Keri

Missy’s mission

December 13, 2015 by Keri

Often times Missy will join Jamie on her perimeter walks around Young’s Hill (the chimps’ 2 acre outdoor enclosure), although I suspect her mission is a bit different than that of Jamie’s. Jamie is all business as she walks, checking to make sure nothing is out of the ordinary and that her home is safe from intruders (and that at least one cowboy-boot-wearing human is accompanying her on the other side of the fence).

Missy on the other hand uses the opportunity to move every muscle in her body, while getting a cardio workout at the same time. It’s not that she doesn’t support the bosses’ mission (she is actually the first one to offer back up to any of the other chimps), it’s just that with so much to explore, there’s no time to waste. And you have to act fast to get snow and ice chunks before they melt.

Today, Missy walked behind Jamie about half way around Young’s Hill before venturing off.

She paused briefly to eat a few small chunks of ice before continuing.

She made sure to check all her favorite spots for the treats (you can see her arm reaching in the tire swing) while Annie sat on top of the structure.

She found more treats on the ground below the fire hose.

And then….Jackpot!!!

Jody in the spotlight

December 6, 2015 by Keri

In the spotlight today is Jody. She’s not often one for having her photo taken, so when the opportunity arose, I took it. During breakfast this morning, she took her banana and grapefruit from the Greenhouse area of their enclosure to sit on the bench in Front Room 4. We often refer to this room as the “Portrait Studio” because of the natural light that filters in through the window and bathes the chimps in a natural glow.

My experience with Jody is that she is usually one of the first of the chimps to venture out on Young’s Hill (the chimps’ 2-acre outdoor enclosure) when they are given access each day. She also happens to be the chimp most likely to forage for every wild plant she can find on the hill. But since there is little in the form of wild plants growing during this time of the year, she seeks out snow and ice chunks to eat instead.

This morning she was the first outside as soon as I opened the door leading to Young’s Hill. She sat on a log near the raceway door (the area leading from the Greenhouse to the hill) for a few minutes before grabbing a few handfuls of snow. She then turned and went back into the Greenhouse to eat them. After that, she sat in the raceway and looked out.

Later in the day, she ventured further up on Young’s Hill searching for snow and ice to eat. Then she followed Missy on part of her adventure of climbing every structure before returning to the Playroom area to relax in a blanket nest.

Jody left, Missy right)

Jody following Missy

Holiday gift suggestions

November 29, 2015 by Keri

Now that the holiday season is upon us, we are receiving numerous requests for chimpanzee gift ideas from supporters. There are a number of ways to support the Cle Elum Seven this holiday season from sending monetary donations to purchasing items directly from our Amazon Wish List.

Our wish list allows folks to purchase enrichment items that we have already approved for the chimpanzees here at CSNW. We try to give them a little bit of everything to enrich their senses and keep them occupied, but for their safety, we follow strict guidelines. These guidelines have been modified throughout the years as we have observed the chimps interacting with the various types of enrichment.

Some examples of already approved enrichment items that may be on the wish list at any given time (which are geared directly for these chimps) include combs, brushes, hard plastic tools, wooden toys, Dora the Explorer and troll dolls, toothbrushes, slinkies, and buckets. You can also earmark a monetary gift towards enrichment so that the staff can purchase acceptable items.

Burrito with a toothbrush.

Jody inspects tool bench enrichment.

Foxie eating snow from enrichment container this morning.

We also add food items to the wish list, because as many blog readers already know, food can be quite enriching! These food items are very specific items that we have approved for the chimps to consume and include multi-vitamins, probiotics, gum, organic raisins, unsalted peanut butter, and almond milk.

Here is Foxie eating the peanut butter that we put inside of the PVC enrichment tube.

Also on the wish list are items that we do not give to the chimps, but they still do benefit the chimps. While garbage bags or printer toner may not seem like exciting gifts, they are essential for day-to-day operations here at the sanctuary! These non-chimp items include cleaning products like laundry detergent (we wash 70 plus blankets per day), latex-free gloves (for humans to use to clean the enclosures), scrub brushes, dish soap (to wash the enrichment items we give the chimps each day) and garbage bags. Other items on the list include office supplies such as pens, sticky notes, printer toner, and packaging tape, as well as maintenance tools and supplies. By updating the wish list, we are able to reflect what is needed at the time, as items are ranked by priority from highest to lowest.

