Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

Chad de Bree

Strivin’ to Survive: A Scarecrow’s Tale

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As some of you have seen, this Jamieween included A Tale of Two Scarecrows. The first scarecrow was put out in the Courtyard for Willy B, Honey B, and Mave.

If you read the blog on Saturday, Willy B made quick job of the cabbage head while leaving the body intact. Diana and Kelsi, brought the scarecrow’s body in and placed in the Mezzanine later that night. (You can see him in the corner just beyond Mave.)

We all kind of suspected Honey B would be the first one to be curious about it. I’m told that she indeed was. I wasn’t there to witness everything unfold at that time, but I’m told Honey B indeed was the one to be the first to inspect it. I was there, however, the following morning as I brought breakfast up to Mezzanine and she was sitting on it’s chest pulling alfalfa out searching for more treats.

The other scarecrow was placed onto Young’s Hill for the Seven to enjoy.

So far, it has had a longer life… so to speak.

This year, Jody did not disappoint and was the Great Pumpkin Thief once again.

Though Jody made way with taking the scarecrow’s head, its’ body still remains on Young’s Hill to this day.

Yesterday, as Jamie and I were coming back from our walk/run around the hill, a shadow near the scarecrow caught my eye. As I saw this shadow, my mind raced with anticipation that somebody was finally going to bring it inside and find every treat! (I apologize for some slightly blurry photos, but it was difficult to hurry and focus in time to catch it as it was happening.)

Who could this be? Was it Annie returning to claim what once might have been hers? Was it Missy whose curiosity got the better of her to finally investigate the a few days after?

As the camera (finally) began to focus, it was clear to me who was going to try to finally put this scarecrow to pasture.

Jody!

She had returned to finish the scarecrow off!

She brought up the torso, removed a significant amount of alfalfa, and found some remaining treats inside. She attempted to untie the torso down from the structure, however they were tied on too tight to remove. Instead she took what she could get and moved on.

I expected today to see the scarecrow completely removed by day’s end. However, today was slightly rainy and most everyone chose to remain indoors.

So the scarecrow survives just one more day… for now…

Who will be the one who finally takes this scarecrow out? Will somebody else’s curiosity prevail?

Missy seems like she might be ready to see what this thing is all about.

I couldn’t choose between these next two photos, so you can choose which one you like better to fit this story.

Or will Jody comeback and claim her prize?

UPDATE:

As I was closing up I decided to take a gander to see if the scarecrow was still there. Only and empty shirt remains.

We will never know who the Scarecrow Destroyer is.

Two Years Down, Many More to Come!

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Today is a very special day! It marks 2 years since Betsy, Honey, Meredith, and Nutmeg arrived and began to call Washington their new home!

A photo from the first day they arrived at Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest!
Photo from today as they watched Jamie and I sprint around Young’s Hill.

From the first day they arrived in Central Washington to today, these four individuals have been such an honor and treat to be able to get to know!

To honor their second year in Washington, we had planned something special for them. However, similar to the events that unfolded on Meredith’s birthday a couple of months ago, we were unable to photograph or film the events as they were more interested in their hay than their celebratory cob treat today.

So instead, here are some photos from their second year at Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest!

Betsy in February eating some alfalfa in the Winter pasture.
That one time they were hiding from me in the Creek back in June.
Mobbing the Gator full of hay in April.
Making the march today to the other pasture where they were treated with cob, but decided hay was better. L to R: Nutmeg, Betsy, Meredith, Honey.
Betsy up near the pine trees that line the top of Young’s Hill in October.
Nutmeg in the Spring pasture in August.
Honey in the Spring pasture in September.
Meredith being beautiful in October.
Honey today!
Betsy (with Jamie in the background) in July!
Meredith in the Summer pasture on her birthday back in September!
Nutmeg making his was back to the barn today.

We can’t wait to celebrate more years to come!

Remember! You can help contribute to their care by becoming a Bovine Buddy to one or all of them! This will help us tremendously to make sure they have many more years to come here!

