Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

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chimp enrichment

Much to Celebrate Today

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After a week of snowy conditions, there was the break in the weather where it was sunny and warm enough to celebrate today.

When Missy’s group were first given access to Young’s Hill this morning, everybody went out and explored the Hill. In fact, Negra was the first one out, if you can believe it or not! As the chimpanzees scattered across their outdoor enclosure, I saw Missy at the very top on the furthest structure surveying her domain.

Later on in the day, the weather still held out for a forage outside. Today was filled with paper eggs containing nuts, carrots, sweet potatoes, mini bell peppers, and hard boiled eggs for all!

Here is one of the paper eggs as seen in Willy B’s enclosure for reference (of course they celebrated too!):

Initially we caregivers thought Jamie’s group would run out onto the hill, grab what they could, and head back to their greenhouse since a slight, chilly breeze began to pick up. We were wrong! Every single one of them stayed out for quite some time, enjoying their forage.

Jamie:

Jody:

Burrito:

Foxie:

Annie:

Missy:

Negra:

On the other side of the Chimp House, both Willy B’s group and Cy’s group also enjoyed their set up.

Cy:

Terry:

Rayne:

Willy B:

Mave:

Honey B:

For those who celebrate, we wish you a:

Happy Easter!

Chag Pesach sameach!

Ramadan Mubarak!

Green House Naps

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Today was a warm, sunny, and windy 56F degree weather day, perfect to enjoy from inside the green houses. All three green houses were packed with chimps napping and relaxing all afternoon. Jamie and her six friends went on multiple walks around the hill only to come back and relax again. Willy B, Mave and Honey B got access to the Courtyard where Willy B spent a big chunk of time basking under the warm sun. He did not seem to mind the Spring wind at all. The girls remained in the chute enjoying the day. Lucky, and the other five members of her group spent almost the entire day in the green house as well. With optimal napping spots up in the platforms, and raisin board enrichment as extra enticement, it was no surprise that it was just the place to be all day. Even the cattle and Barn Kitty were spotted enjoying this day in the most relaxing ways.

Gordo using a chopstick to get raisins from the raising board enrichment his group got today

Rayne napping…until she heard the “click” of the camera…sorry 🙁

Lucky resting but watching my every move from the platform in the green house

Dora napping

Jamie on the top platform of the original green house, next to a boot…of course!

The cattle in their most relaxed form courtesy of Caregiver Chad who took this photo today while on cattle care.

Even Barn Kitty was into the sun’s warmth for some nice resting time

Cy Solves a Fire Hose Puzzle

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Cy has been trying out different ways of retrieving the walnuts out of the fire hose knot puzzles over the last few months. The last few times that I’ve been in the chimp house when Cy’s group has gotten fire hose knots, I’ve seen him chew the nut while it’s was still in the fire hose, then suck on the fire hose, I suppose getting some essence of walnut out of that process.

Last night, however, I was lucky enough to get this video of Cy’s new, and more fruitful, method of getting that sweet, sweet walnut reward.

Sunny Tuesday

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Sunny days are always great, specially after some days of non-stop rain. Today, the clouds scattered away and the rays of sunshine made an appearance. To say the least, everyone, including the caregivers were very happy to catch a break from the Pacific Northwest gloominess. If only there were away to turn OFF the wind!!! But regardless of the wind, the chimps in Jamie’s group went on countless walks around the hill and spent most of the day in their warm greenhouse. Cy and his friends also spent the day in their greenhouse and every so often you could walk by and someone would pop their heads off the edge of the platforms for a subtle “hello”. Willy B and his friends were very into the raisin boards they got for daytime enrichment, although it is very likely that Willy B got every single raisin.

Annie looking over at the neighbors before sprinting over to catch up with Jamie, who was going on a perimeter walk with caregiver Grace and her sweet new boots:

Honey B sitting on a wooden chair

A Cy close up

Dora was very interested in the mechanics of a phone camera

Jamie observing my every move while I squeegeed in the play room

A sequence of Foxie with a doll in her mouth making her way over to the greenhouse window to meet up with Jamie

Gordo in the platform of the greenhouse very much aware of the display Willy B had going on on the other greenhouse

Jody resting in the greenhouse

Willy B securing ALL the raisins in the raisin board enrichment that his group got today

Bananas for Kongs!

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Today all three groups got food puzzles as daytime enrichment. The puzzles were Kongs filled with oats and mashed bananas and they were a hit to say the least.

Annie

Cy

Rayne

Willy B

BONUS: Mave looking good and relaxed in the green house

Dora and The Multipurpose Box

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We all know that Gordo has an affinity for his boxes. He loves to sit in them, use them as a table, even last night as I served him dinner, I watched him carefully put every slice of food delicately into his box.

Yesterday, we put in a new type of box into Gordo’s group’s enclosures. It is a wider, flatter box, which we thought Gordo would love. Much to our surprised, we haven’t seen him utilize it and keep to his usual. Rayne and Terry have taken turns sitting or nesting in it.

Dora, however, has found this box to suite all her needs.

First, it was the perfect place to lounge around.

It also made a great area to eat dinner.

As well to enjoy her evening enrichment: ice eggs.

When I arrived this morning, she had converted her box into a fort with the simple addition of another box.

Update:

I just walked back there and Cy has decided this would make his perfect reading nook.

Jump Jump

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As we have discussed many times, Cy is an avid reader. With some kind donations of Shutterfly gift-cards we finally made Cy his book! The pages were filled with Mave’s group, Jamie’s group, the cattle, and of course lots of spreads of Willy B. Cy is constantly flipping through magazines and we have never seen him so startled that he jumps, but when he saw the pictures of the cattle he jumped out of his skin! The first time he even made me jump! Eventually, Rayne took care of it for him and ripped the book up. She is a true friend! Since Cy’s new book didn’t work out, we are running dangerously low on magazines. Cy has been dying to get his hands on some People magazines! If anyone has clean magazines they could spare, we (Cy) would greatly appreciate it!