Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

Chad de Bree

Smoothie Bandit Strikes Again!

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A recent study added to vast knowledge we know about chimpanzees. One area in chimpanzee studies that keeps surprising us is their use of tools. A recent study added to what we know about chimpanzee tool use. The study conducted by Dr. Alejandra Pascual-Garrido and team at Gombe Stream National Park in Tanzania; the same area Jane Goodall first observed chimpanzees using tools to complete a task.

The task at hand? Fishing for termites. What Dr. Pascual-Garrido and fellow researchers determined that chimpanzees don’t just use any ol’ stick lying around. Their tool is carefully selected based on what the chimpanzee wants to accomplish. For instance, with termite fishing, chimpanzees were found to use certain sticks/stems based on their qualities and features. Since termite mounds are a series of long, winding tunnels, the chimpanzees will use tools that are more flexible to better weave through the tunnels to find the colony.

If you are an avid blog follower, then you know we have a handful of chimp residents here who use tools for various things. Whether its a stick Jamie picked out that is sturdy enough to groom caregivers’ boots, or Honey B ripping the bamboo out of the ground in her greenhouses and cutting it down to size, we have some pretty amazingly intelligent chimpanzees. A few years back we found some chimps who found new use for these long, plastic straws they are given as enrichment.

One new use that had the entire blog following rolling in laughter was Annie’s use of the straw to siphon Jamie’s smoothie right out of her hands. Well, seems like someone found this use and decided to try to get Negra’s morning juice supplements as she was drinking it… TWICE! On two separate occasions!

Be sure to watch the video to find out who!

Blip In The System

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I am truly sorry everybody. I had a completely different blog written out today ready to post, however, due to technical difficulties I was not able to upload the video I had to YouTube. That blip kind of threw a wrench in my blog plans since the video was the centerpiece for the blog. Hopefully next time I will be able to load it.

In the meantime, please enjoy how a-DORA-ble Dora was taking a nap this afternoon. Ok. I will see myself out for that one.

Beans, Beans the Magical Chimp

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Today, Honey B took a trip to the clinic so Dr. Erin could investigate a hand wound that wasn’t healing properly. As some of you know, chimps are notoriously good healers, which is fortunate given the frequency of wounding in this species. Most of the time, wounds heal with very little intervention- some pain meds for a few days, topical flushing or spraying with antiseptic solutions as well as laser therapy are often all that’s needed to complement their healing process.

Despite her healing and our efforts with antibiotics and laser therapy, it wasn’t enough to clear it up.  Thankfully, the inflammation remained localized at the site of the wound and didn’t spread elsewhere like it tends to in humans.

After much discussion and consideration, Dr. Erin and staff agreed Honey B should make a trip to the clinic. In superhero fashion, she assembled a team of professionals to help determine what is happening in Beanz’ hand while she was in the clinic. We are always amazed at the professionals willing and eager to assist in the chimps’ anesthetic procedures and this time was no exception: Dr. Dan Low (MD) and Leah Bezzo (CRNA) from Children’s Hospital managed anesthesia. Yousuf Jafarey (DVM) from the Woodland Park Zoo, and Jim Repsher (PA) from Kittitas Valley Healthcare, scrubbed in to help assess, culture and flush the wound and perform a regional limb perfusion to concentrate antibiotics deep into the tissues. Ian Gadbaw (LVT) from PAWS Wildlife Center, came over to get a feel for how chimp exams are done and was a great help, along with our very own caregiver Krissy, in assisting with what we needed throughout the procedure and exam.  While being treated for her hand, Honey B also got a good checkup, including a full dental exam, cleaning and polishing, abdominal ultrasound, and blood and urine samples.

We also have to give a huge thank to our positive reinforcement training team, which includes caregivers Sabrina, Jenna, and Ellen. With their tireless effort and dedication to training, Honey B was able to be anesthetized with relative ease.  This is a perfect example as to why PRT is an important part in the chimps’ care. Honey B was willing to present her hand for the anesthetic instead of the use of a dart gun, which as you can imagine, can be a traumatic experience; both for chimpanzees and caregivers.

Beezle (my nickname for Honey B) has recovered from the anesthesia and currently resting in the recovery room and is expected to be reunited with Gordo in the morning, just to make sure all the anesthesia has worn off.

Technicians take an x-ray of Honey B’s hand before entering the clinic
The amazing care team monitoring Honey B after the procedure.

All of Honey B’s friends were curious as to what was happening to their friend. Each rotating around different viewpoint to check in on Honey B.

Terry had the “best seat” in the house to check in on his friend.

Since we are on the subject of Honey B, I will share a fun little story. My watch band had recently broke. The new one I purchased has Van Gogh’s The Starry Night design on it and came with a free background of the famous painting.

As you may know, the chimps are very attune with any changes regarding the caregivers. Even the most minuscule change doesn’t go unnoticed. Honey B immediately caught site on the new watch band the other day, even though a majority of it was covered by my sleeve. When I showed her the watch, the screen lit up with the Starry Night painting on it. She stopped what she was doing, even in mid-chew, and seemed memorized by it.

