Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

Kelsi

Playroom Fun!

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What a day! Yesterday, Honey B, Willy B, and Mave received access to one of their new playrooms, Playroom 3, and today they received access to Playroom 2! They have been waiting so patiently for these spaces and the day has finally come. It is a true joy to watch these three chimps explore all the room surrounding them. I really thought Honey B would be the crazy adventurous one, but yesterday Mave surprised all of us by climbing and testing everything out. However, once Honey B got comfortable and more confident she was investigating everything. True comfort for Honey B is making a paper nest.

The Seven always know everything, even if they can’t get a clear visual on what is happening. Yesterday the Seven ran out onto Young’s Hill to try and spy on Honey B, Willy B, and Mave getting access to their new playroom. Even at the furthest point of the building the seven can see everything. And today was no different. Playroom 2 is closer to the Hill and you can bet the Seven or at least Jamie was out there watching! We also had construction for the two new green houses going on too. So Jamie was pretty busy managing people and chimps ;).

This is the view from Playroom 2. Pretty amazing, right?

This photo isn’t the best. However, this photo shows you the pure joy on Mave’s face. She looks so happy and content in her new playrooms. This is what sanctuary is all about :).

Mavis <3

Willy B and Mave have really been loving the leaves on the new tree structure!

Lunch with Honey B, Willy B, and Mave

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Yesterday, I served Honey B, Willy B, and Mave lunch. Honey B could not have been more excited about sweet potatoes! She was food squeaking and breathy panting before I could video most of it. It is a true pleasure to serve the chimps meals. I can be so fun because it’s the simple things like sweet potatoes, lettuce, cabbage, or even ice that they just go crazy for. Today was another busy day of construction on the new playrooms and a staff meeting. So please enjoy this video of chimps eating and some photos!

This morning Missy and Annie were playing. I tried to snap some photos, but the lighting wasn’t great. However, these silhouettes photos actually turned out kind of cool!


Missy has such a great play face in these photos.

Missy in the green house.

This morning as the seven where given access to Young’s Hill, Jamie took a friend along. Foxie has been obsessed with this St. Patrick’s Day themed soft troll, but this morning Jamie was carrying it around :).

Jamie taking a nap in the playroom.

Or so I thought…

The weather was so amazing today. While the three were hand served and soaked up the sun in the chute, the seven had a Hill forage.

Burrito found some lettuce in Negra’s cabin.

With a mouth full of lettuce, he went to find some more!

So, he climbed.

And climbed!

Negra was spotted foraging for one of her favorites, lettuce.

Jamie of course got a good haul.

While we cleaned the playroom, I found a ripped out page from Jamie boot book in a very cozy nest. I am not sure if I should feel humbled or nervous. Is this a message of some kind ;)?

I will leave you all with a kiss from Burrito.

Sweet Moments

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The other day I was able to capture such a tender moment between Jamie and Burrito. To witness these moments is a true honor. As we have shared in blogs before, recently Jamie and Burrito will share a barrel seat for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. On this day Jamie and Burrito shared a barrel while they groomed each other. They were perfectly situated by the playroom window so that they could have a view of the neighbors, you know, in case things went awry, but could also be relaxed enough for a grooming session. This newly blossomed friendship is so fun to watch. We all know Jamie as a serious and tough individual, but it’s nice to see her patient side, especially with a friend like Burrito.

This to me is such a power pose from Jamie. Can you feel that energy?!

This photo has a glare from the window, but I thought I would still share. Both Jamie and Burrito have their feet up, sitting on the barrel, watching the neighbors in the chute!

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

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My goodness today was a busy day! We had two great parties for the chimps and a staff meeting too! The seven celebrate with a Hill forage and the weather couldn’t have been more perfect. On the other side Honey B, Willy B, and Mave celebrated with some pots of gold in the chute as well as a St. Patrick themed meal. What was on the menu you might be asking? Of course, there was lots of cabbage, beets, potatoes, and corn! Since today was so busy I thought maybe I would let the photos speak for themselves.

Here is a photo of the three’s pots of gold(en potatoes). It was a great day to eat in the chute and sit in the warm sunshine.

And another photo of what was for lunch!

