Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

chimp enrichment

Forages All Day

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Each day there is a theme for the enrichment we give the chimpanzees. Having a daily theme helps to ensure that the chimpanzees do not receive the same items each day and also helps keeps life for them interesting. We always try to include favorites, such as boots and troll dolls, and of course they receive many fresh blankets each day so they can make cozy nests. In addition to these staple items we might wrap their toys in blankets for them to unwrap or decorate the floor with chalk art. Today the theme is “forage all day,” so the chimpanzees started their day with a breakfast forage in the greenhouse!

Annie (left) and Foxie (right):

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Jamie (center) found an orange slice hidden in the hanging tire (Annie to her left, Foxie to her right):

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Missy:

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Negra:

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Jody:

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Burrito:

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Hitching a lift

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As autumn transitions into steadily colder and darker days, the chimpanzees (even Negra!) have been extra busy on Young’s Hill. And thanks to the Armstrong family, with a new structure to explore, and new dolls to explore with, Foxie took her current favorite troll doll along to check things out. And JB got some ridiculously adorable photos!

One of Foxie’s most endearing habits is how she carries her dolls on her back. Chimpanzee mamas are highly invested in raising and nurturing their children. The bond they share is the same we experience with our human children. They carry their infants for about the first six months of their lives and then as the babies become strong enough to grasp for extended periods, they begin to ride around on their mother’s back. Chimpanzee children are highly dependent on their mothers and even as they grow and become more independent they remain in close contact for the first several years of their lives.

Foxie’s four children were all taken from her during her years in biomedical research and it’s emotionally appealing to think that she carries the dolls on her back with her children in mind. But we can never know what she’s truly thinking and it may just be a natural and effective way of carrying her beloved dolls with her when she’s on the go. Whatever the reason, though bittersweet, it never fails to warm our hearts and I think it’s safe to say, hers as well. And that’s what matters most.

Foxie and troll, on the go:

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A very classy party

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Yesterday we received a huge donation from a generous supporter. Produce and enrichment, oh my! One of the boxes contained decorations for Halloween/Jamie’s birthday set for a couple of weeks from now, while one of the other boxes was a massive collection of black and white themed decor. Of course it seemed right to throw an impromptu classy black and white party today!

Volunteers Lynn, Patti, and Alex (not pictured) helped prepare the party in the kitchen. They made a plum and banana smoothie to go in black plastic champagne flutes and zebra striped paper cups. Also included in the party forage: clementines, pomegranate, coconut, peanuts, and chow.
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The elaborate party setup included streamers, paper chains, piñatas, and personalized gift bags. There was even a black and white haired troll for Foxie!
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In honor of the black and white theme I edited a few of the photos to fit the mood. Others I left in the original color format.

Burrito had multiple cups of smoothie:
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Missy got in on the smoothie action as well.
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She also managed to claim the black cat piñata.web_Missy_cat_pinata_gh_aw_IMG_5290

Jamie enjoyed most of her party from the comfort of the fire hose hammock.
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Foxie grabbed her new troll doll right away.
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Annie found several cardboard rolls stuffed with paper and chow.
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Jody was victorious with her coconut haul.
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And this is a photo of Negra. I promise she got plenty of party treats. It just seemed like the best photo to finish off this very classy blog post.
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Serious business

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As you may already know, the sanctuary has an enrichment calendar that we follow in order to enhance the lives of the chimpanzees on a daily basis. In the morning when we clean each area, we may put out lots of paper for them to nest in, or maybe we will put out all the small toys from the enrichment bins in the kitchen. Some days we might put out the ever popular troll scarves! Yesterday was a troll scarf day and first thing this morning we caught Jamie looking quite serious in a knitted blue troll scarf. Upon further cleaning inspection, we found 3 or 4 more troll scarves in an intricate nest she had assembled in the front rooms.
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A quick reminder that Great Apes Giving Day starts tonight at 9:00 p.m. PST (midnight eastern time). Check out Diana’s blog post from last week to learn more!

Today is for Becca and Lars!

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Today’s day of sanctuary was sponsored by Brian Kostol in honor of “the Beautiful Marriage of Lars and Becca Jorgensen.” Becca is a long-time dedicated volunteer caregiver and a good subordinate human at that. She spends much time catering to the every whim of our beloved boss, Jamie, and always brightens all the primates’ days. More recently, we’ve also gained Lars as an amazing volunteer in the chimp house! We are so grateful for the commitment and compassion these two bring to the sanctuary and the chimpanzees’ lives.

We know the chimps are considered as family to Becca and Lars and through Becca’s beautiful artwork and creativity, they even made sure that each of the chimpanzees were represented at their wedding as a way for them to be present and share in their special day.

Brian, thank you so much for such a meaningful gift in celebration of the Jorgensen’s marriage and for making a difference in the lives of the chimps they hold dear.

Becca and Lars, we’re so happy for you! Thank you so much for everything you do for these amazing chimpanzee people. We are all so glad to have you as part of our sanctuary family and wish you a life of “hope, love, home and sanctuary.”

Boss lady, Jamie, was in heaven when she received new boots from Becca:

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Naps vs. Exercise

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As caregivers, we love to see the chimpanzees doing an activity. We try and provide them with enriching toys, food, and other things to bring something new and exciting into their lives. Like Elizabeth said yesterday, Jamie is always looking for something to do and we do our best to satisfy her. The rest of the Cle Elum 7 aren’t quite as restless as Jamie. They spend a great deal of their day napping, rather than traveling and foraging like they might do in the wild.

While it is lovely to see a photo like this of Annie lounging on a comfy blanket in the playroom…
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It is even more exciting for us to see her out on Young’s Hill, foraging, climbing, and taking in nature…
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But part of being in a sanctuary, is that the chimpanzees get to choose how and where they spend their day. And today, Annie gets to take naps, pick bamboo, and be with other chimpanzees.
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Little neighbors

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In preparation for today’s blog, I revisited a few of the past posts about the different types of fauna that the chimpanzees have experience with in the Cle Elum landscape. There are plenty of birds and insects to be seen. As well as some deer and the neighboring horses. Of course there is Ellie the elk. And let’s not forget about how hard life can be for a snake in a chimpanzee enclosure!

During the dry days of summer we often find little tree frogs hiding on the playroom caging we call the Barn Doors. web_frog1_barndoors_awphone

These doors are next to the garden so the chimpanzees can look out and see their plants growing. In this photo, the barn doors are to the right of Missy.
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While the frogs may think they are safe from danger hiding on the dark caging, caregivers know better. Every morning during cleaning, we relocate these little guys to a safer spot, like this squash plant.
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