Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

chimp sanctuary

Happy Birthday, Tom!

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This day of sanctuary was sponsored by Lisa Babb in honor of Tom English on his birthday!

“Tom is my partner and fiance. This (Dec 1) is his 55th birthday. He is a true hero of dog rescue in our area, and the kindest person I’ve ever met. He and I obsessively follow CSNW and love each and every chimpanzee in your care. He cries at the posts a lot and is very emotionally invested. Wishing the best for Burrito!”

Lisa, thank you so much for your generous contribution to the chimps’ lives in sanctuary as you and Tom celebrate his special day! We so appreciate you following the chimps and including them today! Most of us have cried over one post or another and we write them! 🙂 And thank you for sending all the good thoughts to Burrito!

Tom, thank you for the work you do for our canine friends! May all the love your big heart sends out come back to you many times over. Happiest of birthdays to you!

We’re so grateful for all the love and healing being held for this special man chimp, Burrito, and can’t wait for him to be back to his old self. We love him so.

A New Day

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Burrito was full of energy today! He spent most of his day monitoring the other chimpanzees somewhat wistfully.

If I had opened up the door, he would have gladly joined them.

He still has a while to go with his recovery, and we need him by himself so that we can closely monitor him and so his sutures don’t open up. But the fact that he was so alert and up and about and paying attention to all things was a wonderful sign that he’s feeling better.

Paying attention to all things except, apparently, the tape we left on him after his latest visit to the clinic. We purposely left some tape on him in the hope that it would distract him from his stitches, but he isn’t bothered enough by the tape to have removed it. Luckily he’s not paying attention to the stitches yet either!

Tonight, he got a blanket and climbed up to the bed in front room two. This is the first night he chose to sleep up on a platform instead of on the blanket-lined floor. He’s acting more and more like Burrito each day.

Happy Birthday, Mari!

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Today was sponsored by Lynn Wilson, in honor of Mari, to wish her a Happy (Belated) Birthday!

“Mari has come to love all of the chimps since following them after the 3 came from California. She would love to bundle Burrito up in a blanket and hold him tight.”

Thanks so much, Lynn for adding to the chimpanzees’ lives through your celebration of Mari! We so appreciate you thinking of them all in this way.

Mari, we hope you have a beautiful day, full of all that makes your heart happy! Thanks so much for following Mave, Honey B and Willy B on their journey to their new home and for embracing all ten members of this chimpanzee family.

Mave:

Honey B:

Willy B:

 

Full (Chimp) House

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I have never seen so much commotion in the Chimp House. All day, every day, the facility feels busier than it ever has before. In so many ways, the sanctuary feels full.

There are now chimps occupying every space again. Volunteers rushed back and forth all day to get the daily tasks done, and the interns feel more present in the Chimp House as their training progresses and they learn to work more confidently and independently. The full team of staff was on site today, coordinating duties and organizing the management of the chimps. The refrigerator is stocked with produce (especially thanks to a recent donation of gift cards) and the foyer is full of new enrichment items and devices. It seems like every square inch of every whiteboard is covered in scribbled notes about healing wounds and treatment plans, and the kitchen counters are covered in a cornucopia of soft foods as we try to get Burrito to take his cocktail of medications. Most importantly, for the first time in a few days, the building is full of good humor and positive hope as we set our sights on recovering and rebuilding.

The events of this past Friday were challenging, to say the least. We all feel sympathy for Burrito and have to deal with the sobering awareness that our own chimpanzee friends used such unrelenting physical violence against him. It’s easy to think that such a horrifying incident would derail us. We are professionals, though, and were prepared for this unlikely outcome even though we tried to give the chimpanzees the best opportunities to develop a tolerance for one another and forge new relationships. As anyone in the field of primate care can attest, introducing unfamiliar individuals is always risky and rarely goes smoothly, even when the result is a resounding success. Of all the chimpanzees, Burrito certainly doesn’t have the best social skills, so we knew that he might have some difficulty coping with the uncertainty and chaos of social integrations. The chimpanzees had a string of victories punctuated by a couple of heartbreaking incidents, and we are already drawing insight from those experiences so that we can continue to give the chimpanzees informed and specialized care in the future. Although we are diverting our efforts away from integrating the two current groups with one another, we know that we will eventually have to do some restructuring if we plan to take in more chimpanzees in the coming years. Recuperating and reflecting after the recent setback are both important, but we continue to move forward towards our ultimate goals.