Adventure Awaits

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Yesterday, as I was helping clean the Playroom, I noticed Foxie sitting at the door that leads to Young’s Hill.

Was she contemplating going outside? Was it too cold for her? Was she just waiting for somebody to return? I admittedly stopped cleaning and watched her for a few minutes. After some time, others began to return from their patrol around the hill.

Jody returned with some fresh picked greens.

Then Jamie returned with Burrito right behind her.

After their return, almost everybody spent the rest of the time on the top platform waiting for us humans to finish cleaning.

Annie, Burrito, and Jody

It’s hard to say what Foxie was thinking or why she herself didn’t choose to go outside, but today was different.

When cleaning was done today, Jamie requested Kelsi and Anna to go on a walk with her.

They were soon joined by Missy and Burrito. All three of them thought it was an amazing idea to sprint up the hill, which included making Kelsi and Anna sprint as well.

While Jamie, Missy, and Burrito were running around with the human caregivers, I caught two familiar figures out of the corner of my eye.

Jody and Foxie decided to have their own little adventure.

The Adventures of Jody and Foxie aren’t quite like the others. They can be equated to being like two old friends taking a walk in the park. Really just a casual stroll through the outside enclosure. If someone takes an interest in something, the other stops and waits for them.

Foxie decided to try to climb one of the structures. As she did, Jody waited for her.

When they were done with their adventure, they headed back inside the Greenhouse.

Right around the time Foxie and Jody decided they had enough adventure, the Trio’s adventure was coming to an end as well. It should come to no surprise that Missy was the first one to make it back. She usually sprints the entire hill, leaving everyone else in her dust.

Jamie and Burrito were not far behind though.

You may have noticed Jamie’s attire might have changed from the beginning of their adventure to the end. Both Anna and Kelsi told me she started out with a scarf, then half way through it turned into a waistband, and at the very end it turned into a sash. We never know how the chimpanzees will react and interact with the different enrichment items they are provided. Sometimes they are a hit, sometimes they fall flat. Jamie though has an ability to shape the items in such a way to her liking. We don’t give her instructions on how to use an item or force her to interact with it. It’s always her choice and her way. I cannot wait for Jamieween to arrive!

And here are some bonus photos I just wanted to share from earlier in the week:

Honey B enjoying a magazine with peanut butter smears.
Willy B getting ready to take an afternoon nap.
Annie waiting for everybody else to return from a patrol.
Negra enjoying her dinner celery from the other night.

Everybody Loves Mavis

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Today is all about Mave (aka Mavis)!

Last week, Diana invited all of our followers and readers to submit whatever questions they may have (this includes you). One question which was asked on the Facebook post was about Mave’s eyes. I personally cannot resist talking about Mave in general because she is such a unique individual. That goes without saying, her eyes are also unique among the 10 chimpanzee residents here.

Her eyes are a little bit lighter in coloration compared to the rest. The question asked was to clarify the coloration of the outside (sclera) of Mave’s eyes. The follower was curious if Mave’s sclera was lighter in color, similar to a human’s eye. The answer is yes!

Mave does have a lighter tone of sclera. Compared to someone like Jamie:

Though chimpanzees generally have darker sclera and lighter iris, it is not uncommon for some chimpanzees to deviate from this. The easiest explanation for this is genetics. Some chimpanzees inherit a mutated gene that causes their sclera to be white or lighter brown in stead of black. A classic example is the case of Pincer. Pincer was and adult male of the Ngogo community in the Kibale Forest of Uganda. He is also well known due to his unique expressive eyes and has been photographed and filmed for many documentaries. While most of the males in Ngogo have the traditional eye coloration, Pincer was born with a mutated gene that caused him to have eyes that looked human, which he passed down to the several children he sired, who also have his eyes.

There are several theories as to why chimpanzees are so different compared to humans in this aspect. One of the most prominent theories is the “cooperative eye hypothesis.” This states that humans adapted to have a lighter sclera and darker iris in order to communicate more effectively. It’s easier to follow the gaze of someone with a light sclera and dark iris. Conversely, chimpanzees adapted to having darker sclera and lighter iris to hide their intentions, making their gaze more cryptic. I.e. if they are looking at a high value food item, it would be harder for others to see what they see or where they are looking.

This has been a long accepted theory, though recently researchers have started to question if this is the case. Last year, researchers discovered there wasn’t too much difference between the contrast between the iris and pupil in chimpanzees, bonobos, and humans. This just means though we have opposite coloration schematics in our sclera/iris contrasts, the ratio between light and dark is essentially the same. Though we think it’s easier to follow the gaze of a human with white sclera and a darker iris, chimpanzees may think it’s easier to follow along with someone with a darker sclera and lighter iris.

Regardless of the theories, I think we can all agree that we all love Mave and her eyes are just one more thing that makes her, her own unique individual here (though all 10 of them are unique).

That being said, let’s go into a Day In The Life of Mave!

When caregivers first arrive in the morning, the first thing we do is immediately start to make breakfast. Mave is a firm believer that breakfast is the most important meal of the day! She gets really excited when she sees breakfast being brought out! (You can hear it here.)

I tried to get a shot of her initial reaction to seeing breakfast, but she was too quick for the camera to focus on.

After breakfast, Mave generally is very low key. She will spend a lot of time grooming by herself, or with Willy B and Honey B grooming them.

Lunch with Mave can be hit or miss. She will either show some (minor) excitement for it, or just wait for the one or two things she wants offered and leaves.

After lunch, she loves to spend time in the Mezzanine. Usually, grooming (either herself or someone else) or gazing at herself in the Looky Lou mirror. Who can blame her?

When she’s not doing any of those things, she loves to relax.

She also has a very distinctive pose all of the staff try to capture when she’s relaxing where she looks like she’s deep in thought.

When dinner comes around, she shows almost (but not quite) the same excitement as breakfast. I want to re-share this photo from yesterday of her eating spaghetti because I like it.

After dinner is finished, it’s time for nighttime enrichment.

Then it is bed time!

Mave really finds away to entrench herself into the hearts of everybody who gets to know her!

And don’t forget! You can help support Mave by becoming a Chimpanzee Pal!

Giving Choices, Giving Thanks, Giving Day for Apes

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Before we get into the bulk of the blog, lets play a game shall we?

She loves to be in forts, and can build her own quite well, though maybe not as well as some of her group mates. She loves to lay on her back and grasp her feet together in the air. Who is in the fort? Answer is at the end of the blog.

While you ponder who could possibly be in a fort, let’s get into today.

Thank you so much those who could donate for Giving Day for Apes so far! We are not quite at our goal but there is still time to donate. The fundraiser ends at 9pm PST/12am EST. But either way we want to send our sincerest thank you to those who have donated and continue to support us past, present, and beyond! Because of you, you have helped us try to provide the best lives we possibly could for Annie, Burrito, Foxie, Honey B, Jamie, Jody, Mave, Missy, Negra, and Willy B!

One of the things you have helped us provide is choice.

The choice to choose which doll will be the Doll Du Jour.

Today, Foxie choose Dora as her companion.

The choice to nap on a rainy day.

Annie spent most of the day napping. Doesn’t she seem so sweet napping?
Jamie too choose to spent most of the day underneath a blanket in the Greenhouse.
As did Negra!

The choice to either eat inside or outside.

Jody decided to eat her breakfast inside the Front Rooms while the rest of the group ate in the Greenhouse.

The choice to go outside.

Though it rained most of the day, we still gave Willy B the option to enjoy the Courtyard, which he did!

The choice to play with friends…

Mave and Honey B spent the most of the day playing together.

Or the choice to have a quiet grooming session.

Jody and Missy groom Burrito in the Greenhouse. (I’m sorry everybody! I tried to include everybody today, but this was the best I could get of Missy! I’m so sorry!)

