Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

Burrito

Happy Birthday, Rachel!

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This day of sanctuary was sponsored by Rachel Ruggeri! Rachel is such a wonderful friend to the chimps and she shared this lovely message about today:

“The chimps at the sanctuary are always first every year to send me a birthday card. And that card makes my day! So in honor of them, I want to celebrate by starting my year off with a donation to them. Happy Birthday to us all!”

Rachel, thank you SO much for celebrating your special day by ensuring the chimpanzees’ lives remain full of comfort, safety, adventure, love, laughter and goofiness! Our hearts are full of gratitude for all you do for these seven amazing people. Happiest of birthdays to you and we all send you wishes and hoots for a beautiful year ahead!

Annie:

Annie with a huge playface (Missy's hand)

Burrito:

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Foxie:

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Jamie:

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Jody:

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Missy (Annie in foreground):

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Negra:

Negra hoot face

Chow bags to go

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After breakfast was served this morning everyone took their chow bags to go, be it to work (Jamie walking the perimeter), explore (Foxie and her Doras), or just head back to bed (Negra). We serve the chimps two small bags of primate chow biscuits each after breakfast and lunch and the chimps are usually anxious to receive them. But Missy was so anxious to go outside that she didn’t even stay long enough to take both her bags! She took one and rushed up the hill behind Jamie before setting off on her own.

Jamie headed straight for her beloved lookout on Twister, below the crow’s nest, followed by Jody (at base of Twister), Burrito and Annie (in lower right corner). It didn’t take long for Burrito to realize he’d gotten himself into a long walk, so he stopped briefly to stuff BOTH bags full of chow into his mouth before continuing on his way with the others:

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Jamie and Jody at the top, as Burrito and Annie look around below:

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Jamie enjoying her chow while somehow managing to look cool and relaxed. That foot!!

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Missy quickly made her way to the top of Carlene’s Tower to enjoy her chow in solitude:

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Foxie initially stayed below and explored with her twin Dora dolls:

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But she eventually decided to follow the others up to the top of the hill and stopped briefly to toss the dolls on her back. This is how chimp mamas carry their children when on the go. We don’t know if Foxie does this as maternal behavior toward her dolls or if it’s just an easier way to carry them when she’s on the move, but nevertheless it’s always endearing.

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Today is in memory of Kevin Clark

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Today was sponsored by Shelley Winfrey in memory of her brother, Kevin Clark. Shelley is a long-time friend to the chimps and humans here at the sanctuary and generously sponsors this day each year in Kevin’s honor. She shared this message about today:

“For my brother, who passed away…he would have loved the chimps!”

Shelley, thank you so much holding the chimpanzees in your heart as you remember your brother today. We are so touched that you would think of them in such a meaningful way. We are happy to honor Kevin here today and all of us are thinking of you. We hope you have a day filled with good memories and the comfort, love, and peace that you help provide the chimpanzees.

Shelley’s handsome pal, Burrito:

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Climbing to new heights

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It’s always great to share a story when one of the chimpanzees does something that we have not seen before. What is even better, is when we capture pictures or video footage of it!

This morning, we spread fruit (apples and peaches) throughout Young’s Hill, as part of the chimps’ breakfast. For those of you new to the blog, Young’s Hill is the chimps’ 2 acre outdoor enclosure, with open skies overhead. On the hill, are a variety of wooden structures (Twister, Carlene’s Tower & Jamie’s Lookout to name a few) and bridges, fire hoses and tire swings for the chimps to climb and sit on. There is also Negra’s cabin, built with the Queen herself in mind.

We threw some of the cut up fruit on top of Negra’s cabin, with Missy in mind. She is the chimp most likely to climb that structure. But, today some of the other chimps beat her to it, one of which, most of us do not think we have ever seen climb to the top.

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In all honesty, climbing isn’t exactly one of Burrito’s strong points. He can be a little awkward and doesn’t exhibit the most grace when climbing. But, when I stop to think about it, it’s not something he grew up doing or was taught how to do. Having spent decades in a cage the size of a bathroom stall, there isn’t much space or need for climbing to get from one place to another.

We’re just happy to see Burrito expanding his horizons to include climbing Negra’s cabin…perhaps, peaches and apples were the motivating factors 🙂

Charm

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Burrito is probably not the smartest member of his group and he’s surely not the most dominant. But whatever he lacks in brains and brawn, he more than makes up for in charm.

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Is this the same guy that spit water in my ear just hours ago and picked fights with his group mates all morning? Couldn’t be. Just look at him.

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Burrito and Tool Use

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Around the sanctuary, Jamie is known for her amazing tool using abilities. With a long tool and flick of her wrist, she can get just about anything she wants that happens to be lying on the other side of the caging. Burrito on the other hand, can be a bit too blustery for such business. However, he might be willing to give tool use a little try, if eating peanut butter is the end goal.