What was she thinking while staring at my watch? I can’t definitively say, but I will say she has some good taste. Cy and Lucky had a similar response when I showed them. This probably won’t mean anything as the novelty of something new wears off, but I’m just going to pretend.

Here are some bonus photos from the day!

Today’s food puzzle for the rest of the chimps was boomer balls! And Rayne seemed to win this race of collecting as many as she could.

Tough decision of which boomer ball to begin with
Obvious choice for someone like Rayne is to tackle the most challenging kind first

Beasts of Burden

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It is really interesting watching the chimpanzees throughout the day. Whether it is onsite at the sanctuary, or checking in on the security cameras. After witnessing all the great moments such play and grooming, and even the bad moments like fights, there really is no other term to describe them other than “family.”

Families play. Families take care of each other. And families fight, whether with each other or side-by-side one another. Though there has been some instability in Cy’s group, which led to our reintegration plan, I still can’t help but to view them as a family unit. Though the fights can be a stress inducing event and seem like it dominates the day, that’s not necessarily the case. The good moments outweigh the bad by a landslide. 

As we moved forward with the reintegration process, we have seen some magnificent moments with the chimps. Though we wish this process would eliminate all the fighting, we are realistic that it won’t stop all of the fighting. Though the real underlying hope is for the fighting to be reduced from the level it was. Personally, I think it’s working. A good chunk of fights we have seen in the past few months have mostly been just screaming and hollering at each other. 

What initiated this train of thought? This photo I took a couple weeks ago:

Willy B (bottom) and Rayne (top) link fingers before lunch service.

One day, when lunch was brought out, Rayne reached toward Willy B for some reassurance, and this was the outcome. To me it looks a lot like the American Sign Language sign for “friends” if two people were to make the sign together. Here is a photo of a memorial of Washoe making that sign at Friendship Park in Ellensburg.

To me it’s kind of a reminder that there is always beauty in a chaotic world.

Here are some other old photos I found on my phone taken over the course of several months.

Willy B

Annie

Terry

Negra

Though these two photos look the same, they were actually taken months apart. The first photo is her perusing through a peanut butter magazine. The second was from Jamieween after she acquired her food.

Lucky

Cy

Mave

Honey B

Jamie’s Group watching TV

That is Foxie and Jamie on the floor, Burrito sitting on the firehose, and Annie waaaaay up top.

Firehose Cube

Yes… That is a firehose with it’s own nest in between Rayne and Lucky. This isn’t the first time either. I have another photo of a different firehose in a different nest on a different day, but couldn’t find it quickly. And the answer to your question, it was Rayne. Both times I seen this, Rayne was close by or it was in the nest with her.

Sanctuary Wildlife

There’s a frog in our pipes.
A baby gopher snake.
A yet to be identified lizard on the human entrance of the Riverview and Oakwood Greenhouses.

Barn Kitty in hunting mode

I know some of you are wondering where I have been for a while. There was always some sense of happiness anytime one of the other caregivers let me know people have been inquiring about my whereabouts. No, I didn’t quit or get fired. No, I wasn’t in a coma. No, I wasn’t off galavanting around the Cascades with Barn Kitty or any of the other wild conspiracies some of some of you had… Though I do wish one of those were the case, especially the BK scenario. 

The uneventful, boring reason is I got injured while working. It happens at any workplace and no matter the safety precaution, these’s always that small chance. Hello, I am that small chance. I have been recovering for a little bit and am starting to ease back into doing full Chimp House duties. It’s been one step at a time but I am ecstatic that the trend is swinging toward the right direction. I also want to emphasize this was NOT chimp related. It was on my own.

I do want to take this time to thank literally everyone. From my amazing fellow caregivers to the co-directors, and yes, even to you, our dedicated, loving blog readers. My fellow caregivers really rose up to continue our same level of care for the chimps and cattle being down one caregiver for such a prolonged time. Hence the title of this blog. They are my beasts of burden. Plus I had happen to be listening to The Rolling Stones when this was typed. I will be forever grateful to them for their strength and determination, as well as understanding that when I did come back, I would have to ease into everything at a slow pace. Or at least it has been slow to my liking. 

I am looking forward to continue caring for the chimpanzees and bovine side-by-side with my team at full capacity when it’s time. Hashtag New Year, New Me.

ONE LAST SUPER BONUS PHOTO

Remember that time Burrito first climbed the tree and nobody was able to get footage of it until later?

I got this when it was announced on the radio that he was in the tree and I was serving lunch to Negra. This is the only known footage of that day!

*Sorry if some of the images maybe repeats or similar to others in the past few months. I forgot who I gave photos to publish for the blog and what photos have been used.

Fair-Weather Chimps

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As always, I apologize for today’s blog. All staff are arriving at the sanctuary to have our bi-weekly staff meeting. I think I was a little optimistic thinking powering through cleaning to have enough time to grab some photos or video before our meeting. Though we were able to get done with cleaning a little earlier than we usually do, it still wasn’t enough. Especially since it was during the part of day right before lunch, when they are all in the hard to reach spots napping or grooming. I readjusted my plan to get photos during lunch service today. This too was somewhat difficult. On one side, Honey B became a better door than window in my attempts to see/take photos of anyone. On the other side, Burrito just wanted to play, thus souring my attempts with a game of “Poke-the-Camera,” which he finds hilarious.

If you’re wondering why they chimps elected to stay inside instead of venturing out doors today, the answer is weather. There seems to be a little bit of everything in the forecast. It’s cloudy with some sun breakthroughs here and there. Strong gusts of winds are making the panels to the greenhouses rattle. On again and off again drizzles of cold rain are falling from the sky. To top it off, there is some snow that is currently in the forecast for later today. Though realistically (read hopefully) the snow part will change as the day goes on and just turn into rain.

Before the weather started to turn, Negra was demanding to be let onto Young’s Hill first thing in the morning.

Shortly after I opened the door to Young’s Hill, that’s when the weather decided to start. My tall tell sign? Just as fast as she went out, Negra came right back in.

Negra made a beeline straight back to her morning nest.

Negra and her family for the most part stayed in all day. The story next door wasn’t too much different.

Rayne resting next to her cabbage box

But even though outdoor weather wasn’t the most optimal, mealtimes are always exciting. I’m fairly certain I make the same face as Cy and Gordo when my food comes out from the kitchen at a restaurant.

Look how big Cy’s eyes got when the cart was being rolled out

And just as the day started, I will end with Negra in her nest at dinner

Plus Missy and Burrito!

Fool Me Once…

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After relishing in a decent streak of sublime weather, that streak came to an end today. With the chilly air and dark clouds over head, I don’t think anyone can blame the chimpanzees for staying indoors all day (albeit the first morning patrol). In fact, not a single person is in an area that offers optimal viewpoints to observe them. They are all tucked in for a nap.

Negra seemed to set the mood of the day early in the morning.

Since I wasn’t able to get many photos today, here are some I captured of Burrito during yesterday’s lunch forage.

*RECORD SCRATCH*

Ok. Never mind. As I was writing the above, I glanced at the security monitor and saw someone move through the outdoor chute onto The Bray.

It was Cy! He was on his way to his new spot.

After watching him up on the new structure, with magazine in hand, it hit me as to what he was doing. It was nice and quiet at the top of the Bray, and away from the ruckus down below. He spent roughly ten minutes seemingly just taking in the view and peace. He decided to leave when he noticed part of his group decided to also head outside.

Coming down from the structure
On his way back to the Chimp House

On his way back, he crossed paths with his sister, Lucky.

Lucky also decided to take a moment to take in the scenery and quiet

As did Terry.

At the bottom of the Bray, on the boardwalk, Willy B was watching Missy’s group. (Gordo and Rayne were out and about too, just hard to get photos of.)

Speaking of the neighbors, when they realized over half of Willy B’s group was out, they decided they too needed to be outside. Well, minus one.

Missy was the first out, and since I didn’t stretch this morning, I didn’t attempt to catch up with her.

Annie, who was right behind Missy at first, took a detour to grab some of the ever-so-popular prickly lettuce growing on Young’s Hill.

Foxie on the other hand, decided she too wanted a fortress of solitude in the form of one of her new structures.

And then there is Burrito. The person who made me stop taking pictures to run around Young’s Hill and play with him. He did seem a bit distracted. That is when I realized he was looking at Lucky. He tried really hard to play it cool and to make it seem like he wasn’t paying attention to her at all.

And I will leave you with this additional photo I took of Burrito during yesterday’s lunch forage. My phone camera was acting funny and captured the photo like this:

There’s just something with the lighting and coloring that made me love this one of him.

Wholly Sweet Mother of Pearl Onion

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A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about forages on Young’s Hill and trying something different by placing “jackpots” in some of the harder to reach areas. Today, I decided to up the ante and place even more jackpots around Young’s Hill to see who will get what. Similar to the aforementioned blog, it should be to nobody’s surprise Missy was the “winner” at finding most of today’s jackpots.

I wasn’t able to race up the hill in time to catch her snagging the whole ear of corn in one of the trees. I was, however, able to to catch her grabbing what essentially looked like a huge Easter egg.

A whole sweet onion!

While Missy was relishing in her discovery, Jamie also found a jackpot that unintentionally seemed to be made for her.

A jackpot of a decent sized stash of pear and chow biscuits in the hammock. She seemed pretty happy with her discovery.

Then the neighbors came out.

Time to hide all enjoyment and act serious. First a small patrol to let them know she’s serious.

Then resuming to forage like it’s no big deal.

There was still a hidden bell pepper amongst one of the many logs on Young’s Hill by the time I had to head back to attend our staff meeting. I’m not sure if anybody has found it yet. Only to ravens circling Young’s Hill and The Bray know.

Bonus Photos!

Foxie

Over the hill and through the bamboo, to a location only Foxie would know.
It was to the tower structure. That was the location.
A doll for every occasion. Foxie had to put morning Strawberry Shortcake to bed and bring out Plum Puddin.’

Mave + Friends

When Mave went out onto the Bray this afternoon, she was greeted by Cy.
Then groomed with Lucky on the boardwalk.