I’ve got my hands full today processing a whole bunch of produce that Safeway gave to us this morning. They’ve been wonderful and are setting aside produce that they pull from their stock each day – most of it has only slight blemishes.I wanted to be sure to tell everyone that the chimpanzees are now in the big playroom. The stairs were secured this morning and we did a thorough check of the area. The actual “release” into the play area was fairly mellow. I think that the group was fairly uncertain about going into that big space. Once in, however, they settled in pretty quickly. Missy almost immediately began nesting, and when she saw Annie making a nest in another spot, Missy took her blankets and made her bed right next to Annie’s. Jamie is checking out everything and, as predicted, especially likes to look through the window into the human kitchen. She’s pretty excited about Safeway’s generous produce gifts and is watching me intently as I wash strawberries, carrots, potatoes, melons, apples, radishes, and organic lettuce. When Foxie went into the play area, she was clearly a little wary, and she spent at least 20 minutes just walking around the perimeter of the inside of the room, checking everything out. Although there’s a sturdy set of stairs now in the play area to get to the loft and catwalk (mostly for the benefit of humans), Negra has decided to use the railing instead, chimpanzee-style. It’s great to see her do this and I look forward to reporting more new behaviors and acrobatic prowess from all. I’ll post photos as soon as I can! Diana
Buckshire
Negra’s Home
Click on the words “Negra’s Home” at the end of the paragraph for a video of Negra filmed yesterday coming into her new home!! She was the last chimpanzee to be tranferred in. You can see in the video that she comes right in and excitedly greets Sarah, who was taking the video. When the door is opened for her, she goes through to meet up with her chimpanzee friends waiting in the other front rooms. Negra’s home
So much to say about the chimpanzees…
Wow. The first full day with the Cle Elum Seven at Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest. There’s just so much to share – we already feel behind in updating folks. They are all just doing so well and are so much fun – it’s unbelievable. Here are my personal top ten moments (in no particular order) over the past day and a half:
1. Negra sleeping in a comfy nest on the highest platform in the first front room
2. Jamie playing chase while carrying a purse, a t-shirt, and a large kong toy
3. Foxie looking out to the big playroom – they’ll be going in tomorrow!
4. Jody’s enthusiastic greetings whenever we walk into the human hallway
5. Missy head bobbing frantically for more sweet peppers
6. Burrito playing with Jamie
7. Annie chasing Missy throughout the front rooms – all day
8. Jamie wiping out the food door lazy susans with the t-shirt she was wearing around her neck
9. Missy’s hair blowing in the breeze from the window of room four
10. Burrito lying down, holding his feet with his hands
Diana
Post from the road
On the Road
Wednesday, June 11
1:30 p.m.
I am thrilled to finally be writing to you en route to the sanctuary. We began Day 1 in Pennsylvania with temperatures nearing 100 degrees. While the chimpanzees have a tough trip ahead of them, they do at least have air conditioning. Now in Day 2 of our trip, we are abandoning the a/c for heat – the temperatures in Minnesota are struggling to get out of the 50’s and the rain is incessant. We are keeping our fingers crossed that flooding in this area does not affect our trip.
The chimpanzees are in good spirits considering the circumstances. We stop to check on them and give them meals and treats every 3 to 4 hours, and they are of course happy to see us. We only wish there was a way to let them know that they have nothing to fear from this trip.
We are driving almost non-stop. With two drivers in each vehicle, we take turns driving and sleeping so the entire trip should take only 2 1/2 days. By Friday, the chimpanzees should be moved into the front rooms at the sanctuary, and if all goes well, they will soon be exploring their new play room and enjoying some of the wonderful gifts that our Open House guests delivered last week.
JB
Housewarming, Four Day Countdown, Bizarre News?
Thanks so much to everyone who came to the Housewarming event on Saturday. We had a great turn-out and the chimpanzees received so much wonderful enrichment! I was overwhelmed by the well-wishes from the community, and it was great to celebrate with some who have been involved with the sanctuary since it was just an idea.
I heard from J.B. earlier today – he and Keith are at Buckshire and spent some time with the chimpanzees this afternoon. J.B. said all of the chimpanzees were in good spirits overall (he made sure to tell me how great Negra is, and how much she is going to enjoy her new home at the sanctuary). Everyone is eager to get the journey started! I’ll keep you all updated as I hear more – they will be leaving early in the morning tomorrow.
We’ve been getting some press lately, and this is my favorite – it’s categorized as “bizarre news”: ABC 12 story.
Seems pretty normal to me to be rescuing chimpanzees…
Diana
Missy & Annie
J.B. and I had our second visit with the Buckshire Seven this past weekend. On our last visit, there were two chimpanzees who were rather aloof and mostly stayed in the background – Missy and Annie. This visit was quite the opposite.
After we were there for a bit and we had given out some kale (which Missy loves) and dried fruit, Missy engaged in a lot of play with us – stomping her feet and slapping her hands against the old tire that hangs in her cage. Once Annie saw Missy playing, she joined in too. It wasn’t long before they were playing with each other – their foreheads pressed together and their arms wrapped around each other, then separating and slapping each others hands, arms and shoulders. It feels really good to “transfer” play sessions this way, and I think it’s always a subconscious goal of mine to help foster play between chimpanzees. As I was watching Annie and Missy play I was imagining them in their new home in Cle Elum; I was picturing them on a platform in front of one of the windows laughing that breathy chimpanzee laugh and tickling each other.
Jody’s Eyes
This post was written by J.B., who also visited the chimpanzees at Buckshire in December.
The first thing that struck me about Jody, besides her diminutive size, was her gaze. She has large, soulful eyes that follow you intently. Though Jody is an active member of her social group, she is keenly interested in the comings and goings of the humans around her.
Jody was born in 1975. Little is known about her life prior to Buckshire, but it is believed that she was used in a circus. Like most chimpanzees in entertainment, she was discarded when she was no longer useful, and sold to a laboratory. There, she would spend decades as a breeder, producing yet another generation of chimpanzees for research. Jody eventually had 7 babies, each taken from her shortly after birth. For a chimpanzee mother, there is no greater tragedy than the loss of a child.
At Buckshire, Jody spends most of her time with her friends Foxie and Burrito. She has earned a reputation as a troublemaker, and if she needs someone to get into trouble with, Jamie is all too eager to help. But for the most part, Jody would rather play with her friends, and we eagerly anticipate the day when the chimpanzees can play together in their new home.
J.B.