Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

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chimp enrichment

The Tale of the Slippers

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As J.B. mentioned yesterday, and as I’m sure you would have surmised in any case, we’ve been spending extra time outside of our normal hours at the sanctuary as Burrito recovers. (If you are wondering about Honey B and why we don’t talk about her recovery, well, that’s because her day to day quickly returned to normal and she’s doing great!)

The first few days following last Friday’s procedure were pretty much 24/7 Burrito-watch.

We are grateful that Burrito’s chimpanzee friends on the other side of the mesh provided their own nursing and care skills. Honestly, I think their presence is what helped him the most after his surgery. Once again, they have shown us that their relationships with one another, though not always peaceful, provide a social network that the humans are woefully inadequate to imitate.

As Burrito has gotten better, we have not needed to stay overnight by his side, but we’ve still made late-night visits to check on him and give him food and medication.

The sanctuary owns a house on site that J.B. and I have lived in since 2009. It’s a hundred or so yards from the chimp house. This short commute to work is quite convenient for everyone, and especially so when we need to wander up at a moment’s notice and/or in the black of night.

I was making one such journey on Thursday, outfitted in pajamas and a coat, with the stars providing meager illumination. About halfway up the driveway, I stopped to confirm that the sound I heard in the bush was just the scuttling of deer, at which point I realized that in addition to my sleepwear I was also wearing slippers, which had not been my intention.

Squinting through the dark down towards my feet, I took a minute to internally debate whether to turn back to put on more appropriate footwear. In the end I talked myself into continuing onward clad in house shoes because, I reasoned, I was already nearly halfway to the chimp house and the slippers had a decent-enough sole on them anyway.

I entered the chimp house and prepared Burrito’s medication. By this point in the week all of the chimpanzees had become accustomed to the humans constant hovering over Burrito or late-night visits that included turning on lights and offering him food.

Despite these unusual disruptions, most of the chimps consistently remained silent in their nests without stirring. Even ever-vigilant Jamie has occasionally let these untoward visits take place without comment. Thursday, however, after I had given Burrito his pain-relieving treat, Jamie presented herself at the doors to the playroom, banging on the mesh to get my attention.

Jamie, to be sure, is keeping an internal tally of all of the treats that Burrito has been receiving. She has brought to our attention the inequity of treat distribution on occasion this past week, though for the most part she seems begrudgingly understanding. I thought the message that she wanted to communicate to me in that moment had to do with this clear favortism, perhaps hoping to persuade me to slip her a treat as well.

Then I noticed that her eye gaze was fixed upon my feet.

Of course! Jamie had not seen me wearing slippers before. She wanted a closer look, inside and out, of my atypical foot covering. I happily obliged, letting her feel the fabric too.

Satisfied, Jamie returned to her bed. I checked in on Burrito once again, turned off the lights, locked up, and made my way back down to the human house to settle into my own nest.

If you don’t know, Jamie is obsessed with shoes. She particularly likes cowboy boots. Here are a few photos from over the years:

jamie sepia

The Gang Goes Counterclockwise

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Chimpanzees thrive on routine.

Of course, we don’t want every day to be exactly the same for them. As caregivers, we strive to provide the chimps with an enrichment program that balances variety and predictability, which is a never-ending challenge. The result is that we work hard each day to facilitate a range of new experiences for the chimpanzees within the framework of a regular schedule. Knowing what’s going to happen next helps the chimps to plan ahead, make choices, and be agents of their own comfort and happiness.

Jamie enjoys boomer balls, an enrichment device that we prepare once every few weeks. The chimps get some form of enrichment device each morning, but the type varies from day to day.

With so many new events occurring at the sanctuary, sticking to a familiar routine also seems to help the chimps adjust to each change. For example, even though Jamie and the Girl Gang are now residing in a previously unfamiliar area of the Chimp House, we still provide them with their favorite enrichment items at the same time each morning, serve their meals on the same schedule, and open the hydraulic gate each day so that they can explore Young’s Hill.

Fall at the sanctuary (Note: there’s a wild Nutmeg hidden in the background)

We’ve had some perfect fall weather for the past few days, and the Girl Gang (Annie, Foxie, Jamie, Jody and Missy) have been eagerly spending time outdoors. Just this weekend, J.B. and a group of committed volunteers built a new multi-level wooden structure on Young’s Hill. As Kelsi noted yesterday, the females were quick to investigate this new addition to their habitat. Even though nobody modified or enhanced the structure overnight, the girls needed some extra time today to reacquaint themselves with the new tower.

Annie warms up in the sun.
Foxie surveys the landscape from the highest perch.
Jamie conducts what appears to be an OSHA inspection.
Jody squats on the fresh grass growing around the tower.
Missy hangs out on the lower deck of the multi-tiered platform.

The new structure is located near the entryway into the chute. Now that they’re in the new area, Jamie and the others access Young’s Hill via the chute and therefore begin their patrols over on the southeast corner of the enclosure. Even though their patrols no longer start over by the Greenhouse door, they still walk in the same clockwise direction as they have since they first started exploring the Hill almost a decade ago. I have never seen them patrol in a counterclockwise direction. Just a few days ago, I jokingly asked J.B. if we could try to get Jamie to walk counterclockwise around the Hill with us. He dryly answered “No. You can’t do that.” We agreed that Jamie has a routine and it would be a crime to disrupt it.

