Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

Annie

Endearing Annie

by

I don’t think there is anything about Annie that isn’t endearing. She is a beautiful and special chimpanzee woman. I love the way the chimp house is filled with “Annie bird song” throughout the day and just hearing her makes your heart swell because you know she is happy and content.

web_Annie_lie_upside_down_deck_gh_dg_IMG_5302

I love times like this morning when we have to call her for breakfast because she is sitting on Young’s Hill by herself watching the sun come up over the hill. And it’s a joy to find her in the greenhouse so at peace as she soaks up the sun’s warmth. And I love Annie’s feet! The wonderful way she holds them, crosses them, claps them together when she’s particularly content, or just stretches them out in front of herself.

web_Annie_lie_on_back_relaxed_eyes_closed_GH_ek_IMG_9288

web_Annie_lie_on_back_legs_up_feet_clasped_look_at_camera_GH_ek_IMG_9282

web_Annie_sit_on_deck_legs_straight_out_GH_ek_IMG_8927

I love how much she loves her best friend, Missy, and how much joy, curiosity, and courage she approaches each day of her life with.

web_Missy_Annie_sit_on_log_bridge_scratch_ready_to_run_YH_ek_IMG_8983

Annie is a gentle soul and even though she is a “chimp’s chimp,” meaning she prefers the company of her chimpanzee friends to that of humans, she only looks at us with kindness in her eyes. It takes a special person to be able to do that after all she has been through. And makes it all the more special when she decides to spend time with us, or run over and offer us the rare gift of a kiss.

web_Annie_kiss_caregiver_hand_Katelyn_PR_kh_IMG_1090

Annie brings so much joy to our lives. But most importantly, we couldn’t be more grateful that she gets to spend the rest of her life choosing how she will spend each day, with whom she will spend it, and being loved for exactly who she is.

Time, Energy and Thought

by

A lot of time, energy and thought go into building and maintaining friendships. Usually, there is an undeniable connection when first meeting one another; a sort of intrigue about what the other is all about. As time goes on and more energy is put into the relationship, more and more details of each individual are realized and a deeper connection forms. And the bond grows stronger, as one another figures out what makes the other tick. These lasting friendships help shape our lives.

I’ve been incredibly fortunate to be able to build friendships with the Cle Elum 7. Some of the friendships are low key, like with Annie, Jody, and Negra. Usually a morning greeting (consisting mostly of some head nodding and an arm extended toward the chimps) will suffice. One friendship demands more play time than the others, including chase and tug-of-war. This is often the case with Burrito. Foxie expects me to take care of her troll and dora dolls when she passes them through the cage to me. There is also the expectation that I will pass them back to her too. Quiet grooming sessions with Missy help maintain our friendship. Without a doubt, there is one friendship that takes the most time, effort and thought. Jamie demands me to be her friend; demands me to put on that boot (or boots) and take countless walks around Young’s Hill with her. She also demands that I sit with her afterwards with the boot so she can groom it.

As a caregiver, I want what is best for each of these chimpanzees. I don’t mind the expectations, demands or work that these friendships take. I truly love to see them happy and I want what is best for them, as I would for any friend. Just a few days ago, I couldn’t help but notice the sweet smell of violets in the air as I was working in my yard. Instantly, the chimpanzees popped into my head; flowers are great enrichment for them. These chimpanzees like to eat lilacs, nasturtiums, grape leaves and violets to name a few. So, I picked what violet flowers we had and put them out as part of a forage this morning along with lettuce and today’s enrichment, which was enrichment-in-boxes day. Thinking that the flowers are the first flowers of the season, I thought the chimps would be excited.

I guess I was right, if you count them eating all of the lettuce first, followed by going through all of the boxes of enrichment, then going out into the greenhouse and then spending time on Young’s Hill before coming back in to snack on a few flowers. At least they liked two out of the three!

Here’s a photo of the lettuce and violet forage.

web_Violet_lettuce_forage_setup_PR_kh_IMG_9381

Negra was most interested in the lettuce, while Annie checked out the contents of the box.

web_Negra_Annie_enrichment_forage_PR_kh_IMG_9387

Missy was more interested in the contents of the boxes of enrichment than anything else.

web_Missy_climb_barrel_box_enrichment_PR_kh_IMG_9388

web_Missy_climb_barrel_box_enrichment_PR_kh_IMG_9389

web_Missy_climb_barrel_open_box_enrichment_PR_kh_IMG_9390

web_Missy_climb_open_barrel_box_enrichment_PR_kh_IMG_9391

Can you spot the flying sock?

web_Missy_sit_barrel_open_box_enrichment_throw_sock_PR_kh_IMG_9393

web_Missy_play_face_sit_barrel_open_box_enrichment_PR_kh_IMG_9394

And Jamie was most interested in the boxes themselves.

web_Jamie_lick_box_enrichment_sit_floor_PR_kh_IMG_9423

web_Jamie_lick_box_enrichment_sit_floor_PR_kh_IMG_9424

web_Jamie_lick_box_enrichment_sit_floor_PR_kh_IMG_9426

Annie was content to sit on the floor and drink from the fountain after checking out a few of the boxes.

web_Annie_sit_floor_look_at_violet_flowers_PR_kh_IMG_9404

web_Annie_drink_wall_mount_PR_kh_IMG_9408

web_Annie_check_out_box_enrichment_Negra_sit_floor_PR_kh_IMG_9399

I’m forever grateful to call these chimpanzees my friends.

A Well-Earned Rest

by

For the first time in their lives, the Cle Elum Seven live in a place where the humans do all the work, while they spend their days however they please. Nothing is expected of them other than to be chimps. Occasionally the chimps enjoy watching us while we work, but the majority of the time they’re off doing their own thing, and are supremely unconcerned with our aching muscles and tired minds. Exactly as it should be.

Today volunteer caregiver Becca delivered about a dozen boxes of donated produce (courtesy of the generous folks at Darwin’s Natural Pet Products) from Seattle. Becca and staff caregiver Keri went to work processing the produce right away.

web_caregiver_volunteer_Becca_staff_Keri_process_produce_Darwin's_kitchen_ek_IMG_9374

Meanwhile, the chimpanzees were doing what they do best.

Negra:

web_Negra_sleep_blanket_nest_catwalk_PR_ek_IMG_9371

Annie:

web_Annie_lie_down_blanket_nest_deck_GH_ek_IMG_9368

Jody:

web_Jody_lie_down_blanket_nest_platform_GH_ek_IMG_9326

Foxie:

web_Foxie_lie_down_hold_troll_doll_enrichment_GH_ek_IMG_9338

More of Annie’s bird noises

by

Debbie recently posted a short video clip of Annie’s bird noises, but we haven’t had much luck capturing this endearing Annie-ism on film for more than a few seconds here and there.

Annie typically makes her bird noises when she’s feeling content and relaxed, usually lying on her back like in this video from this afternoon:

Winter’s morning light

by

Our days here at the sanctuary couldn’t be sunnier or brighter. But Lady Winter is still reminding us she’s around for a little while longer with some extra cold temperatures during the night this week. If the temperature is predicted to drop below 20 degrees, we close off the greenhouse before we leave at night just to help conserve heat in the chimp house. With the mild winter we’ve been experiencing we haven’t had to close it very often this year, but this week has been in the teens at night. The chimpanzees wouldn’t be out there in such temperatures anyway, but this morning when we opened it up again during breakfast they were particularly excited.

The door to Young’s Hill was already open for them and the chimps decided to take their chow bags to go after breakfast and raced outside into the chilly morning. Well, Negra wasn’t about to race outside, but she did run up and peek out the door with a hopeful look on her face so it was a bit like our version of Groundhog’s Day, Negra style. Everyone else quickly came back and chose to sit in the raceway to Young’s Hill together where they could enjoy their chow with the sun on their faces.

This is often a favorite spot of Negra’s where she can luxuriate in the morning sun streaming into the greenhouse and this morning she seemed particularly happy:

web_negra_gh_morning_kd_IMG_9183

web_negra_rest_chin_arm_gh_sun_kd_IMG_9185

web_negra_eat_chow_gh_sun_kd_IMG_9193

Annie looked so serene as she enjoyed the sun coming up over Young’s Hill and spilling into the raceway:

web_annie_look_out_raceway_sun_kd_IMG_9187

web_annie_look_camera_raceway_kd_IMG_9203

web_annie_sit_raceway_look_down_kd_IMG_9200

Foxie:

web_foxie_play_face_look_out_raceway_kd_IMG_9225

web_foxie_closeup_sunlight_kd_IMG_9219

web_foxie_sunlight_look_down_kd_IMG_9218

web_foxie_hang_raceway_kd_IMG_9222

And Jody:

web_jody_sit_sun_gh_kd_IMG_9213

Jody was one of the first onto the hill and enjoyed the sun on her shoulders and the view of the valley as she ate her chow:

web_jody_sun_on_shoulder_yh_kd_IMG_9197

Snacking on Bamboo

by

Caregiver Katelyn walked around Young’s Hill with Jamie and Burrito this afternoon, when her and the chimpanzees stopped to look toward the loud cracking sound made further down the hill. Katelyn soon spotted Missy breaking off a branch of bamboo and running back toward the Greenhouse with it in her mouth. Once inside, she broke off a small piece, put it in her mouth and dropped the rest of the branch on the deck. Then she ran inside to the Front Room area. As she ran inside, her dear friend Annie quickly climbed down from the top platform and snatched the bamboo. She brought it back up to the top of the platform and quickly began munching on the leaves. Missy, in the meantime, came running out from the Front Room area without her bamboo. She was able to grab a few small pieces of the original branch that had fallen off and climbed to the top of the platform to join Annie in feasting on the treat.

