Dora is a busy girl. I quickly found that out yesterday when I began to record her for this blog idea I had. She is constantly on the move! While I only captured some highlights from her day, I hope you get the dose of Dora you have been wanting! She’s pretty special.
Laying to Rest
This weekend, we will lay Jody to rest at the sanctuary, her home for the last fifteen years. Now, she will forever be with her chimpanzee family (Annie, Burrito, Foxie, Jamie, Missy, and Negra). It brings us humans great comfort to know she will be physically here with us, even though she is gone. If you missed J.B.’s blog post about Jody’s departure, I will link it here.
The memory of Jody is everywhere.
When I pass by Front Rooms 2 and 3, I am reminded of her naps in those rooms. Sometimes, she would graciously get up and gather her blankets, as she knew we were hoping to clean the front rooms next. When I serve cherry tomatoes to her group, I am reminded of how Jody popped each one with her front teeth and then ate it. Sometimes, the juice would squirt in various directions and it made me laugh every time. When I look at Young’s Hill, I am reminded of seeing her foraging with her group, collecting all types of foods. She would do this certain walk that only Jody could do, when she was exceptionally proud of herself. When I look at lilacs, I see Jody. Since Jody has been gone, I’ve noticed myself taking in my surroundings more, looking for the beauty in things around me. I know that may sound bizarre that it took Jody’s death to make me do this, but when I see something extra beautiful, like a beautiful tree in full bloom, I think to myself, “Jody would love that”.
Today, some beautiful edible flowers that Kelsi ordered arrived and we knew we had to spread them out for Jody’s family. Nobody loved flowers as much as Jody. We spread out the flowers in the Greenhouse, as well as filled the pools with diluted Gatorade and floating orchids.
Annie
Jamie
Negra (L) and Foxie (R)
Burrito
Annie
Burrito
Burrito and Jamie
Foxie (L), Burrito (center), and Missy (R)
Negra
Negra with one of Foxie’s dolls in her pelvic pocket
Burrito and volunteer Krissy playing
Foxie
We love and miss you, Jo!
Continuing on…
Many have reached out to ask how the rest of Jody’s group members are doing following her passing. I am happy to report that they seem to be handling it well. Of course, it is evident that they feel the loss of Jody, as she was an important member of their group, but they are okay. They are continuing on with their daily routines, which I personally think is crucial in the grieving process. They are all doing the things they enjoy the most, such as reading books, playing, nesting, etc. Grieving and continuing on with life can occur simultaneously.
I know many blog readers enjoy reading our blog as a positive escape. While our blog content is typically positive or fun/silly in nature, I know with the loss of Jody, it has not been. I apologize if you feel the heaviness. We hope you understand as we inevitably continue to mention Jody in the coming days/weeks/months. I don’t think any of us want to stop talking about her yet.
Laughter
Mave and Dora (“Mora” as we like to call them) are the ultimate besties. I overheard Dora laughing SO LOUD before breakfast and ran to catch some footage. Mave making Dora laugh is so fun and sweet to watch! Enjoy today’s video of Mave and Dora. Sound up for all the laughter!
Bonus photos from today!
Gordo is so photogenic:
Cy:
Terry and Honey B grooming:
Dora lounging:
Bonding with our Newest Caregiver
One of the most rewarding and fun aspects of being a caregiver is building the relationships with each of the chimpanzees. Our newest caregiver, Sabrina, has been working hard on creating bonds with the chimps. One of the best ways to form friendships with the chimps is participating in their favorite activities, such as grooming or playing chase. As you will see in today’s video, Sabrina is doing just that! Enjoy 🙂
Eye Contact
Some primate species consider eye contact a direct threat to them. However, chimpanzees are not one of them. In fact, some chimpanzees, particularly some of those who live in captivity, may enjoy gazing into someone’s eyes. We have a few of those individuals here at CSNW…. please let me introduce you to Honey B, if you aren’t familiar with her intense stares.
Some staff has made jokes that Honey B knows our entire life story, our full social security numbers, and our darkest secrets, just by looking into our souls (see photo above). Sometimes, Honey B will stare into my eyes during a meal time, and I can’t help but chuckle at her intensity.
Other chimpanzees like Gordo or Willy B have a list of 1,000,000 other things they would rather do than gaze into my eyes. And that’s okay! Eye contact is different to everybody.
While working with chimpanzees, I have been taught to “look” but not “stare”, as to not make the chimps feel uncomfortable in their own home. Just like humans can feel someone staring at them, chimps can too!
Lunch has been served!
Please enjoy today’s video of lunch with Cy’s group! Volume up for the ultimate food chewing noises.
If you liked today’s video, you may enjoy our virtual event we are hosting this weekend!
Join us this Sunday, March 26th at 1:00pm PST to virtually watch the Cle Elum Seven have lunch! Reserve your spot here: https://tinyurl.com/CleElumSevenLunch
Also, we are in need of many things from our Amazon Wishlist! The Wishlist is a way to directly help the chimps. Link here!