So, when I opened the hydraulic door and the chimps hustled out of the chute onto the Hill, the unthinkable happened.

*** Imagine that the iconic jingle from the It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia title card is playing right now ***

Anna and I were quite stunned when all five of the females started plodding their way uphill along the southeastern boundary of the enclosure. Missy led the charge, of course, but Jamie seemed a bit apprehensive about the whole thing. She started to follow the others, then fell behind, and was soon looking back at Anna (who was watching the events unfold from outside the electrified fence).

Sure enough, Jamie returned to the bottom of the slope and began to patrol in her normal clockwise pattern, gesturing at Anna to follow along. She encountered the others about halfway up the northwestern boundary and it was hella awkward. As Jamie trudged past each of the others, they had to stop and greet each other with a touch and a chimp kiss. Then they all just stood there, lined up along the fence, and watched her defiantly continue up the slope on her own.

Jamie passes Missy…
…and Annie…
…and Jody…
…and then leaves everyone behind…
…including Anna.

Jamie seemed a little off after that, because she abandoned her patrol, ditched Anna in favor of the Twister, and cut straight through the bamboo forest on her way back to the chute. Jamie can handle wildfires, social integrations and even snakes, but going counterclockwise around the Hill is too much.

This exemplifies the power of routine. Some chimps, such as Jamie, have personalities that seem to thrive on discipline and repetition. She likes to be in control. She did three patrols today, walking at the same pace in the same clockwise direction using the same path. The other four females, who tend to be more easygoing, didn’t seem scared by the idea of hiking the trail backwards.

Of course, there is the possibility that Jamie, like Derek Zoolander, cannot turn left. Let’s not rule that out.

Cabin Fever

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My blog days always seem to be the quietest (e.g., last Sunday), which is odd given all the drama we have been experiencing lately. As we’ve mentioned, the chimps have been resting and recuperating after an attempt to introduce the remaining chimps did not go as hoped on Wednesday.

Because we rushed to separate the chimpanzees after severe fights repeatedly erupted in the Playroom, they ended up in slightly unusual social and spatial configurations. Burrito is physically isolated in one part of the building, with visual and auditory contact with the chimps in the Playroom. In there, Negra was effortlessly reintegrated with Honey B, Mave and Willy B and has been in her preferred state of passive cohabitation with them ever since. On the other side of the “Howdy Door,” in the newer wing of the building, Annie, Foxie, Jamie, Jody and Missy are spending time exploring the novel surroundings and trying to glimpse their familiar neighbors.

We’ve been giving the group of five females access to Young’s Hill via the outdoor chute. Today, however, the weather was damp and chilly and they spent most of their time goofing around in the Mezzanine.

Overall, things have been a bit odd lately. We’re planning on using this weird arrangement to the chimpanzees’ advantage, however, by giving certain individuals more opportunities to get to know each other. The tentative plan is to keep moving forward with the integration of the two groups, albeit in a more gradual and controlled manner. For now, we’re letting the chimpanzees hang out with their closest friends and (metaphorically and literally) lick their wounds.

Burrito was bitten a few times during Wednesday’s scraps and is probably sore from all the running, jumping, flailing and screaming (because, in case you haven’t heard, chimp fights can be physically and emotionally intense, even between friends). Although he immediately reconciled with Willy B and recovered quickly in spirit, he has needed some time to recuperate without the excitement and tension of another introduction. He definitely seems interested in the chimpanzees occupying the adjacent spaces, so we’re all eager for him to be back in the mix when he’s back to full strength. He certainly acts like he’s ready.

He’s also been taking some incredible naps. He’s not a skilled builder of nests, so volunteer Erin crafted a blanket nest for him during routine cleaning this morning. He loved it.

Burrito isn’t the only one eager for the next steps. The chimps are certainly aware of their neighbors, and most seem to be anxiously anticipating their next opportunity to interact. Willy, for example, continues to listen to the neighboring females from the safety of the Playroom. We’re not sure how the next meeting will go, but we’re continuing to be hopeful and trust that the chimps will figure it out eventually.

New Space

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While we are on a bit of break with the introductions, Jamie, Missy, Jody, Annie, and Foxie are spending their time in the new Phase 1 area of the building. Foxie was with Burrito in there for about a week, but Wednesday was the first time the others got to go into that space (and the chute too!).

