Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

chimp sanctuary

It’s the Great Tomato Hunt, Missy!

by

To watch Missy during a forage with tomatoes involved is like watching a pinball in a pinball machine. At first it seems like random zooming all over the place. But after a while, you realize that it’s all controlled and Missy indeed has a plan. The best way to describe it is “organized chaos.”

Last August, caregiver Anthony was able to perfectly describe Missy’s tomato obsession.

As soon as she spies us take those waxy red orbs out of the refrigerator, Missy turns into a ravenous lunatic whose sole objective is to ingest as many tomatoes as quickly as possible.”

When Missy first makes her way outside, first thing is to grab whatever tomato that is immediate vicinity.

Once all those are gone, it’s time to make her way to the structures. This serves as two benefits:

1) There are usually some hidden at the base of the structure.

2) Structures also provide a good vantage point to spot more tomatoes.

(Plus there may be a hidden one on the top of the structure.)

At times, when she is at a high view point, it almost seems that she plans out her route to capitalize on her movements.

While during the initial start of the forage, Missy eats as she goes. When she passes this stage, she begins collecting her prized foods. This is where her planning from the top comes in. Racing from one spot to the next, grabbing all that she can hold onto with her hands, feet, and mouth.

Once she cannot carry anymore, she anchors in a spot and enjoys the bounty of her tomato hunt.

It’s days like today, watching Missy zoom from place to place in the hunt for tomatoes, we feel very fortunate to be able to provide things they love. You can help us by donating to this year’s Give Big Washington campaign, which ends tomorrow. Anything helps us reach our goal and it directly helps them. So please consider donating if you can.

Bonus photos of Burrito and Jody grooming:

Coach Honey B

by

There is no one in the world like Honey B. She has so many different layers to her personality. She certainly has her mother’s charm and athletic ability. Missy loves making her caregivers run around the whole sanctuary while she only has to move a few steps. Missy as we all know is lightning fast. These traits may be genetically ingrained into Honey B. Honey B is FAST and on top of being quick, she has a thing for making her caregivers run around the entire building. Her preference is that we run inside, outside, up, down, back, forth, and through a construction site! If Honey B was a trainer she would be tough, but you would see results. Between Honey B’s workout routine and Burrito’s hill sprints you can see why we caregivers are out of breath and exhausted by the end of the day!

Negra and The Uninvited Lunch Guest

by

Today, staff put out a lunch forage of broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, tomatoes, and lettuce for the Seven on Young’s Hill. After staff vacated the hill and security checks were performed, the hill was ready for the Seven. As the door opened and the chimpanzees began to scatter every which way, there was an alarm.

Negra had spotted something. As she began to alarm call and asking for reassurance from anybody close enough, the others were set to find the source of her alarm: a coyote on the other side of the fence in the adjacent pasture.

Jody kept Negra company as they watched the coyote scamper away into the tree line after realizing she/he was spotted.

Once the uninvited guest was gone, lunch could continue.

Though Negra took it upon herself to be on the lookout for the coyote or any other uninvited lunch guests.

While Negra kept the lookout, the others foraged as usual.

Jamie:

Foxie:

Missy:

Jody:

Annie:

Burrito:

As they returned to the Greenhouse with their hauls, they all ate their lunch in the most relaxing positions.

Burrito
Foxie
Annie
Jody

And if you are able to, please help support us in this year’s Give Big Washington campaign. The Give Big campaign ends May 5th. We do have a pretty ambitious goal this year, but it’s because we have a lot of ambition and enthusiasm to continue to provide care for our 14 current residents, as well as welcome 6 more home later this year. All of your support, whether through donations, campaigns, fundraisers, the Chimpanzee Pal and Bovine Buddy programs, Sponsor-A-Day program, being a Produce Patron, or becoming a part of the sanctuary with a Personalized Stone, helps us to ensure days like today can continue to happen, as well as help us prepare for the Lucky Six when they arrive. Any thing helps! Truly, thank you all from the bottom of our hearts!

50 Shades of Hay

by

A friend of me recently told me that they find observing cattle to be emotionally grounding. For sure, a serenely grazing cow radiates peace.

It’s difficult to tell when cattle are truly happy since they express their emotions in a way that seems alien to most humans. Still, there is a notable contrast between a calm bovine and an excited or anxious one. We who work with these creatures learn to differentiate between these various behavioral states and use this wisdom to safely provide optimal care.

In a more spiritual sense, I also love to watch the Moo Crew peacefully munch on a bale of grass hay, browse through the willows along the creek, or mow down an overgrown pasture like a band of professional landscapers. They bring me joy.

Today, we’re sharing the Jerseys and their zen-like bliss with you all. Please feel free to hop in your Gator, grab a bale of your own, and join in.

Sunday Activities

by

What are some of your favorite Sunday activities? The video highlights some of the residents of Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest favorite Sunday activities.

But before anything else, the morning patrol!

Jamie couldn’t wait to do her morning patrol. She even decided her breakfast chow had to wait until she was on Young’s Hill!

Not far behind Jamie was Burrito, Missy, and Jody.

Annie decided to venture off on her own.