And the choice to make the caregivers go on a run around Young’s Hill…

Burrito made caregivers join him go around Young’s Hill multiple times today!

And then play with them upon return.

He stopped for two seconds to allow me to get this photo, before it turned back in to a blur of fur.

With all the generosity throughout the years during events such as Giving Day for Apes, you have helped us provide them with one of the most precious things in life: Choice! So thank you!

And drum roll please!

The answer to who was in the fort…..

MAVE!

Thank you for playing!

And as a bonus:

Right as we were serving dinner, I was indeed able to get a proper photo of Missy!

The choice to enjoy a baked sweet potato!

New Camera. Who Dis?

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Through the generosity of a donor, we received a new camera recently. Today was just a test run, but hopefully after a more thorough trial and error period, we will be able to provide you all with some amazing photos:

Jody in one of the front rooms.
Foxie going into the Greenhouse with a mouthful of water.
Jamie laying down in one of the windows of the Greenhouse.
Honey B unsure of the new camera.
Missy taking her lunch to go.
Annie enjoying some peace by herself in the Greenhouse.
Burrito interrupting the peace because he wanted to play and not want me to take photos of Annie.

Obviously after that last one, I obliged Burrito and played a game of chase and tug-o-war with him. I wasn’t able to get a photo of him with the new camera, but was able to snap this with my phone after he won our tug-o-war match.

And just as a little extra, here are some photos I took throughout the day of what everybody was up to (sans new camera):

Negra was found in a huge pink pile of blankets this morning when we arrived.

For the Group of 7, they received Boomer Balls tonight as their nighttime food puzzle. Jamie grabbed what she could and lined them on a bench before going to forage some after dinner lettuce. Everybody knew those Boomer Balls on the bench we hers and let them be while their owner was away.

Foxie, on the other hand, grabbed a couple herself and headed straight to the Greenhouse to enjoy them in peace and quiet.

For the Group of 3, we wanted to try something new tonight. After doing some research fro new ideas, one I came across called “Pineapple Tops.” It is similar to our Pine Cones, just with a different vessel.

Generally, when we try something new, we get a little nervous if they will like what we concocted.

In this case though, they loved them!

Willy B’s first step to this was to search through the leaves for peanut butter, seeds, and raisins.

Mave went straight for the sweet stuff: the left over pineapple at the bottom.

Honey B rushed to the Chute, so I wasn’t able to get photos of her, though I could just make out she went with a method similar to Willy B.

We are so grateful to all our supporters and followers. You all have helped us try to provided the best support we possibly could to these 10 unique individuals.

As you may have heard, Giving Day For Apes is coming up on October 13th! It is a yearly fundraiser drive among all the ape sanctuaries across the world to raise donations to maintain the best care we can provide. There are several events throughout the day that could help earn additional funding to expand, maintain the best care we can provide, as well as bring more chimpanzees home. We hope you will be able to help and donate what ever you can that day. For the Chimpanzees. For the Cattle. For Sanctuary.

A Morning Stroll and Confession of a (new) Caregiver

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As you all know, Jamie usually requests/demands a walk around Young’s Hill first thing in the morning. In fact, Jamie is about the only individual to request a go around the hill. But then yesterday, something peculiar happened. Jamie had requested a walk with caregiver Katelyn. This usually is the time Burrito and I find ourselves in a play session. Occasionally, he would sprint out of the raceway and onto the hill, but then sprint back into the Greenhouse where our games continued. But instead of running back inside, he kept going! He stopped turned around and waited for me. I sprinted to play catch up with him. It was then Jamie/Katelyn in front, followed by Burrito/Chad in the middle, and Missy/caregiver Anthony/Gator in the end (though Missy sprinted as fast as she could and found herself waaay ahead of all of us). This was a tale that had zero video or photographic evidence. It was something I felt I could tell, but nobody would ever believe because there was no proof. There was no way Burrito would invite anybody on a walk. That’s a Jamie thing.

