
10 (ish) Seconds of pure contentment
Each morning we start the chimpanzees day by serving a snack in the indoor areas. This snack is usually a pretty good motivational tool so we can close off the Greenhouse for some cleaning. To unlock an area for humans to enter it, we need that enclosure to be chimp-free and securely closed off, but sometimes getting an area chimp-free isn’t so easy. Especially when that area is a really warm, sun-filled greenhouse. This beautiful morning I was expecting the challenge, so I opened up the wooden barn doors immediately to let the morning air into the chimpanzee’s playroom area. The chimps were so excited they came pouring in from the greenhouse, making the morning breakfast shift that much easier!
Today is the first day it almost feels a bit HOT of all things. For your viewing pleasure: a brief clip of Jamie and Jody relaxing next to the barn doors:
Intruder!
Jamie was particularly adamant about patrolling Young’s Hill this morning.
Mostly so she could keep an eye on a visiting neighbor. After a little while, this neighbor seemed a bit lost, so Diana made sure he found his way home.
Jamie received backup from some of the other chimps, including a rather intimidating looking Annie.
Jamie v. Snowman
Today I thought it would be a good day to see some never before seen photos from a couple months ago. Volunteer caregiver Holly built a delightfully cute snowman in the portrait studio and Jamie took it upon herself to dismantle it:
The first thing to go was his icicle nose.
Then after a quick push she took part of his body off to enjoy the icy goodness.
Ok enough about winter. Here is Negra and grass, and all things spring (photo taken April of last year) -another unseen photo I’ve been hanging on to.
A wadge
In the wild, chimpanzees will store chewed up fibrous materials (called a wadge) in their bottom lips. This way they can suck every last bit of juice out of tough, chewy plants. Just like their free-living counterparts, the Cle Elum 7 wadge fibrous things such as alfalfa cubes, pine tree needles, cattail leaves and other edible plants. They seem to enjoy eating their dry primate chow this way, stuffing their lips full and adding water so they can slowly savor the flavor.
Jody is fond of all things fibrous, including pineapple peel, seen here:
The impersonator
When we train new volunteers and interns to identify the Cle Elum 7, we emphasize the importance of ignoring circumstantial evidence. Does that chimp have a blanket over their head? Yes. Who likes to cover themselves with blankets? Negra! If we see a chimpanzee covering themselves with a blanket can we positively ID that chimp as Negra? Absolutely not!
Exhibit A:
Today I caught this “Fake Foxie” impersonator out on Young’s Hill. Let’s test your identification skills!