The area of Young’s Hill where Missy harvested bamboo.
web_Youngs_Hill_bamboo_kh_IMG_9110

Annie with the bamboo that Missy brought in from Young’s Hill.
web_Annie_carry_bamboo_to_top_platform_GH_kh_IMG_9088

web_Annie_bamboo_in_hand_platform_GH_kh_IMG_9087

web_Annie_hold_bamboo_top_platform_GH_kh_IMG_9076

web_Annie_eat_bamboo_platform_GH_kh_IMG_9104

Missy with her pieces of bamboo after she ran back out to the Greenhouse from the Front Rooms.
web_Missy_bamboo_in_mouth_GH_kh_IMG_9082

web_Missy_bamboo_in_mouth_walk_platform_GH_kh_IMG_9086

web_Missy_eat_bamboo_platform_GH_kh_IMG_9091

What is the best way to eat bamboo? With your best friend, of course!

Another Sunny Day and Time Spent on Young’s Hill

by

Sometimes looks can be deceiving. The sun was shining bright this morning, but there was still frost on the ground and a chill in the air. I figured the chimpanzees would wait for the temperature to rise a little before they would spend a good chunk of time on Young’s Hill, but that wasn’t the case this morning.

Volunteer caregiver Patti served breakfast in the Greenhouse and had just finished serving chow bags as I opened the door between the Greenhouse and Young’s Hill. Jody was actually waiting right by the door and walked out onto the hill, positioned herself in the sun and ate the contents of her first chow bag. Her breath was visible as the temperature was still in the 20’s.

web_Jody_sit_eat_chow_bag_in_sun_YH_kh_IMG_8738

Annie soon followed Jody outside and sat on the logs to eat her chow.
web_Annie_bipedal_walk_chow_in_hand_sunny_YH_kh_IMG_8684

web_Annie_climb_logs_chow_bag_in_hand_YH_kh_IMG_8685

web_Annie_sit_logs_eat_chow_sunny_day_YH_kh_IMG_8690

Missy followed Annie outside and took a few moments to sit on the logs and check out the scene.

web_Missy_sit_crossed_arms_look_at_camera_YH_kh_IMG_8702

web_Missy_sit_crossed arms_serene_YH_kh_IMG_8701

After finishing her first bag of chow, Jody made her way further up Young’s Hill before returning to her previous spot. On the way back down the hill, Jody greeted Missy who was on her way up the hill.

web_Jody_series_walk_toward_Missy_chow_bag_in_hand_YH_kh_IMG_8714

web_Jody_series_approach_Missy_YH_kh_IMG_8715

web_Jody_series_greet_Missy_YH_kh_IMG_8716

web_Jody_series_greet_Missy_YH_kh_IMG_8717

Next to venture out onto Young’s Hill was Foxie, accompanied by her dear troll friend. She chose to enjoy her chow bags from the top of the platform in the sunshine.
web_Foxie_chow_bag_in_mouth_YH_kh_IMG_8697

web_Foxie_walk_troll_chow_in_hand_mouth_sunny_day_YH_kh_IMG_8698

Jamie chose to finish her chow bags inside the Greenhouse before venturing out onto the hill. She walked around, stopping to listen to the ducks who were making noise nearby.

web_Jamie_stop_listen_YH_kh_IMG_8727

web_Jamie_qp_walk_YH_kh_IMG_8728

Negra chose to enjoy her morning chow bags in the sun as well, just inside of the Greenhouse where it was warmer.

web_Negra_close_up_eat_chow_bag_GH_kh_IMG_8742

web_Negra_close-up_eat_chow_bag_GH_kh_IMG_8741

Burrito on the other hand, spent most of his morning on top of the platform in the Greenhouse (possibly enjoying the quiet as most of the ladies were on the Hill).

I’ll never get tired of seeing these chimpanzees on Young’s Hill, where they can actually feel the grass below them and the warmth of the sunshine on their faces.