I wasn’t able to get any good photos of them in the chute (or when they went on patrol on the hill) today, but here they are enjoying the new indoor rooms:

Foxie and Missy playing downstairs:

Then grooming upstairs in what we are referring to as the mezzanine:

Jody inspecting some toy tools next to Foxie:

A grooming triangle with Missy on the left and Jamie on the right:

Missy trying out a new bed/bench in the mezzanine (I think it met with her approval):

Annie just holding Missy’s foot while lying on the floor in the mezzanine:

 

Modifying Toys

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Jamie had one goal today and it was to pry that howdy door wide open. As you will see in the video that is not the case. Though, we will be starting the long awaited introduction soon. Jamie decided today she did not want to wait anymore! Jamie started with a toy that was put out for them an the playroom. She began hammering at the door and eventually modified the toy (tool) into what seemed more helpful for Jamie. Tool modification is also a behavior seen in the wild. An infamous example for wild chimps modifying tools would be fishing for termites. The chimps take a twig, strip it clean, dip their tool in the termite mound, the termites grab on to twig, and violà! Termites on a stick! When we put out a food puzzle for example: pvc tube with peanut butter, we often offer a tool like a chop stick to help. That way it is the chimps choice in using their finger or finding a potentially quicker way for them to get the peanut butter. Some chimps may adjust their tool to better help them obtain their goal! Or maybe even a better example is when there is food outside of the caging. The chimps will find an item such as a tooth brush, piece of paper, or a tube that will be able to allow them to pull the food closed so they can reach it. Jamie will sometimes find a piece of cardboard and rip the cardboard until it is the perfect tool to grab the food.

Jamie is an amazing tool user. However, Jamie’s goals are usually a bit different. Jamie is fascinated by actual human tools and will modify toys or objects to help her in her “projects” like opening the howdy door.

 

 

Honey B’s Style

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As highlighted in a recent post, Honey B is already known for her intelligence, energy and creativity. Not only is she an engineer and a philanthropist, but she is also a fashion enthusiast.

Yesterday, she decided that the cloth headbands we provide as enrichment are better suited as waistbands. Interestingly, she isn’t the first chimp to have this innovative idea! As caregiver Kelsi showed us last month, Annie has been wearing headbands around her waist for years.

It would be tempting to suspect that Honey B learned the behavior from Annie, which would be great evidence of cultural transmission between groups of chimpanzees. In the wild, chimpanzee communities across Africa have cultural traditions (i.e., their own ways of doing things) that spread among individuals via social learning. Chimpanzee cultures are rich and fascinating, but may be disappearing. This year, scientists published a paper about the negative effects that human activity may have on the cultural diversity of wild chimpanzees. As chimpanzee numbers dwindle and we degrade and fragment their forested habitats, their capacity for culture catastrophically decreases.

Although the process of cultural transmission certainly exists among groups of captive chimpanzees, it has been difficult to document and is seldom reported. In the case of Honey B and the waistband, it seems unlikely that she learned it from Annie. Annie only wears the improvised belt for a few days or weeks and then ignores them for the rest of the year, and she had already stopped wearing this summer’s edition before Honey B and her friends arrived from Wildlife Waystation last month. It is possible that one of the many videos we showed to the new trio features a scene of Annie sporting the headband-waistband look, but it’s more likely that they both just have similar taste in enrichment and utilize what we give them in novel ways.

With that being said, it will be interesting to see if any behaviors do cross over from one group to the next! Chimpanzees are brilliant and creative, and never stop surprising us.

 

Won’t You Be My Neighbor?

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It’s been a few weeks since Honey B, Willy B and Mave arrived from Wildlife Waystation, but it’s only been a few days since the Cle Elum Seven got their first glimpse of their chimpanzee neighbors.

The new arrivals get to access the outdoor tunnel (left) that will soon connect to the Young’s Hill enclosure.

As a staff, we’ve already noticed and discussed interesting patterns of behavior between the two groups. For example, Jody and Willy B have been spending considerable time staring at each other through the window. The three new arrivals have remained relatively composed and seem to be calmly sizing up their new acquaintances, while the seven original residents seem to be more excited. There was a huge mess by the windows in the Playroom this morning, indicating that the chimpanzees spent a lot of time looking outside at the adjacent tunnel.

The Playroom was trashed this morning.

Today was a bit unusual because we needed to briefly close off the outdoor tunnel and Young’s Hill for two separate maintenance projects. This meant that the groups were temporarily unable to see each other. Instead, Willy B. spent some time in front of the Howdy Door and made some noise to advertise his presence. On the Playroom side, Burrito and the others put on a concert of displays, screams and hoots.

Willy B. watches the Howdy Door, listening to the chimps on the other side.
Burrito’s hair stands on end, expressing his excitement.
Missy hoots.
Burrito hoots and displays in the Playroom.

For the seven original residents, checking in on the new cohort of chimps has taken up a lot of their time and effort, but has not completely derailed their usual activities. They enjoyed a lunch forage on Young’s Hill once the maintenance was complete, and Missy dominated the field by gathering up all the celery and bringing it into the Greenhouse.

Missy finds celery.
Missy carries celery.
Missy consumes celery.
Missy thinks about celery.

Also, naps happened.

Foxie naps with a doll.
Neggie naps with breakfast and blankets.

Now that the initial shock of seeing unfamiliar chimps has passed, the Cle Elum Seven seem to be monitoring their neighbors just as they keep tabs on the surrounding pastures, the volunteers, the tomato garden, and the refrigerator. The caveat is that these three new additions to the environment are also chimps, which means they are fully capable of responding right back.

Burrito looks out of the Playroom window at the chimps in the tunnel.