We’ve been asked how the chimpanzees keep their nails short. For most of them, it’s the result of normal wear and tear, but Jamie has her own technique.
chimp enrichment
Intangible expansions
I’d like to say that I no longer think of the decades the chimpanzees spent living as biomedical research subjects in open slat cages the size of a bathroom stall, the last couple of years which were in a windowless basement. But I do. I’d like to forget the images of my friends’ familiar eyes peering out from between the bars that their familiar hands clung to. But I can’t. I wish I couldn’t picture them having spent their days – their years – with no enrichment, nothing to nest with, no room to rip and run and climb, unable to engage in natural chimpanzee behaviors and family relationships, or just be free to be themselves, however that looked. But these thoughts, and most importantly the chimps’ histories, are inversely proportional to the growth and expansion they demonstrate with each passing day, season, and year.
We are fast approaching the anniversary of the chimpanzees’ arrival to their sanctuary home eight years ago, on June 13th. Eight years! And yet every single time I see them foraging on the hill, climbing new structures and taking in unobstructed views, pushing their own comfort levels with such courage, grace and dignity, it takes my breath away. No matter how many times I see all these moments in each of their lives, it never for one second feels less than wondrous and breathtaking.
And this morning, one of now countless particularly beautiful mornings the chimpanzees have had here, was no different. As they foraged for breakfast al fresco on Young’s Hill, as they traversed seemingly every inch of every structure, their hair shining in the sun and blowing in the breeze, moving as a family, each step through the electrifying green grass another step further from their histories, my friends’ familiar eyes cast to the expanse of sky and valley and mountain beyond, I watched, my heart on tiptoe.
Jamie:
Burrito and Jamie:
Burrito:
Foxie and Annie:
Foxie and France Dora:
Annie:
Annie and Missy:
Missy:
Jamie taking in her new viewpoint from the new structure, Twister:
And then moving on to check out the view from Jamie’s Tower:
And not to worry, Jody and Negra were both at the far reaches of Young’s Hill foraging for breakfast with a side of wild greens right along with their family, but unfortunately my photos of those two beautiful ladies didn’t turn out.
A few of Annie’s favorite things
For each of us, every season holds favorite things to look forward to. That one special food, flower, sight, sound or scent that you can only enjoy at a certain time each year.
This spring I’ve watched the chimpanzees anticipating the growth of the wild greens on Young’s Hill and the fruits and vegetables in their garden weeks before anything appeared. For weeks Jody diligently marched to the top of Young’s Hill each day to see if the wild mustard or wild lettuce had begun to grow yet. The second the weather warmed up, Missy began asking us to open the barn doors to their playroom so she could see outside to her beloved garden. And every day she runs to the window next to where we plant her favorite cherry tomatoes each year, checking to see if they’ve magically appeared. This is the first year I’ve noticed the chimps demonstrating such clear anticipation for things to come with the corresponding season. It makes my heart so happy to know that they recognize they have favorite things to look forward to in their sanctuary home throughout the year.
Of course spring in particular offers a variety of favorites for each of the chimpanzees. Annie for example, loves racing across the expanse of Young’s Hill in a mad game of chase and wrestle with her best friend, Missy. But she also increasingly enjoys exploring and foraging on the hill in solitude. Just sitting and taking in the sky, the surrounding fields and watching the birds. Often she will be the only person out on the hill, perfectly content and serene.
And another of Annie’s endearing favorites as the season grows warmer? Toes. Yep, Annie loves to see human toes! The second she spots our feet in sandals she immediately blows raspberries (indicating she wants to see our toes right now!), grabs a tool, and races over to check them out, utterly mesmerized. Around here, the humans are pretty smitten with chimp toes and while I think their toes are a lot cooler than ours, I guess I can see why she might be fascinated by these strange things that probably seem so similar and yet so different to her own.
Footloose and fancy-free
The skies are blue, the sun is shining, and Foxie doesn’t have a care in the world.
Easter, Chimp Style
**Warning** This post contains a lot of photos!!
Easter, chimp style, involves good food…
…enrichment with hidden food inside…
…toys and dolls…
…an Easter egg hunt in the greenhouse…
and in the playroom…
and, of course, the Cle Elum Seven!!
Missy found one of the eggs with peanuts inside.
Burrito scored with the primate chow he gathered in his mouth and hands!
Foxie took turns with each of her dolls, first with the brunette…
then with the blonde,
and later, with both of them.
Annie held onto her egg as she ate peanuts and primate chow.
Jody made sure to check every part of the Easter basket for hidden treats.
Jamie searched high and low for treats, including under this blanket,
…in these boots,
…and in these boxes.
Negra found her favorite treats (peanuts) inside some of the Easter eggs.
Wishing everyone a happy and joyous Easter!
Jamie’s choice
Jamie spent her childhood living with a trainer. Her records are scarce, but she was most likely used in some form of entertainment before being purchased for use in biomedical research at around the age of nine. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating to see chimpanzees (or any wild animal) robbed of their natural lives, their childhood, and their family and social structures in order to provide so-called “entertainment” for humans. While we cannot change the histories the chimpanzees have experienced, or the fact that they will be in captivity for the rest of their lives, we do our best to provide them the space to be themselves, exactly as they choose in every minute of the day. A safe, dignified and loving home in which their “chimpanzee-ness” can come out.
We give the chimpanzees a variety of enrichment each day to keep their curious and intelligent minds engaged as much as possible, but whether they play with it, nest with it, tear it up or ignore it, it’s their choice. Jamie is highly intelligent and most likely as a result of her unnatural history, she is also very human oriented in her interests. She will often choose to use enrichment in ways that the other chimps don’t. But that’s the key – she gets to choose. When Jamie first arrived here she periodically chose to wear clothing that was included in enrichment, but over time her desire to do this has faded away and thankfully been replaced by chimp like activities such as walking the perimeter, playing with her friends, and being the boss of us all. But given her unnatural history, it’s only, well, natural that she would still incorporate things that are familiar to her in her play from time to time.
So while supervising the cleaning of her home from atop her barrel, this was one of Jamie’s choices:
An upside-down-Jamie-on-a-barrel is always a happy Jamie.
If you’d like to learn more about how you can help end the exploitation and abuse of great apes, please check out our advocacy program, Eyes on Apes, and sign up for our Take Action Alerts. Just as Jamie once did, there are others who need your voice.
Thank you, Roni!
Today’s day of sanctuary was sponsored by Roni Seabury! Roni is a long-time supporter and friend of the sanctuary. She is such a beautiful soul whose heart and life are filled with helping all animals however she can, from living a vegan lifestyle, to working with rescued farm animals, to sharing her home with her companion animals as well as fostering those waiting for their forever home. We’re so lucky to have her as part of our chimpanzee family. Roni shared this sweet message about today:
“For my love of Burrito’s shy cuteness, Missy’s energy, Jodi’s nest making skills, Annie’s playful friendships, Negra’s Queen-like naps with blankets over her head, Foxie’s love for dolls and loyalty and Jamie’s boss like attitude with cowboy boots on. I love each of them so much. The amount of joy they bring me is immeasurable. Thank you for all you do for them.”
Roni, thank you so much for sponsoring today for the chimpanzees and for loving them for the special individuals they are! And thank you for your compassionate heart and your dedication to making the lives of so many animals better. We’re awfully glad you’re in the world.
Roni’s pal, Burrito:
Missy:
Jody:
Annie (R) chasing Missy (L):
Negra:
Foxie, Troll and Dora:
Jamie:
