Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

bipedal

Lifespan

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What is the lifespan of a chimpanzee?

Any chimpanzee above the age of 30 is considered geriatric. Therefore, all of the residents at CSNW are considered geriatric!

In the wild, the life expectancy of chimpanzees is 33 years, but on rare occasions, some live into their 60’s.  In captivity, chimpanzees can sometimes live into their 60’s and 70’s (although rare). Heart disease is the leading causes of death in captive populations. Female chimpanzees typically live longer than male chimpanzees, as males are more prone to heart conditions. Captive female chimpanzees are more prone to renal failure.

I will reference the article I used here.

Photos from today!

Rayne (33 years old) sleeping in the Riverview Greenhouse:

Jamie (45 years old) working on a boomer ball with peanuts inside:

Annie (~49 years old) walking bipedally out on Young’s Hill:

Cy (33 years old) laying in the Oakwood Greenhouse:

Gordo (35 years old):

Beautiful Negra (50 years old) in her morning nest:

Rayne waiting for breakfast:

Cy looking up from reading:

Items of Comfort

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I saw someone recently ask, I think on Facebook, about why Burrito often has a small piece of enrichment with him, either in his mouth or a hand. The truthful and simple answer to that question is we have no idea. It’s just a Burrito thing, like dolls are a Foxie thing, books and boots are a Jamie thing, and magazines are a Cy thing.

Maybe there’s something you have that just makes you feel more you or gives you a sense of comfort. Maybe you have a signature color or a certain style of clothing or a collection of raccoon figurines that people identify you by (no judgement here).

Why are we drawn towards the things we are? It’s a question for the ages (whatever that means).

It’s also a question that an exhibit a few years ago at Central Washington University’s Museum of Culture and Environment attempted to tackle, with the inclusion of “artifacts” from Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest. If they do a similar exhibit in the future, perhaps they’ll include an artifact left behind by Burrito too.

This phenomenon of signature “things” also points to the benefit, I would argue necessity, of having a large variety of enrichment that we give to the chimpanzees.

After rejecting all of the other enrichment objects that we offered when she first came to the sanctuary, Foxie found her thing (troll dolls). Now, it’s hard to imagine her without a doll of some sort. How wonderful that we were able to give her objects that have provided her with 15 years worth of joy that only she can truly understand.

Foxie gazing at troll

The following photos are from today of Burrito lounging in a windowsill with one of his more recent favorite things to carry in his mouth – it’s a piece of wood that he found when the Young’s Hill outdoor area was shifted and expanded.

You’ll often see Burrito with a toy hammer that has a plastic head and wooden handle or with a block of wood. I thought it was special that he found something on his own, rather than something that we chose for him to carry.

The photo at the top of the blog post is Burrito watching some drama unfold this afternoon amongst his neighbors. Enrichment comes in many forms, and watching the live “soaps” through the window is probably Burrito’s favorite enrichment activity of late.

 

 

The Queen on High Alert

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Today, Negra was the first on the hill for the forage. At one point, she heard or saw something that she wanted to investigate further, so she stood up bipedally. This is not a posture we see Negra adopting very often, so I was very pleased to have gotten photographs:

Negra standing

Negra standing 2

Negra standing and looking

 

She looks pretty innocent and sweet, doesn’t she?

Negra behind grass

 

Well, let’s not forget that she is a chimpanzee. Last week, before the drama of the fire, this sweet and innocent queen of the sanctuary caught and ate a hummingbird.

sweet Negra

 

I really like hummingbirds, and I don’t wish a violent end to any life, but, at the same time, I did experience a feeling somewhat related to pride… it’s not an easy task to catch a hummingbird, and it’s a pretty “chimpanzee thing” to do for a not-very-active, old grandma of a chimp who has lived in captivity almost her entire life.

Negra looking down

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Missy now and then

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I took this photo of Missy a few nights ago when she had joined Jamie for some “after hours” walking around the hill. I was trying to figure out why I love the photo so much (aside from the obvious cuteness of Missy from behind).

Missy bipedal from behind

Today, while on another walk, I think I figured it out – it reminds me of a photo we took a few months after the chimpanzees arrived during a big rainstorm. It was before there was a Young’s Hill and before there were greenhouse panels covering their original “outdoor area” that we now call the greenhouse. The outdoors and the elements were a whole new experience for all of the chimps, and, without the greenhouse roof that exists now, the rain was pouring into this area.

Chimpanzees don’t tend to appreciate getting wet, and all of the chimps stayed indoors for most of the storm, but curiosity soon got the best of Missy, Annie, and Jamie. Missy was first to look out the door into the still dripping outside world:

Missy in doorway during rainstorm

At the time, I remember how thrilled J.B. and I were that the chimpanzees were experiencing something brand new. We were thrilled that they were able to gather the courage to follow their curiosity. And we knew that this was  just one new experience in a whole line of new experiences they would be facing.

Still, I had no idea exactly what was to come into their lives, thanks to Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest supporters. I had no idea that Missy would embrace the two-acre outdoor habitat that was just beginning to be a kernel of an idea for the future.

I had no idea that six and half years later, Missy would run with glee across the 2-acres everyday:

Missy running

 

Exploring her territory:

Missy walking

 

 

Satisfying her curiosity:

confident Missy walking

I can’t wait to see what Missy and her six friends get to experience next, and what the next six and a half years will bring to the sanctuary.