Chad de Bree

Let’s Talk About Enrichment

January 11, 2022 by Chad de Bree

Taking care of chimpanzees is more than cleaning enclosures and serving them meals. There’s a lot more that goes into it. We also ensure the chimpanzees are well mentally. This is usually through the form of enrichment. Enrichment is a way to provide mental stimulation and promote natural behaviors. In layman’s terms, enrichment is a way to try to curb boredom. When animals become bored, some abnormal or stressed-related behaviors can start to develop.

Here, we try very hard to keep all 16 residents enriched to the best of our abilities. But what does that look like? Traditionally in the animal care field, enrichment comes in a few staple categories:

Cognitive
Physical Habitat
Social
Food
Sensory

Cognitive enrichment is the form of enrichment you have seen here many times. These are the food puzzles the chimpanzees get throughout the day. These are the toys some interact with. This is a way for the chimpanzees problem solve and give them a level of control of their environment. With the food puzzles, its a way to problem solve a situation in order to achieve the reward.

Willy B engaging with a Hanging Frisbee puzzle. Between each Frisbee is a smear of peanut butter. This puzzle makes Willy B engage with the Frisbees by searching through the stacks for the peanut butter.

Foxie strategizing how to extract the peanuts in the Boomer Ball. Each chimpanzee has their own way of extracting the peanuts from these. Some shake them until the peanuts eventually fall out. Some try to fish them out with a tool. While some, like Foxie, tries to dig them out with her fingers.

Jamie wearing a Troll Scarf. We never tell the chimpanzees how to interact with their enrichment or tell them to wear clothes. That would defeat the purpose of sanctuary. With Troll Scarves though, Jamie usually likes to wear them around.

Burrito plays with a giant orange ball. Burrito particularly loves rolling these around and making as much noise as possible with them.

Physical Habitat is the how the enclosure is set up. Not only should an enclosure probably look visible appealing for the chimpanzees, but it should be functional as well. Young’s Hill has a plethora of structures the chimpanzees can climb, swing, and sit on to look out on to the surrounding areas. In the indoor enclosures, firehose is a great addition to their physical habitat.

Lucky is a big fan of lounging around or sitting on the firehose when she is inside.

In the two new playrooms and greenhouses currently occupied by Willy B’s group and Cy’s group, there are two artificial trees the chimpanzees can climb up and relax on their platforms.

Terry right before he began his ascension up the artificial tree in his greenhouse.

Honey B and Mave grooming on the “leaf” platforms of the artificial tree in their playroom.

Social enrichment is the relationship the chimpanzees have with others, chimpanzees and humans. It can be enriching to interact with a chimpanzee from another group, even if it is just through the window.

Jamie and Burrito watching Honey B’s group in the outdoor Chute.

As you know, we have been in the process of integrating Cy and Willy B’s group into one. Though these times can be stressful, seeing some of the chimpanzees come together and form bonds is the most heartwarming feeling a caregiver can get.

Cy and Willy B grooming during one of their one-on-one meetings. Willy B and Cy became fast friends and always seek each other out. Just yesterday we were serving dinner and Cy and Willy B were both unusually absent. I went to find them, and found them at the new window to each other in the Greenhouses.

Food can be exciting and enriching, but food on it’s own is just something you eat to satisfy an empty belly. What can make food more enriching is introducing new foods or presenting it in new ways. We are continuously trying to find new foods to introduce to the chimpanzees. We also try to present the food in different ways. Besides hand serving we also set up forages. Typically when the weather is nice, we set up forages on Young’s Hill. This promotes a chimpanzee’s natural behavior to move around and search for their food.

Jamie grabs all that she can as she searches Young’s Hill for food.

Another type of forage presented in an exciting way is the parties we throw.

Here are some photos from 2021 Jamieween!

Sensory enrichment includes those which allow the chimpanzees to utilize their sense of touch, smell, auditory, and vision. We try to provide them with novel ways to utilize these senses.

One of the touch enrichment we use is play sand. Here you can see an imprint of Honey B’s foot in the sand box. Every so often, we would see Honey B, Jamie, and some of the others just grab a handful of sand and let it sift through their fingers.

As some know, Willy B loves screen time. This is one way we provide him with both a visual and auditory enrichment.

Caregiver Sam showing Willy B some videos of orangutans a few months ago. He really seems to love watching videos of orangutans.

While Sam showed Willy B some videos, I showed Honey B and Mave some videos of our friends at Center for Great Apes.

These photos were courtesy of caregiver Sofia.

Is everything we do a hit? No. Is what is good for one group good for the other? No. Do we continuously try to find ways to ensure every chimpanzee is enriched based on their personal preference and likes? Absolutely! Though this can be a very challenging task to cater enrichment for 16 very different personalities and likes, it is absolutely worth it. It is part of the job I personally love.

Here are some bonus photos I took of Rayne today:

And Dora!

Fantastic B’s And Where To Find Them

January 5, 2022 by Chad de Bree

This week has started with a year brand new,

So here is the Eve of Burrito, Part II.

The day began as I walked through the gate,

Opening the Chimp House not a second late.

In this community lives magnificent beings,

When you meet them you’re overcome with feelings.

But this day in particular I’m looking one,

His name starts with a B and he likes to run.

I head through the door and who do I see?

Why, it’s one of my other friends, Mr Willy B.

“Hey you human! I am glad you are here!

There is a peanut out of reach, right over there!”

“Here you go friend,” I say with a smile,

“I wonder if you could help me all the while?”

“I might, but make it quick!

I have neighbors to rile up and doors to kick!”

Willy B is a big mighty man,

So without hesitation, I told him my plan.

“I’m looking for someone whose name starts with a B,

You’ve met him before, though it was not meant to be.”

He looked at me with a stern look on his face,

Then looked around to survey the entire place.

“Ah yes, I know such a person,

They are in the mezzanine, but they can be a diversion.”

Off I went, to the ladder I climbed,

I peeked my head over and who did I spy?

“My sweet Honey B, it’s great to see you,

Could you help me find another friend too?

He’s wild and crazy, and spies all day long,

And just loves Giant Kongs!”

“Oh that guy? Last I saw he was in the window,

But he seemed like he was on the go!

It was nice seeing you too, you bum,

Now if you please, I’m quite busy with this gum.”

I race to the Playroom to see my old friend,

But I’m met with a dead end.

The Party Police Enforcement is on patrol,

And she will not let me pass. She is in control.

“Please ma’am,” I beg her.

“I just want to see the fantastic B without causing a stir.”

“You may only pass if you do this one favor.

Let me groom your boots, and enjoy my labor.”

No matter who you seek, you have to appease the boss,

No matter the quest, no matter the cost.

She pays exquisite detail to her grooming,

To keep all boots clean. I’m assuming.

“The one you seek is in the Greenhouse,

He has not been quiet as a mouse.

Laughing and playing all day,

Sometimes it’s too much, so you will pay.”

I thank her for her service and head outside,

I just hope she hasn’t lied.

I open the door to the this indoor-outdoor space,

There was a flash of fur, seemingly in a race!

Bronx cheers, stomping and breathy panting,

His knack for fun is really uncanning!

He swings from the platform to the door.

Could I ever ask from more?

“Oh Bubba!” I exclaim.

“There’s something first I want to proclaim!

Tomorrow is your birthday, you’ll be 39!

At that age, you are looking just fine!

“There will be everything that you enjoy,

So please when you see it all, don’t be coy.

There will be slinkies, blocks, chase and spaghetti!

Things will be thrown around like confetti!”

“That’s nice and all,” he replied.

“I hope to wake tomorrow and not find out you lied.

But that is all for tomorrow, I’m just focused on now!

So get me some snow, before J.B. gets in the plow!”

I abide his request, and give him a snowball.

One is not enough. He wants it all!

After he savors every last bite of the snowy treat,

It’s off the the races, not one I can defeat.

So I hope you all are prepared for tomorrow!

Fun will be had by all, so be sure to follow!

Happy Burrito Eve, everybody!

Some bonus photos of Mave and Dora!

Cold Snap

December 28, 2021 by Chad de Bree

The Pacific Northwest is experiencing a cold snap this week. Today the high is 18ºF with a low of 5ºF tonight. With temperatures such as these, the chimpanzees have sought refuge in the upstairs areas of their respective playrooms where it is nice and warm. They are all napping as I write this.

With days like today, it can be difficult to get photos of the chimpanzees. The upstairs areas are notoriously difficult (read pretty much impossible) to take photos of. I was able to get a few opportunistically throughout the afternoon, mostly during lunch when they all came down.