Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

chimp play

Sunday Morning, Rain is (Not) Falling

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On this lazy Sunday morning everyone was doing their thing and hanging out in their favorite spots while taking in the warm breeze. Enjoy some moments I captured this morning!

Usually, Neggie can be found nesting in the top platform of the green house on nice mornings.

When Jody came in from the morning stroll around Young’s Hill, she soaked up some sun rays in the green house.

Honey very much aware of me during my perimeter check walk this morning.

Gordo, Gordito, unbothered by everything and everyone. What a life!!!

Sir Cy enjoying the morning rays in the green house.

And then we have this great sequence. Rayne in the back while Dora and Lucky engage in some play time.

Playful Negra

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We don’t know exactly how old Negra is. Our records say she was captured in Africa in 1973, other records indicate 1968. As far as we know, she was immediately placed in a biomedical research facility in the United States after her capture. She remained the property of the biomedical industry until 2008.

We celebrate Negra’s birthday on June 13th, the day the chimpanzees arrived to Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest. The 3rd anniversary of the chimps’ arrival and Negra’s 38th (or so) birthday is just one month away!

Regardless of her exact age, Negra is not a young chimpanzee, and it’s always a joy to see breaking out into play. She and Foxie had been playing for several minutes before I could get to the camera. When I did start filming, Jamie was banging on the fencing and didn’t seem very pleased, but she soon decided to give up on reprimanding me and instead joined in on the play.

My favorite part of the video below is Negra’s foot stomp towards Jamie. Foot stomping is a common chimpanzee play behavior, but this is one of the very few times I’ve witnessed Negra do it.

Front room playing

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We do a lot of cleaning at the sanctuary. We thoroughly clean the front rooms and playroom in the morning (unless one or more of the chimps decides not to follow the morning routine) and we spot clean throughout the day. When we clean the playroom, the chimps stay in the front rooms. When we’re doing our big morning clean, during and after their breakfast, we’re always conscious of trying to get done quickly so that the chimps can have the playroom back. What we’ve noticed is that at least some of the chimpanzees take this time to play in the front rooms. We’ve already shared a few videos of Foxie and Jamie playing in the front rooms while we are cleaning the playroom.  Somehow playroom cleaning time = Jamie and Foxie playtime (along with the occasional addition of Missy, Jody and Annie). It’s kind of a play routine they’ve established around our cleaning routine.

Below is another video of Foxie and Jamie. This short video is action-packed! It includes double troll doll action, a sheet, and a leap-over move never seen before. The noise you hear in the background is J.B. squeegeeing the floor of the playroom.

So much to say about the chimpanzees…

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Wow. The first full day with the Cle Elum Seven at Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest. There’s just so much to share – we already feel behind in updating folks. They are all just doing so well and are so much fun – it’s unbelievable. Here are my personal top ten moments (in no particular order) over the past day and a half:

1. Negra sleeping in a comfy nest on the highest platform in the first front room

2.  Jamie playing chase while carrying a purse, a t-shirt, and a large kong toy

3. Foxie looking out to the big playroom – they’ll be going in tomorrow!

4. Jody’s enthusiastic greetings whenever we walk into the human hallway

5. Missy head bobbing frantically for more sweet peppers

6. Burrito playing with Jamie

7. Annie chasing Missy throughout the front rooms – all day

8. Jamie wiping out the food door lazy susans with the t-shirt she was wearing around her neck

9. Missy’s hair blowing in the breeze from the window of room four

10. Burrito lying down, holding his feet with his hands

Diana