Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

Sarah

Peace and earthquakes

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A little while ago I was out in the greenhouse and snapped this picture of Jamie sleeping. I love seeing the chimps asleep – they look so peaceful. And it’s especially great to see Jamie looking peaceful since she’s always so serious and busy!

jamie sleeps

About 10 minutes later, I was sitting at my computer and the chimp house shook dramatically. Earthquake! Jackie and I looked at each other at the same time that the chimps all started alarm calling. We went to make sure everyone was ok (and the building as well) and to give the chimps some reassurance.  Everyone’s fine! But the chimps were rattled and I don’t think Jamie will be taking another nap this afternoon!

Chimps making news

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Want to see a movie made by chimps? As part of a project at the Edinburgh Zoo, a group of chimps were able to record video clips by manipulating a camera inside a “chimp proof” box. Though the full footage is being reserved for a BBC special, you can watch some clips here. It’s pretty interesting! We’ll have to look into whether we can recreate a chimp proof camera here at CSNW. I bet some of our residents would have some visual messages to share!

Also, check out a nice write-up on us on the Times Union blog, written by Patrick Battuello, the same person who wrote about chimps in entertainment earlier this week.

Foxie loves her gum

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Here’s an up close and personal look at Foxie chewing some gum and playing with her troll doll. The chimps love their gum (and it’s good for their teeth, too)!

Foxie snuggles up

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For those of you who know her, you’ll be pleased to see this cryptic picture of Foxie (which I had to snap it quickly in case she got up!). She’s got her head on a blanket in a nest she built the other day after dinner. If you’re just meeting Foxie, she is a special girl who generally avoids cozying up with blankets. All of the chimps here at CSNW make nests of some sort (and nesting is definitely a hard-wired behavior!) but Foxie’s are usually circles of plastic toys. It’s very heartwarming for the humans when, once in a while, Foxie uses a soft blanket to nest with. Of course she can choose to nest with whatever she likes, but hopefully this means that she is getting more comfortable here. The chimps have been here for a year and a half, but they’re still recovering and changing after years and years in medical research, and everyone has their own pace. It’s an honor to help them get comfortable!

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Workin workin

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Today we’re under construction! We broke ground on our greenhouse project (enclosing the outdoor area in a removable greenhouse so that the chimps can use that space more in the winter months) and we’re replacing one of our pneumatic doors with a clear glass window. That means that the chimps are closed in the front rooms only today, so we’ve been busy entertaining them. Right now, Burrito is watching a video. Jamie just finished some art projects, after watching Jackie paint the wall in the playroom. Missy is eager to play (as always!) and I just got done playing chase with her. Negra and Jody have been nesting all day and Foxie has been busy playing with her trolls. Earlier Missy lifted Annie off her feet in a game of wrestle! We’ve had raisin boards and seed forages and all kinds of healthy treats.

Here are some photos of the work in progress. First, here’s Matt Poppoff working on the concrete prep for the greenhouse. It’s a yucky rainy day so we’re especially grateful to Matt and Poppoff Inc for helping out today.

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Getting ready to take the door out:

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It’s out!

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The window is installed in this picture, though it’s so clear you can’t even see it:

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And here are some pics of the chimps. Missy working on a raisin board:

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Jamie with her raisin board:

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Help chimps in entertainment – DONE!

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UPDATE: They have agreed to pull the segment! Good work everyone! There is reportedly going to be a baby chimp on Dancing with the Stars tonight – predicting the winner of the show. Please take a moment to write to Conrad Green, the executive producer, and ask him politely to reconsider this plan. Click here for some talking points.