Other gift suggestions that will benefit the chimps include gift certificates from Amazon, Safeway, Fred Meyer, Home Depot and Lowes. These gift certificates enable staff to purchase materials for building chimp-approved enrichment that cannot be bought in stores, such as hanging puzzles and raisin boards.

Jamie with raisin board that J.B. made.

Example of a PVC hanging puzzle used at the sanctuary and made by J.B.

Supporters around the world ensure these chimpanzees’ lives are enriched and we couldn’t be more thrilled. Thank you for all your donations and for keeping the Cle Elum Seven in your thoughts this holiday season!

As per usual

November 22, 2015 by Keri

I wasn’t sure what sort of reaction I would get from the chimpanzees when I arrived at the sanctuary this morning. It’s been two months since my last shift and today marks my first day “back on the job.” After two months of being on maternity leave, I was curious. I was curious to see if the initial morning greeting between each of the chimps and myself would be any different than that of any other morning I have been here. In particular, I was curious to see what the boss (Jamie chimpanzee) would do. Would she come right over to me and demand to see my shoes or mark my absence with some other sort of greeting/non-greeting.

Turns out, this morning’s greetings were no different than any other day I have been at the sanctuary. There was no staring at my belly (or rather the lack of a large protrusion from my mid section). It was strictly “business as usual” for Jamie in particular. She barely looked at me before sitting down and demanding to see my shoes (by extending her fingers and gesturing toward my shoes), which she stared at ever so intently. Burrito gave a quick head nod and stuck his lips out through the caging to kiss the back of my hand. Negra gave a series of head nods and extended lips from her blanket nest, not moving any closer toward me. Annie and Missy were too busy engrossed in play to notice I was there and Jody was busy napping in her nest.

I wouldn’t have it any other way. I absolutely love that there was no difference in the way they greeted or didn’t greet me this morning. I love that (and I can only speak for myself and not for the chimps), it was like I was never gone.

Jamie demanded I join her for her perimeter patrol around Young’s Hill, as per usual (me on the outside of the electric fences and her on the inside).

Friends spending time grooming

September 20, 2015 by Keri

Foxie and Burrito spend the better part of the afternoon grooming one another on the top platform of the Greenhouse today. These two chimpanzees are pretty close friends. But, just because they are friends does not mean they don’t fight. This morning, during one of Burrito’s displays, he chased a screaming Foxie as she ran from the playroom area of their indoor enclosure out to the Greenhouse. She got low to the ground and he ran right over her, slapping her along the way.

This is not unusual behavior for chimpanzees, but luckily grooming is a great way to make up after a fight.

Missy and Annie sat nearby, alternating between grooming and playing.

Missy doing what she does best

September 14, 2015 by Keri

Missy seems to have boundless energy and is the chimpanzee most likely to be seen climbing structures with absolute ease, fire hose walking without so much as a wobble (or the use of her hands) and also sprinting around Young’s Hill at full speed. I think JB’s description of her being like a coiled up spring waiting to be released captures her spirit perfectly.

After foraging for lunch on Young’s Hill, Missy made her way up to the top of the hill and climbed the tallest structure. She barely sat down long enough on Carlene’s Tower to take in the view of the valley below before heading over the bridge and climbing back down. And then she was off, doing what Missy does best.

Taking advantage of the good weather

September 7, 2015 by Keri

What a gorgeous day it turned out to be; not too hot, not too cold and not too windy. That’s a pretty good combination for spending time on Young’s Hill (the chimpanzees’ 2-acre outdoor enclosure) if you’re Negra chimpanzee. She tends to be pretty particular about when she chooses to venture out onto the hill and how long she will spend out there.

So, we took advantage of the great weather and set up a lunch forage on the hill. All of the chimpanzees spent quite a bit of time foraging. Some focused on gathering their favorite food items and eating those first, while others went more for the “sampler menu.” Lunch consisted of green onions, red cabbage, potatoes, green beans and primate chow.

As you can see in the following pictures, green onions were a big hit with Negra, Missy, Jamie and Annie.

Negra