Negra was the first one out for the party!

Jody got a few good hauls of cabbage.

Burrito didn’t do too bad either.

Missy zipped around everyone snatching up cabbage and potatoes left and right!

Annie took a more low key approach than Missy.

Foxie took a birds eye view approach.

And Jamie, well Jamie did every well for herself :).

I love this photo of her.

The three didn’t really want their photos taken today, but I managed to get a few.

When Mave saw lunch she got very excited! You can see she is pilo in this photo. Mave was hooting and asking for reassurance.

Willy B enjoying some corn!

And Honey B enjoying her pot of gold(en potatoes).

Teenies for Tiny

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Foxie, also known as Tiny, loves her teeny tiny troll dolls. Whenever she gets one her eyes light up! I am not sure what it is about Foxie holding her teeny tiny friends but it warms my big heart, probably because they are so small and it makes her so happy. It really is the little things in life ;).

Please enjoy these photos of Foxie with her teeny tiny friends.

I wanted to share a bonus photo of Jamie. It was just too good not to share. Yesterday, I found Jamie in a nest having some fun with three different pieces of enrichment.

This is a photo of Jamie’s nest after she left. Now, just imagine with me! Jamie is still in this nest playing with that toy, right foot in the rainbow sweatband, and boot in her pelvic pocket. It was pretty great!

Get up and Play!

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Most mornings are notorious for some sweet greetings, kisses, sleepy chimps not quite ready to get out of bed, and goofy play sessions. It’s often you will find Negra nestled in her nest with blankets still over her. While you can hear Missy and Annie lightly thumping around upstairs grabbing each other’s toes and laughing. Burrito if he is not already playing with Jody or someone, will insist on playing right away! Jody gives you a gentle kiss or asks for a knuckle rub. Foxie tosses you her doll. I tend to find the three as morning people. By the time we unlock their side of the building they are already out of their nests and ready to go, waiting for us to greet them. Honey B, Willy B, and yes Mave too are eager to play most mornings. Though I don’t want to give you the wrong idea, there are a lot of mornings that are not calm and sweet like what I just described above. However, there are many quiet moments you can catch in the morning before all the hustle and bustle starts. This morning had many of those moments I described, including Mave and Willy B having a great morning play session. They actually started upstairs before I had even unlocked the phase one side. I knew I wouldn’t be able to catch it on camera in time, but I also expected Willy B would get distracted and stop playing all together. I couldn’t ruin a good time, so I decided to not disturb them. When they came, downstairs and kept playing, I slyly tried to film them. Chimp laughter might be one of my favorite sounds in the world. If you haven’t watched the video yet, make sure your volume is on!

I wasn’t able to snap a lot of photos today. I was able to capture Mave eating her night bag and a glamour shot of Honey B!

Give Them a Show

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We often see the seven put on a show for the three and vice versa the three do big displays towards the seven. Some can be to show off or impress each other, some are to warn or threaten, and others might be because things were getting a little chummy and they wanted a reaction from someone on the other side. In the winter, we have to close the chute off at night. We tend to shift the three up into the mezzanine in the morning. That way we can clean the front rooms and chute right away so we can let the three have access to their outside enclosure as soon as possible. For the seven, we try to shift them into the front rooms or green house so we can clean the playroom first. This is my long-winded way of explaining that once we have finished cleaning the phase 1 front rooms and the playroom it is the first time the three and seven have seen each other since the day before. The playroom gives a great view of the chute. So, when the seven are shifted into their freshly clean playroom we often hear the chimps yelling or displaying at each other. It’s short lived. However, Jamie occasionally shows off a bit for Willy B and she definitely had his attention! Willy B is always stealing glances at Jamie, I mean who wouldn’t!

After her big display, it was time to settle into a good book, or two, or three!

And since I was there to hand her some books she agreed to have her photo taken.

It’s Wednesday, so we need some bonus photos!

Negra was the first one out this morning!

She was having a craving for fresh snow.

Jamie <3.

Jamie and Missy thinking about grabbing some snow snacks too.

I found Mave rolling around in this blanket.

I took this photo on Thursday or Friday when it was very cold. Honey B grabbed the biggest blanket and sat out in the chute.