I took a bunch of pics today (outside in the fresh snow) but none of them are impressive, so I’m stealing some from JB. Here are some more from a playful day outside recently. Enjoy!
Trolls: Not just for Foxie!
Of course most readers know that Foxie is almost never seen without one of her beloved troll dolls. People send them to her from all over the country! Somewhat less known – Jamie and Jody also frequently play with troll dolls. At breakfast this morning Jamie and Jody each had troll dolls in their pelvic pockets (the space between the thigh and the belly – perfect for storing and carrying objects and food!). But here is an inside tip: the craze has now reached as far as Annie! See this video for more.
A game of catch
Another very nice feature of the facility here is that the chimps can reach their arms out between the pipes that make the “roof” of the outdoor area. Since it’s high up in the air, the chimps can’t reach out and grab us (yay) but they can reach out to throw stuff at us (also yay?!). Foxie has a game where she throws her troll baby to us through the roof, and we catch the baby and send him/her back. Here are some closeups!
Burrito on the lookout
Our building is designed so that the chimps can see what’s going on. They can see into the kitchen, so they can watch us making their meals and see who’s coming and going. They can see the UPS truck and other folks coming up the driveway too. I snapped this picture of Mr. B when a volunteer was arriving today. He leaned out over the catwalk so he could catch a glimpse of who was here!
New pseudo-chimpanzees
Check out these funny-looking chimpanzees I found in the kitchen today!
Weather!
We’ve been hearing from people all over the country, wondering how the weather is affecting us here at Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest. It’s been a pretty dramatic few days – the local area has mudslides, avalanches, and lots of flooding. But rest assured, the chimps are on high ground (literally!) and we are all safe and sound.
Ode to Burrito
Burrito was born at White Sands Research Center. Just before his first birthday, he was put on a hepatitis B vaccine safety study. Then he lived in a human home (as a “pet”) for a few months. Then, he was sent to Florida, leased to a man who “perfected the ultimate animal training feat: teaching a chimpanzee to ride beside a lion on an elephant’s back.” Then, back to research. We humans did him a horrible disservice.
But, we’re working hard to make it up to him.
So, dear Burrito, this one’s for you:
You like to spit on me. You occasionally cover me in smoothie, in fact. You bang, you kick. You are fierce, even though you have been known to squeak with glee like a baby monkey. You much prefer to play with the boys than me, but once in a while I’ll do. When you give me the chance I blow in your ear and you laugh up a storm. You delight in chase. You veg out in front of the TV. You run, you rattle, you intimidate. You make biiiig messes. We haven’t known you long but you make us smile every single day. Here’s to fresh starts and many happy birthdays to come!
