Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

Annie

Night Bag Noises

by

Nightbags, or night bags, are the post dinner treat for the chimpanzees here at Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest. Jamie, Jody, Missy, Annie, Negra, Foxie and Burrito all love these nut-filled bags and each has a preferred practice for how to get the most out of these small but delectable treats.

The sound of the chimpanzees crunching on nuts and seeds is, in my opinion, the sound of satisfaction and a job well done. No other noise is more evocative to me of hope, love, home, and sanctuary. But you don’t have to take my word for it. Listen for yourself and decide.

Alone time is good for the soul

by

**Last week I experienced some technical difficulties trying to post my blog. If you are on Facebook you will already have had the opportunity to watch the video but for those of you who aren’t, here is last week’s blog post, finally!! Please enjoy and check back later for today’s real blog post.**

Chimpanzees are highly social creatures. They rely on a social hierarchy and daily networking as part of the glue that keeps their society functioning. But, just like humans, the chimpanzees benefit from some quality time alone as well. With the temperature in the playroom providing a slight relief from a recent humid heat wave, the chimpanzees took advantage of the opportunity for time to cool off and recharge their social batteries.

An icy smorgasbord

by

We are at the peak of a long heatwave here at the sanctuary with temperatures hovering in the triple digits for the past week. I found Negra enjoying a moment of peaceful solitude in the still cooler greenhouse early this morning:

web_negra_early_am_gh_kd_IMG_1794

But it doesn’t take long for the greenhouse to get too warm on days like this. Much like the humans, the chimpanzees find it too hot to do much of anything and have been spending a lot of their time in the cooler playroom. (Though Jamie still manages to power through her daily walks in the midday heat!). So we thought today should be an ice-filled enrichment day to help keep everyone hydrated and cool.

The chimpanzees love ice so we filled their wading pool, gardening table, wheelbarrow, and buckets with several bags full and then volunteer caregiver-in-training, Sandra, tossed in a few cherries, frozen raspberries from the chimps’ garden, and sunflower seeds to jazz up the forage. There were pant-hoots and food grunts galore.

Burrito was pretty overwhelmed at first and didn’t seem to know where to begin:

web_burrito_hold_table_ice_kd_IMG_1825

But he made good use of those fabulous prehensile lips of his:

web_burrito_trumpet_lips_eat_ice_kd_IMG_1833

Missy and Jody joined Burrito (though Jody was avoiding the paparazzi today):

web_missy_burrito_eat_ice_table_kd_IMG_1828

Missy LOVES ice and she didn’t leave this spot for some time:

web_missy_ice_table_pr_kd_IMG_1815

web_missy_eat_ice_table_kd_IMG_1816

Foxie made the rounds of the ice smorgasbord, taking mouthfuls from several locations:

web_foxie_over_ice_table_kd_

web_foxie_eat_ice_turtle_kd_IMG_1817

Then for the second frozen course, volunteer caregiver, Steph, showed up with frozen water bottles filled with strawberries and cucumbers! These were a huge hit and Foxie got right to work on these as well:

web_foxie_fruit_bottle_sp_

Annie enjoying hers in the greenhouse:

web_annie_water_bottle_sp_

Surprisingly, I wasn’t able to get any photos of Jamie, but she was beside herself with so much to do and at one point was seen drinking from one of many bottles she had collected and scrubbing the front rooms with a brush and bucket of water (at the same time, of course).

And while this is not a great photo I couldn’t resist sharing Negra, with perhaps the biggest mouthful of all!

web_negra_ice_dark_photo_IMG_1822

Today is for Ned and Noreen O’Flaherty

by

Today was sponsored by Joan O’Flaherty in memory of her parents, Ned and Noreen O’Flaherty, and their anniversary. Ned and Noreen shared a great love for animals, as well as environmental and conservation issues and Joan feels they would have loved the chimpanzees. Joan, we are so touched and honored that you choose to remember your parents and what they held dear by helping the chimpanzees. Thank you so much for thinking of the chimps in such a special way!