Flash forward to today…

As I drove up to the sanctuary, there was some light fog hanging overhead.

But shortly after, it was a clear, beautiful day.

As I let the Group of 7 onto Young’s Hill, a few went out, but not many. I gave it a little while before I went back to check on them and try to get some photos, since today was going to be a eventful day (wait for it toward the end of today’s post). Jamie was inside the Greenhouse watching everything happen through one of the windows that looks into the Playroom. Burrito, however, was very energetic and wanted to play chase, tug-o-war, tag, among many other games. I told him it would have to be a quick play session since I still needed to help clean. Then it happened. He looked at me, then looked at the door that leads to the hill, and sprinted outside. I thought this would not be the same scenario as it was yesterday. “This couldn’t possibly be another invitation to go around the hill,” I thought. But as he made his way further out, he stopped, looked back, and bounced up and down. So I was off to the races.

The video above are small clips of a walk, with short bursts of sprints, around the hill. (Please do not mind my out of breath panting! I always forget how difficult it is to run with a mask on.)

In between those clips, I tried to take photos of others enjoying Young’s Hill.

Missy and Foxie were found on one of the platforms.

Annie was on one of the platforms that one of the furthest up on Young’s Hill.

And Meredith watched as Burrito and I played chased around the hill.

And I took this one of Burrito and I coming back after our second time around Young’s Hill.

Before I continue, I must admit, I cannot help but cherish moments like this with Burrito. I always have cherished any moment I have with him (and all the other residents here). But after his scare with the rattlesnake bite, I can’t even describe the feeling. Though most of us on staff are exhaling huge sighs of relief more so now since he is doing so much better, you can catch glimpses of slight being on edge still between all of us from time-to-time. Some of us even still talk about what we were doing when we found out what had happened. I remember it perfectly. I was still at the local farmers’ market, pretty much buying out every stand that sold sunflowers (I was buying them to prepare for Annie’s birthday). I had just posted a photo on my own personal social media accounts about how happy I was to find such big and lovely sunflowers for such an occassion. Not two minutes after I posted that (I hadn’t even started my car yet to go home), I got the call. This part I admit I don’t remember so well. All I heard was “Burrito” “rattlesnake” bitten”, and some how, some way the next thing I remember is that I was at the sanctuary hearing over the radio, “Chad, after you have changed over, please come in here and keep B company.” He was still his goofy self, but at that point you could tell something wasn’t right. As more and more staff arrived as well as our veterinarian, it gets very blurry after that. I do remember afterwards, when it was my turn to monitor his recovery after the procedure, telling him as he was coming to, “Oh Bubby. You will be fine. You will pull out of this. I know you will because what would I do without you? I honestly can’t imagine a life without Burrito.” So my confession is this, I was scared. I was on a level of scared I had not been in such a long time. The rest of the staff would agree that I am one of the least likely to show or share my feelings, but this one I will share. The next few weeks, as Kelsi said, were filled with sleepless nights for all of us because we just didn’t know what was going to happen next. And the worst thought to pop into our heads was we might lose him (I think Diana said it better than I could). We honestly had no idea what was going to happen with Hoot! after we added his medical expenses page. But within 24 hours, so many people had donated to ensure he was covered. I think we all got a little sentimental about that. I have said this before and I will say it again, in all sincerity, from the bottom of our hearts, thank you! Thank you for helping with this unexpected cost. Thank you for all your support. And thank you for helping us keep our friend alive. Without your unwavering support, days like today might not have happened. One last time: THANK YOU!

Sorry for the long winded rant. No onward to other happy news.

As I mentioned before, there was a lot happening today. Both groups were very interested.

What are they looking at?

THIS!

Today the construction crew began laying out the concrete floors to the new playrooms.

Progress is being made! Soon enough, days like today will seem like a distant memory as we watch Mave, Honey B, and Willy B, as well as a new group of chimpanzees, enjoy these rooms!

Hashtag Grateful.