Katelyn

All day forage

June 5, 2017 by Katelyn

The chimps have had an exciting day of forages! Breakfast in the sunlit greenhouse, lunch on the stunningly lush Young’s Hill, and dinner in the playroom.

In the wild chimpanzees spend the majority of their days traveling and looking for food. Here at CSNW we serve most of the chimps’ meals by hand to make sure that everyone gets their fair amount and it also gives us the opportunity to check out any wounds and see how everyone is doing. That said, we take every opportunity to present the chimps with choices and activities that encourage their natural behavior. Forages are a great way to get them active and engaged and I imagine they often appreciate the opportunity to do as they please and not wait around for the humans to serve them their portions.

A beautiful lunch forage with Foxie and Dora:

Missy in the treat rock:

Burrito in the hammock! (Annie to the right):

Annie standing, Burrito to the right:

Annie checking out the tire swing for sweet potatoes, Burrito foraging in the grass:

Sweet Annie:

Missy had to stop several times to keep putting food back in her mouth and picking up pieces she’d dropped. She was not going to leave one piece behind!

Whew! She made it back to the greenhouse with her corn stash!

Jamie:

Beautiful Jody:

After lunch Jamie asked me to put on her boots and sit with her near the open panels of the greenhouse that face Young’s Hill so she could groom the boots. She eventually made a nest and decided to lie down next to me and enjoy the cool breeze. So I decided I should also have a nest and got a blanket to lie on next to her, a safe distance from chimps and caging. Before I knew it Burrito came over and sprawled out in the corner next to us, and Annie and Foxie curled up on the top platform facing the hill and we all just enjoyed a few moments of rest together on a peaceful spring day. Some of us (chimps) got to rest longer than others (me), but it was lovely while it lasted. 🙂 Sanctuary for us all.

Watching over her queendom

June 4, 2017 by Katelyn

You’ve probably read about Negra and her desire to avoid any of the drama that may be occurring in the group. She typically observes from a distance and usually only gets involved if there is extended arguing at which point she will often give a loud, definitive pant hoot indicating that it’s time to knock it off. And it usually works.

Arguing isn’t the only drama she prefers to observe from a distance. Before dinner all the of the chimps appeared to be dozing in their nests (even the boss!) so I meandered up to close the door to Young’s Hill. All went smoothly and I was feeling pretty pleased with myself when I noticed Jody and Burrito sitting at the closed doorway with their hair standing on end (pilo-erect). Given that these two don’t typically get upset when the door is closed I knew it could only mean one thing; someone was still on Young’s Hill.

I scanned the hill and found Foxie and Troll sitting all by themselves at the very top of the hill on Carlene’s Tower. So of course, I apologized to everyone and immediately opened the door. Den mother Jody immediately led the group out to collect Foxie (and probably tell her exactly what I had done). Not only did they collect her, but they ushered her all the way back inside, making sure she was inside safe and sound with her family. It was really a touching thing to witness.

Meanwhile, as all this excitement was going on out on Young’s Hill, Negra was quietly supervising from the top of the greenhouse, under the comfort of her rainbow blanket:

Foxie safely escorted back into the greenhouse with the rest of the chimps behind her, all was well again as indicated by Negra’s drooped lip:

And for anyone who may be worried, we always require two people to count the chimps once Young’s Hill has been closed for the evening just to ensure no one could possibly get locked out overnight. 🙂

Happy Birthday, Jim!

May 31, 2017 by Katelyn

Thanks to Jim Thompson, we have a double day of sanctuary sponsored for the chimps today! Jim is amazingly celebrating his own birthday by contributing to the chimps’ lives and giving them a special day!

When someone chooses to celebrate and honor special moments or loved ones in their lives by sponsoring a day of sanctuary for the chimps it highlights everything that makes the chimps’ lives here possible. So many incredible people have come together to create a home and a community of care, support, commitment and love for these seven chimpanzees and it makes our hearts happy to see them a part of so many lives.

Jim, thank you so much for thinking of the chimps today! We’re so grateful for your long-time support and friendship of Burrito and the ladies and are so happy to be celebrating with you. All of us here at the sanctuary are wishing you a fantastic day and the best birthday yet!

Happy Birthday, Jim! Burrito says, Hoot!

Today is for Carrie!

