Chimps are adept tool users, but you can’t get everything with a spoon.
By the way, this week the chimps are enjoying the first lettuce harvest from Negra’s garden!
Kissing
Chimpanzees often kiss each other as a means of seeking reassurance. Usually what we call a kiss is really more of a soft bite with the lips covering the teeth. In this case, Annie was overly excited and she looked to Missy for comfort. Missy didn’t really have to do much – really, she just had to accept it – but that was enough to reassure Annie.
Always playing
Missy and Annie were playing inside before lunch today. Usually Missy puts on a sock before she starts to play; today she did the reverse.
Our dedicated volunteers
Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest could not function without volunteer support. Chimp house volunteers wash produce, prepare meals, do laundry, tend to the garden, clean enclosures…they are part of every aspect of the sanctuary. Yesterday we had a small party to honor the folks that keep this place running. Of course, the humans can’t have a party on their own, so the chimps got to enjoy a picnic dinner, with lots of fresh greens, homemade (and healthy!) potato and pasta salads, and veggie burgers.
To all the volunteers that couldn’t make it, thank you for giving up so much of your time to help the Cle Elum Seven.
Foxie’s gateway enrichment
For Foxie, trolls were almost like “gateway enrichment” – using trolls seems to have opened her up to using lots of other kinds of objects. Before she had trolls, she wouldn’t touch any of the objects in the enclosure. Now she uses blankets, buckets and other things to amuse herself.
Yesterday, Foxie played with a troll in a bucket for so long, and with so much enthusiasm, that she broke the bucket. But then she picked up the toy drum next to her and started using trolls as drumsticks.
Back to bed
This afternoon, Negra was sleeping peacefully outside when all hell broke loose in the playroom. But she seemed to know right away that it was just your typical skirmish…nothing worth getting excited about. So she let out a sympathetic pant hoot and went back to bed.
Jody building a nest
We put out fresh straw this morning in the outdoor area and Jody wasted no time building a large, comfortable nest.