Missy found a perfect spot for a little solitude and to take in the morning scenery.

However, Jamie thought this was also the perfect spot to eat her chow.

I mean, who could blame Jamie? This is the perfect spot to take in all of a Spring morning’s glory.

Missy shortly left to zoom around the hill.

While Annie decided to try to spy on her neighbors: Willy B, Honey B, and Mave.

Then there is this guy. With this glance, I know my legs are about to turn to Jello, I will be soon out of breath, and make a few trips around the Hill, which was exactly the case shortly after this photo was taken.

We here all hope you had the most perfect Sunday!

Deconstructing a Display on a Fine Spring Day

by

Within the past couple of days, the weather has been almost nearly perfect. Sun in the sky without a sight of a cloud. Not too hot and not too cold. Gentle breezes instead of wind gusts. This is the perfect weather for outdoor activities.

After security checks were completed, the Seven were given access to Young’s Hill first thing in the morning.

While six of the seven immediately patrolled their grounds, one decided to stay back and just enjoy the warm Spring morning.

Negra elected to go onto Young’s Hill and eat her breakfast hard-boiled egg in the sun while the others patrolled.

With the weather being so nice, we thought it would be a great day for a lunch forage outside of carrots, sweet potatoes, bell peppers, and bonus pineapple tops.

Jamie:

As you can see, Jamie won out with Fistfuls of Bell Peppers.

Missy:

Though Jamie went straight for the bell peppers, the pineapple tops were in Missy’s sights.

Negra:

Burrito:

Annie:

Foxie:

Jody:

Jody has learned, some times you have to climb the highest of heights to get the biggest reward.

The Three on the other side of the building are still settling into their new playrooms. Though it seems it’s technically no longer “settling in” as much as it is they fully moved in and have become comfortable in the new areas.

Willy B has started to use the artificial tree branches/platforms as his new lounge area.

Though Willy B, Honey B, and Mave have access to new areas, they are still fond of their old ones. For Willy B, in particular, the Courtyard is still an area he loves to venture out to.

Though he did go outside today, I was not able to get any photos. Instead I will share some of the ones I took on Sunday of his Courtyard Adventures.

When Willy B first gets access to the Courtyard, he will scan around for any nuts or food items near the boardwalk. Afterward, he seems to just take in the surroundings, some times even taking a nap on the boardwalk.

What happens next is usually when he notices he has an audience.

When Willy B notices the Group of Seven watching him for their playroom windows, he has to show them this area is his. He does this through his territorial display.

First he begins his pant hooting:

Then he becomes piloerect and moves to the nearest loudest object. In the Courtyard, this is a barrel.

Piloerection is when a chimpanzee’s hair stands on its’ ends. The best way to think of this is thinking of when you get goosebumps. Pretty similar. In fact, you can see Willy B’s “goosebumps” if you look close enough!

Once he reaches the barrel, he begins drumming it:

As the intensity and rhythm of the drumming increases, so does his pant hooting. When his display reaches its’ crescendo, he hits the drum as hard as he can in one final *BAM* and lets out a scream for all the hear:

When finished, Willy B resumes taking in the Spring sun and air, while also peeking to see if the neighbors got the message and if it riled them up.

Hint: They usually do and it usually does.

New map

by

This week Willy B, Mave and Honey B were more than happy to demo our two new indoor playrooms. Today they have continued to explore, relax and play in the new sun-filled spaces. It’s been a delight watching them zoom (Honey B), stomp (Willy B) or shuffle (Mave) from one enclosure to the next. For the humans, it’s also been a learning experience as we practice shifting and cleaning under a new set of circumstances.

For those unfamiliar with captive chimpanzees (and their strength and unpredictability), caregivers never enter an enclosure at the same time that the chimpanzees are occupying that space (the one exception being during an anesthetic medical event) . We ask the chimpanzees to shift from one space to another so we can secure and lock doors (using a remote operating system). We make sure all the remote controlled “chimpanzee” doors are securely in place and the chimps are identified out of the space before we unlock the “human” doors to enter and clean safely.

There are several new remote operating chimpanzee doors that have been installed to connect old areas to new areas, new areas together, and new rooms to future spaces.  If that sounds a little confusing, that’s because it definitely can be overwhelming! We take safety very seriously so we are always reporting and double checking each other’s shifting plans.

JB presented us with a new updated map this week:

And we did a little training to practice and orient ourselves with our new system:

Here’s Diana practicing operating the new hydraulic door “L” :

All these new doors mean more choices and opportunities for our chimpanzee friends. Seeing them boldly take on their new space makes all the training and yes… even a little bit of human stress… all the more worth it!

Willy B spying on the humans from his view in Playroom 3
Mave heading up the stairs in Playroom 2
Today, Mave and Willy B ate lunch next to each other in Playroom 3
Mave (left) Willy B (right)
Meanwhile, Honey B fulfilled her dream of eating as far away from her group mates as possible. She took her lunch to go and headed out door G which connects Playroom 2 to Front Room 5 and then through door F which gives her access to the outdoor Chute. Honey B prefers a quiet private lunch!
Honey B