Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

Kelsi

Something in the Paper

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Let us give Ellen one more round of applause for her amazing Olympics inspired blog! It has given us ideas for many more!

Okay, I thought I might share a nice moment with our friend Gordo, I was lucky enough to have Ellen be able to capture the moment so I could share it with you all, otherwise you might not have believed me when I tell you all about it. Last weekend we put out a ton of paper, no like, a TON specifically in front room 7 for Cy’s side! Jerrol’s spoils us so much, not only do we have an amazing partnership with them but they have a lot of packaging paper, which they so kindly collect for us! We use paper for a lot of enrichment, but also we like to give it out as an option for nesting material as well. As I said we put most of the paper in front room 7, a place the chimps like to gather because they can see into the foyer and check up on what we are doing. However, one front room is a tight space for a group of 9. Sometimes if the space gets crowded it can make other individuals nervous. But something in the paper made everyone get the silly-es, including Gordo! It started off as Lucky and I grooming while caregiver Ellen interacted with Terry! I noticed Lucky’s nail was a little jagged, so I asked if she would wait until I got a nail file. Once I had multiple files in hand because, you know, you never know if you will need more with chimps. Lucky and I spent our time grooming each other and she enjoyed me filing her nails. Later, Lucky was getting silly and I start to play poke her with a nail file and then eventually a bamboo stick. Lucky thought this was so fun! But none of us could have guessed what happen next. Gordo came in to front room 7 on a mission, a mission to be poked! I spent 10 minutes playing with Gordo!

We often play chase with Gordo and can get him to play a silly game from time to time. But this play session was something I have not quite experienced! He wanted to be poked, shake his head, invite Dora to play while I play with him, he was laughing, and a little wild! Gordo is know for spitting while playing, while this may not be desired I like to think of it has a high honor because you are part of the play, especially with Gordo. It seems to bring him joy and that is what we are here for! You may see in the video that I do keep trying to play with Lucky because we got abruptly interrupted by Gordo, but I also couldn’t miss the opportunity! You may also see several other chimps join in the paper fun! Something was in the paper and it was something amazing to witness! So thank you Gordo for letting me be apart of that!

Don’t forget, today is the last day for Christmas in July! Thank you to everyone who has participated! Our chimp house is so full of supply the sanctuary needs such as: enrichment, medicines, and other necessities! So please, if you haven’t already check out our Christmas in July drive and help empty our wish lists!

 

Best of Both Worlds

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Today has been a busy day, well for the humans anyways, for the chimps it has been very pleasant! It has finally cooled off a little and I think we are all thankful for a break from the hundred degree heat! The chimps spent their day playing, grooming, foraging, and a little hooting and hollering. In the video, you will find Dora and Honey B playing in their regularly-scheduled hookie session from their group to have a solo play session while we clean around them. On the other side of the chimp house, Jamie, Missy, and Negra had a very sweet grooming session before their lunch forage!

It wouldn’t be Wednesday without some bonus photos!

It must be Christmas in July because our foyer is full:

Sweet Annie bird:

Gordo grooming himself:

The greatest honor you can have is to receive a kiss from Negra:

If you’d like to help supply the sanctuary with food, enrichment, medicines, supplies, and other necessities, please check out our Christmas in July drive and help empty our wish lists!

A Gift from our First Responders

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Last week our local fire department came to visit the chimps! Theses firefighters must know the way to Jamie and Foxie’s heart, because they came bearing gifts of boots and troll dolls! We are so appreciative of our first responders, not only for the work they do but also for taking the time to learn about the chimps that we so love! As you will see in the video, Foxie approved of them and the troll dolls!

Foxie’s new dolls:

Look at those TOES!

Bonus photo of little Honey B:

 

 

Gather Around the Gatorade Pool

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Everything fun happens around the watering hole or should I say, Gatorade pool! The chimps had a nice, quiet, and relaxing day. I think they may be resting up for the big fourth of July celebration tomorrow! Make sure to tune in for all the fun tomorrow!

Before I go, here are some bonus photos 🙂

Burrito:

Miss Mave:

Rayne’s toes, waiting for smoothie:

Negra enjoying her pudding cup:

Three Years with the Lucky Six

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Today we celebrate three years since the Lucky Six arrived! I truly can not imagine life without them. Each one of these chimps brings so much life to this sanctuary. When I think about the day that they arrived, the day was so full of excitement. We had done it, we had reached our goal of expanding the building to take in more chimps to provide another chance of security and a life of choice. The Lucky Six have grown so much in their 3 years here. We have watched chimps like Gordo grow confidence and comfortably with things that are unfamiliar. We have watched the group of six become a group of nine, which has provided them with more social opportunity. Watching chimps like Dora become a social butterfly and Rayne being able to use one of her best strengths, her social savvyness, to help her group navigate and build friendships! We watched all of J.B.’s hard work paid off to build the Bray, their 2 acre outdoor habitat. To be able to watch Rayne walk outside like she had done this everyday of her life was certainly one of the many highlights of my career! I could go on and on about how amazing they are, but I think that when it comes down to it we are just so lucky to have them and we are all the better for knowing them!

Cy:

Gordo:

Terry:

Dora:

Rayne:

Lucky:

New Boot Groomin’

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During one of our donor visits, Jamie spotted a pair of cowboy boots she adored! The thing about wearing boots Jamie likes is that you might be walking out in your socks! Our very kind donor was gracious enough to part with her boots so Jamie could add them to her collection. To say Jamie was excited would be an understatement. When Jamie received her new boots, she wanted Diana to take a spin in them before we gave them to her officially. Obviously, if they did a walk around the Hill, they also needed to be groomed. At the end of the night, Jamie had her dinner on a barrel with her nighttime enrichment (peanut butter pine cones) and her new boots! She was a very happy lady 🙂

Jamie looking at her cowboy boots:

Jamie and Diana taking the boots around Young’s Hill:

 

It’s B’s World, We’re Just Livin’ in It!

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Honey B has a whole lot of personality! You will often hear us refer to Honey B as a busy body, spunky, spontaneous, or mischievous. You never quite know what she is up to, even when you try to follow her on the cameras. It’s hard to keep up with her, always on the move or inspecting something. Though her moods change all throughout the hours, boring is never how I would describe her day. The other morning I found her greeting every single person in her group. It felt like she was doing crowd work as a politician, even Gordo received a very warm greeting from her! While she schmoozed the crowd, some of her group mates looked confused and tensed for a moment when she nudged or touched their shoulder, but as Honey gave them a breathy greeting, they were not going to question her behavior! Later, there was some displaying, so she joined in and screamed at all the boys, screaming and chasing Cy and Terry but later she was found laughing and playing with both of them.

In the afternoon, everyone received peanut butter magazines. Gordo got his and Honey B decided to join him out on the Bray and watch him do his afternoon enrichment. When we looked over at Gordo he seemed very hesitant that Honey B was following him outside, but he just pretend like she always did this. Eventually, Honey B left to get her own and you could tell Gordo took a big exhale :).

Just now, as caregiver Sabrina passed out kongs, Honey B was breathy panting and so excited, but as soon has Willy B came up to her she gave him a threatening look that seemed to warn “grab these and see what happens to you” like of look. Which personally, I would never want to experience! Though Honey B might keep us on our toes, she is a lot of fun to be around, and I wouldn’t have it any other way :).