May 31, 2017 by Katelyn

We are starting off the day with double Sponsor a Day celebrations and lots of chimp love! Our first day of sanctuary was sponsored by Paul and Jenara Miller in honor of the chimps’ long-time friend, Carrie Miller! They send this note about their gift:

“For Carrie (and Burrito and pals) to celebrate 2017 and all the goodness it may bring! Love, Paul and Jenara”

Paul and Jenara, thank you so much for being part of all the good that comes to the chimps and for honoring Carrie in such a compassionate way.

Carrie, we so appreciate the continued support and love you and your loved ones have provided the chimps these past years and we couldn’t be happier to celebrate a special day in your honor. Visions of food are probably already dancing in your pal, Burrito’s head. Well okay, I suspect they are almost always dancing in Burrito’s head, but still…

Have a wonderful day, Carrie!

Keeping cool

May 29, 2017 by Katelyn

Today has been all about enjoying the brilliantly sunny day while doing our best to keep cool. We’ve reached that wonderful time of year when we begin to remove the panels on the greenhouse and the chimps enjoy breakfast in the open air with a view of the hill. Volunteer caregiver Lizz made an extremely popular smoothie this morning (pineapple, banana and lime) and served apples and watermelon so the chimps were beside themselves.

Annie emptying her cup and Jody on the left licking up a drop from the caging:

Everyone was so happy this morning that even Negra couldn’t contain herself and initiated a wrestling game with Missy in the middle of breakfast (you can see a glimpse of Missy’s big play face!):

Foxie and Jody anxious for Lizz to pass out watermelon:

Foxie rubbing her toes in happiness:

After breakfast the chimps all headed out onto the hill with almost everyone heading to the top. Annie chose to go on her own exploration, as she often does:

Annie is her own woman. She has so many endearing habits – walking bipedally around Young’s Hill more often than not, making her Annie-bird noises by whistling through her hands when she’s particularly content, and lying on her back and blowing water out of her mouth to wash her face. With the temperatures hovering around 90, she has taken to doing this as a way cool off as well:

The chimps have been enjoying lots of frozen and watery treats today to stay hydrated and we even broke out the snow cone machine.

My favorite mountain lupines are finally blooming around Young’s Hill and there is an entire field that reaches inside and outside the perimeter of the chimps’ outdoor habitat. Walking through that area is my favorite part of the walks with Jamie this time of year. Sometimes the amazing scent wafts through the greenhouse:

For the first time I noticed several Melissa Blues, a small violet-blue butterfly I have typically only seen at higher elevations around the mountain lakes and rivers. There were so many floating around the lupine today it looked as if the flowers were taking flight:

It’s such a beautiful time at the sanctuary. Be it butterflies, flowers, beautiful days, exciting fresh food, or big-hearted humans, I’m so grateful for all the beauty, in all it’s varied forms, that surrounds the chimps every day.

Happy Birthday, Erin!

May 29, 2017 by Katelyn

Today’s day of sanctuary was sponsored by Shelley and Tim Connelly in honor of their daughter, Erin Connelly! They shared this message about today:

“We would like to honor our daughter Erin on her birthday. She is a volunteer at the sanctuary and will be graduating in June with a M.S. in Primate Behavior from Central Washington University.”

Shelley and Tim, thank you so much for thinking of the chimpanzees as you celebrate Erin and her accomplishments today! As one of our amazing chimp house volunteers, we’re so happy to be able to celebrate her special day with you!

Happy Birthday, Erin! We hope it’s the best one yet! Thank you so much for all your hard work for the chimps and your dedication to improving the lives and well being of primates living in captivity. Have an amazing day!

Beautiful Annie:

Dining al fresco

May 22, 2017 by Katelyn

It was so beautiful today I almost hyperventilated. That said, it was by far the hottest day we’ve had this year with a sudden temperature rise to the upper 80’s so the chimps and the humans are still adjusting and taking things slow and easy. Well, the chimps are anyway!

Keri and I thought it would be a great day for a lunch forage on Young’s Hill. The chimps have continued to enjoy the current local bounty of lilacs so we’ve been adding those to forages as well. (Foxie has decided this year that she LOVES them!! She wants absolutely nothing to do with the leave or stems, but happily munches the flowers).

At first everyone was a little reluctant to run out into the sun, but once they realized lunch al fresco was awaiting them, they all ran out together. Burrito, Foxie (that foot!) and Annie: