Debbie caught Foxie and Diana in a game of tug of war. Watch for Foxie’s special move at the end.
Keep-away
Jamie knows that the best way to get Foxie’s attention is to get between her and one of her beloved dolls.
On The 3rd Day of Thanks
In this week leading up to Thanksgiving, we are giving Seven Days of Thanks. We have so many amazing primates (human and non-human) to celebrate! (Check out the first and second days of thanks if you missed them.)
Today we want to thank our many volunteers – the incredible, selfless individuals who give their time to improve the chimpanzees’ lives. Caring for seven chimpanzees is more than a full time job, and it’s a job that our small staff of six could never handle on our own. Our volunteers find windows of time in their busy lives to dedicate to the chimps. Many have full-time jobs themselves (or are full-time students). Many come from across the state – or even from other states – to help us out. We are consistently humbled by their commitment, generosity, and spirit. Every single aspect of the chimpanzees’ lives is made better by volunteers.
Volunteers help ensure that the chimps are supported financially by helping out at fundraising and community events.
They help us expand and improve the sanctuary.
They help us clean up after disaster.
They work to give the chimps a clean home…
…fresh blankets…
…interesting things to do…
…and interesting things to look at.
They accompany the chimpanzees on perimeter walks to defend their territory…
…and even befriend the local wildlife.
They make sure the chimps always have fresh, healthy food by planting gardens…
…and delivering produce donations.
They are some of the chimpanzees’ greatest supporters, friends, and advocates and we couldn’t be more grateful.
Light Reading
I caught Jamie catching up on a magazine the other day.
Here’s Looking at You
I was taking a few close-up photos of Burrito enjoying his chow bag after lunch today, and he realized that he could see his reflection in the camera lens. He seemed pleased with what he saw.
You Win Some, You Lose Some
Jamie lost a fight this morning. (Don’t worry – only her pride was injured.) Volunteer caregiver Denice and I were cleaning the playroom when shrill screaming broke out in the front rooms. I didn’t see what started the fight, but once I got to a place where I could observe, I could tell that some of the chimpanzees had a bone to pick with Jamie. Because Jamie is the alpha, it takes a lot of guts to stand up to her. Sometimes it seems that once one chimp works up the courage to tell Jamie what’s what, the others are more likely to join in.
During this morning’s dispute, Negra, Jody, and Annie had Jamie cornered in one of the front rooms. (Foxie and Burrito were doing their best to stay out of things, and Missy was hedging her bets and backing everyone up.) While most fights don’t actually involve a lot of physical contact between the chimps, there is always a lot of screaming and posturing. Eventually, everyone will say what they need to say, someone will back down, and the fight will be over. This morning it was Jamie who backed down; there really wasn’t much she could do against Negra, Jody, and Annie’s trifecta of fury.
Jamie runs a tight ship around here, and it’s not surprising that once in awhile the other chimps reach the end of their ropes and let her know. But I always feel a little sorry for Jamie when this happens. Her sense of self is completely intertwined with her dominance, and it can’t feel good to lose the control she works so hard for, even for a moment. Imagine that it’s your job to manage an office full of employees, typically obedient, who one day revolt against you without warning. You’re likely to feel angry, unsettled, and a little afraid.
But if there’s one thing we know about Jamie, it’s that she never loses her footing for long. After today’s fight she spent some time outside to clear her head:
and then took a rejuvenating rest.
Playing with Caregivers
Our preference is always that the chimpanzees turn to each other when they’re looking for company, but we’re always here for them in case they want some human time.
