In our continuing effort to come up with new and interesting enrichment for the chimpanzees, we present to you…
Annie
Dessert for chimps
The chimpanzees have a very healthy diet consisting of primarily raw, fresh produce. In the morning they enjoy a fruit smoothie (with protein powder), two servings of fresh fruit, a handful of unsalted peanuts and their chewable vitamins. Lunch is a little bit simpler, with three servings of fresh or sometimes cooked vegetables. We end both breakfast and lunch with two small carefully portioned bags of primate chow per chimp (they enjoy small bags filled with nuts, seeds, and dried fruit for dinner). The chimps grew up eating primarily this chow, and while they love eating the fresh items we provide for them, they still really like their old standby food. This chow comes to us in the form of small dry biscuits, and is perfect for wadging mouthfuls at the end of a good meal.
Annie finishes off her lunch:
Play-by-play
Every good game begins with a standoff..
Annie
vs.
Missy
Then someone starts running…
The chase is on! Missy runs after Annie!
Don’t forget the aerial acrobatics!
Check out Missy’s play face!
A little bit of hand holding during intermission…
And then chase again! This time Missy leads the way!
What’s on the Menu Today?
Mondays are never a drag here at CSNW! We had a pretty exciting menu today.
Breakfast: Started with a fruit smoothie (volunteers’/staff’s choice), two fruit options (pears & cantaloupe today), chow, and some vitamins
Lunch: We served some fresh kale, orange peppers (because why not), tomatoes, a little bit of corn, and chow
Now get ready for the main course because this is going to get interesting!
Dinner: We had a forage tonight and the chimps had roasted onions, carrots, and sweet potatoes (among a few other veggies as well)
The chimps enjoy fresh and cooked vegetables, but this forage combination really got their attention!
Today’s lunch:
Level 3 Volunteer Jake serving Jody:
Negra eating corn:
Annie:
Missy food peering for some tomatoes:
Annie (Left) & Foxie (Right) holding peppers
Jake serving Foxie tomatoes:
Burrito:
Some Days are Just Silly
It was all fun and games today at CSNW! This morning I was greeted with breathy pants, grooming (Burrito & Neggie grooming one another), and chimps playing games of chase with each other (Annie, Missy, & Foxie). Jamie made a few of the staff and level 3 volunteers try on boots and after finding the right pair she couldn’t contain her excitement and took off for a game of chase!
Annie: Grooming her leg and secretly watching Burrito play chase
Annie: Later in the day enjoying kale from the garden
Missy: Hanging out in the greenhouse
Jody: Taking it easy and soaking in the warm sun
Foxie: Carrying her dora doll around
Burrito found a sweatband and put it on to play chase. Burrito put it on his head as captured in the photos, but he also put it around his wrists and ran around like crazy!
Burrito: Thinking about wearing the sweatband
Burrito: Putting the sweatband on, but still holding his wooden toys
Burrito: Playing chase
Burrito: Playing chase with volunteer Erin and the sweatband over his face
Space and time
Initially, Annie had no use for her party yesterday. While everyone else partied in the greenhouse Annie promptly bypassed the indoor festivities and ventured outside to Young’s Hill all on her own. She took her time foraging and scooped up most of everything that was out there, enjoying it all at her own pace. It was amazing to watch her sitting out there enjoying her celebration in peace and solitude.
If you’ve been following the blog for awhile you may know that Annie hasn’t always been so comfortable in her own skin. I think of all the chimps, her change over the last nine years in sanctuary is one of the most apparent. I still remember so clearly the early days after the chimps gained access to their outdoor enclosure and one day I watched Annie, sitting in the raceway to the hill wanting so badly to be with her best friend Missy who was zipping and zooming around out there with ease. Annie’s eyes were glued to Missy as she rocked with anxiety awaiting her return to the greenhouse.
It was heart wrenching to watch those moments. But of course, we trusted that Annie would find the courage to move forward in her own space and time. That’s one of the most beautiful things about sanctuary. Space and time. Space and time for each of the chimps to heal. Space and time for each of their battered souls to come back to them and explore, learn and remember who they are. After nine years in sanctuary, each of the chimps continue to surprise us every single day with their brave, daring, curious, creative, intelligent and beautiful selves.
What a gift that is. For all of us who have the privilege to watch them, and most importantly, for each of the chimps who with each passing day/week/month/year get to celebrate being their own person. However that looks.
Annie feet:
Bonus Negra photo from the party because, well, that face!:
Annie’s Birthday Extravaganza!
Today is Annie’s 43rd Birthday! We are so fortunate to know Annie – she is a sweet, playful, and loyal friend to humans and non-humans. We celebrated her today with a fun forage full of veggies, chow, roasted onions, and smoothie in the greenhouse and Young’s Hill. Annie also really LOVES kale especially from our garden. It was quite the party!
Annie standing bipedally while foraging on the hill:
Annie found some delicious kale from our garden:
Burrito scored a few presents:
Burrito (wonder what he found inside):
Annie enjoying a plate of corn and broccoli with a side of socks:
Jamie drinking smoothie:
Jamie unwrapping a present:
Jamie holding some boots in her pelvic pocket:
Negra basking in the sun and foraging:
Birthday girl (Annie):
Missy:
Jody eating some leeks from our garden:
Annie enjoying her kale:
Foxie eating chow:
Annie found one last plate:
