Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

Elizabeth

The Boss

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One of the most satisfying things about working at a sanctuary is having the opportunity to give the chimpanzees what they need after decades of deprivation. As a species, chimpanzees need the company of other chimpanzees, good food, fresh air and sunshine, and space to roam. We work hard everyday to meet these needs. But caring for a group of chimpanzees means more than caring for a species; it means caring for unique individuals, all with their own individual needs. Their own personalities, their own interests, their own likes and dislikes. Catering to the needs of each individual chimpanzee we care for is an extremely rewarding challenge.

The individual at the sanctuary who demands the most of us is Jamie. She demands our attention, our patience, our creativity, our respect. Jamie is the self-appointed leader of the group, and she takes this position very seriously. Jamie needs to be respected in the same way that she needs food to eat and air to breathe. She is determined and focused, and she makes what she wants a reality.

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It is almost impossible for me to imagine Jamie in the research lab, where for decades she was forced to submit to humans against her will. For someone with so much fire inside her, that had to be torture. These days, Jamie wouldn’t think of letting herself be bossed around. She is finally home – a place where she calls the shots.

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As Jamie’s caregivers, it’s our job to give her the opportunity to be who she is and get what she needs. Jamie has no qualms about letting us know what she wants from us, and when we are succeeding or failing. It is our honor to submit to her will.

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Today at the sanctuary

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We’re all a little stunned by the gorgeous weather we’re having today. The chimpanzees are in great moods and are making the most of their day. Here are our favorite photos from this morning and afternoon. (Don’t let these photos fool you; these all happened to be taken indoors, but the chimps are enjoying a ton of time outside today in the sunshine.)

Foxie inspecting a chow biscuit:

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Negra looking out the window:

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Jamie with a toothbrush:

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Jody with a mouthful of chow at breakfast:

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Missy wading through a box of enrichment:

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Annie:

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Burrito during today’s breakfast forage:

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Spiderchimp

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The ceiling of the greenhouse is made up of long metal bars that allow the chimpanzees to brachiate (swing arm over arm), much like wild chimps swing through the trees. The chimps use these bars pretty often to move from place to place in the greenhouse. For Foxie, though, they’re more than functional – they’re fun. Foxie uses the greenhouse ceiling as her own personal playground. She climbs around upside down on all fours, and then dangles by her feet (sometimes while laughing). Today she took Dora along for the ride.

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Peace and Quiet

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Negra’s days are made up of quiet moments. She’s usually the last one out of bed in the morning, and the first to go back to bed after breakfast. She spends most of her day lying in a big, soft nest in front of her favorite window on the playroom catwalk, where she can watch the neighboring farm and the train running through the valley. When there’s a conflict in the group, Negra does her best to stay out of it, and she’s usually the one to end it with her “That’s enough!” pant hoot.

To Negra, sanctuary means peace and quiet.

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Taking It All In

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Today we’ve been lucky enough to have some mild temperatures and sunshine in Cle Elum. After lunch I headed out to the greenhouse, expecting to find most of the chimpanzees lounging out there (their favorite sunny day spot). I was pleasantly surprised, however, to find everyone except for Burrito and Negra outside on Young’s Hill, their two-acre outdoor habitat.

When it’s cold outside, the chimps would generally rather be indoors. The more determined among them might go out for very short periods, but as a rule, the chimps choose to spend most of the winter inside. On mild days, it’s not uncommon to find some activity on the hill – the chimps know that the nice temperatures won’t last long.

When I stepped outside this afternoon there was a large group of hawks circling over Young’s Hill.

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I started thinking about how before Young’s Hill was built, the chimps had never had an unobstructed view of the sky before. Young’s Hill has expanded the chimps’ world in more ways than one. In addition to giving them more space to explore, it allows them to see more of their surroundings and to participate more in their environment.

Here’s Annie looking out over the valley adjacent to the sanctuary:

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The chimps also have a clear line of sight to the driveway, so they can always check out who’s coming and going. Today Jody was very interested to watch volunteers Pam and T.J. arrive for their shift:

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Missy, on the other hand, had no time to look around. She was fully focused on her acrobatic feats.

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Morning Play

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This morning, Foxie was clearly feeling playful – stomping around the playroom and doing somersaults. Jamie noticed this, approached Foxie, and swiped one of Foxie’s beloved dolls. (Jamie knows this is a surefire strategy for initiating play with Foxie.) Jamie’s move kicked off a long game of wrestling and doll keep-away.)