Best friends, Missy and Annie:

web Annie groom Missy outdoor area IMG_4372

Serenity

by

Annie has come a long way since arriving at the sanctuary six years ago. Early on, Annie was nervous and on edge almost all of the time. She lacked confidence and didn’t interact much with the other chimpanzees (except for BFF Missy, of course) or with her caregivers. Fast forward six years and we have a totally different Annie on our hands. She is secure, social, and happy. Even so, being at the bottom of the dominance hierarchy is a stressful situation for anyone, and Annie still has moments of anxiety. So it’s always a pleasure to see her completely relaxed and content, as she was this morning at breakfast.

web_Annie_serene_eat_peanut_GH_ek_IMG_0841

web_Annie_eat_peanut_watch_Burrito_pass_GH_ek_IMG_0845

web_Annie_close_up_eat_peanut_GH_ek_IMG_0844

web_Annie_close_up_chow_bag_look_down_GH_ek_IMG_0855

web_Annie_close_up_chow_bag_look_at_camera_GH_ek_IMG_0854

Perspective

by

It’s hard to get photos of several chimps in one frame out on the hill. Typically they are foraging or exploring on their own or in pairs, but getting four, five, or six chimps in one frame is pretty rare. It seems this morning, JB was able to capture these rare moments when all but Negra were out on the hill checking out a helicopter flying overhead. They had a good perspective from where they were, I think. And since these aren’t close ups of the chimps, it gives you a new perspective as well.

Annie, Missy, Jody, and Foxie:

web_annie_missy_jody_foxie_platform_YH_jb_IMG_0345

Foxie, Jamie, Missy, Annie, Jody, and Burrito:

web_burrito_jody_foxie_jamie_missy_annie_platform_bridge_YH_jb_IMG_0497

I like this series a lot because both Jamie on ground and Missy (just above Jamie) are climbing up posts simultaneously. (Foxie is up top and Annie is on the bridge).

web_jamie_foxie_missy_annie_bridge_platform_YH_jb_IMG_0455

web_jamie_climb_foxie_missy_annie_platform_bridge_YH_jb_IMG_0458

web_foxie_jamie_missy_annie_climb_platform_bridge_YH_jb_IMG_0462

How does our garden grow?

by

The chimpanzees are ready to harvest their garden! The garden, however, is still growing. But try telling that to the chimpanzees. Thanks to the hard work of volunteer caregiver, Denice, it’s really starting to take off!

web_garden_slant_view_kd_IMG_0730

And Jamie is keeping a close watch on it. Every single day:

web_jamie_sit_barrel_barn_doors_kd_IMG_0690

This is what Jamie has her eye on from atop her barrel at the barn doors:

web_garden_cabbage_outside_barn_doors_kd_IMG_0720

web_garden_flowers_kd_IMG_0708

Every day Jamie and Missy in particular look out the windows and emphatically gesture toward something they would like to taste. So far we’ve been able to oblige the chimpanzees’ requests with chives, strawberries and today, onions! Jamie takes in the view of the garden, sliding from window to window on top of her barrel by pulling herself along the walls:

web_jamie_stand_barrel_look_garden_kd_IMG_0707

Or if you’re Missy, you balance on a tire while checking out the garden:

web_missy_balance_tire_look_garden_kd_IMG_0704

The garden not only helps us supplement the chimps’ diet and adds beauty to their home, but as you can see, it also provides great enrichment for them. It’s a wonderful thing for them to be able to ask for something they see and for us to be able to harvest it for them.

web_squash_blossom_kd_IMG_0710

web_garden_strawberries_kd_IMG_0713

web_roses_currants_kd_IMG_0734

Much to the chimpanzees’ delight, volunteer caregiver, Erin, was able to serve them onions from the garden today at lunch. You should have heard the never-ending happy foot grunts from Jamie:

web_jamie_served_garden_onion_kd_IMG_0745

Jody was so excited she was a little pilo (hair standing on end) and reaching out to get Erin’s attention for more:

web_jody_excited_for_garden_onions_kd_IMG_0737

Having a more dominant position in the hierarchy, Jody thought she would also help herself to Negra’s onion. You can see Negra (left) with a fear grimace reaching out in a submissive manner to touch Jody, asking permission to keep her onion. While this is a normal part of chimpanzee society, it’s actually pretty rare that anyone decides to take anything from Negra. She seems to fall outside the hierarchy and maintains a level of respect from the other chimps overall. It must be her role as queen! But the garden onions elicited quite a bit of excitement and Jody was unswayed by Negra’s royal status.

web_negra_ask_jody_for_onion_kd_IMG_0739

But of course, there was enough to go around and Negra was able to enjoy some onions along with everyone else:

web_negra_jody_eat_garden_onions_kd_IMG_0740

After all that excitement, Annie cuddled up with a blanket for a peaceful afternoon nap in the warm breeze:

web_annie_nest_hold_blanket_kd_IMG_0701

web_lavendar_pansies_kd_IMG_0732