Today, when I unlocked the Chimp House, the chimpanzees greeted me with a chorus of anticipatory pant hoots. Burrito was sitting up and appeared bright and alert as Annie groomed him through the mesh window that still separates him from the other chimps. Honey B was excitedly grooming with Mave and Willy B, and you’d have no idea that she was recently injured if she didn’t make a habit of enthusiastically showing everyone her missing toe. The six original females (who are still the Girl Gang, I suppose) were back to their usual pre-breakfast drama in the Playroom. The day went smoothly, with Burrito’s appetite and humor improving (see photos below) and all of the chimps falling back into some semblance of a routine. Yesterday felt better than the day before, and today felt noticeably better than yesterday. Tomorrow will be even better.

Through it all, I cannot emphasize enough how supportive our community has been. We continue to receive messages of encouragement and compassion from all of Burrito’s fans and are blown away by how invested you all are in his well-being. Our network of followers and donors is strong and vast but our on-site support has been just as dedicated, caring, and helpful. We’ve had volunteers completing unusual tasks, such as grocery shopping and preparing special meals for Burrito, so that our staff can focus on administering medications and managing the complex social groupings. Our regular Monday interns brought in care packages for the staff (mostly snacks) and today’s crew showed up with coffee and hot chocolate for everyone. On campus, students are staying late after J.B.’s primate welfare lectures to ask about the chimps and demonstrate their support. Today, former caregiver Elizabeth stopped by to hang out with Burrito even though her next shift as a volunteer isn’t until the weekend. These are just some examples, but the acts of appreciation and encouragement have truly been numerous and remarkable.

Last week was difficult, for sure, but it’s easy for us caregivers to keep showing up and working hard to build a better life for chimpanzees when all of you do the same. It is because of you that we can fill this space with supplies, fill it with more chimpanzees, fill it with committed and valuable personnel, and fill it with hope for the future. Once again, thank you all.

Burrito didn’t immediately want this banana; he insisted that Diana tickle his forehead with it, first.
Burrito later fell asleep in a beam of sunlight as Diana used a plastic tool to gently groom his shoulders.

 

 

The Sunday Routine

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It was another laid-back Sunday, aided by cooperative chimpanzees and incredible personnel.

We haven’t been doing any complicated projects or maneuvers on Sundays, giving our staff and chimpanzees time to focus on maintenance and recuperation before diving into the upcoming week. Today’s most exciting moments didn’t rival the excitement of Jamieween or the tension and chaos of an integration event. Even on our calmest of days, however, we still have to maintain and operate an intricate facility in order to manage multiple groups of chimpanzees with complex needs and preferences. Getting through each day requires a lot of teamwork, focus, and commitment among the humans.

Today, our staff had stellar assistance from two dedicated volunteers and two excellent interns. They carved and baked pumpkins, conducted safety checks, scrubbed floors, observed chimps, folded blankets, dehydrated fruit, and prepared enrichment for the chimps. (Thank you for your help, Courtney, Dusty, Katie and Rose!)

We also had two students undergo their first orientation so that they can begin helping us this winter. (Welcome to CSNW, Riley and Ashton!) With all the changes that have occurred over the last few months, we are beyond thrilled with how helpful and adaptable our volunteers and interns have been. It’s not an understatement to say that they are an integral part of the team.

As the humans worked hard to clean and provide care, the chimpanzees did chimpanzee things in the chimpanzee areas. Spaces such as the Playroom and Greenhouse don’t resemble an African jungle, superficially, but they serve a critical purpose; the interconnected enclosures provide  a functional environment in which the chimps can engage in species-typical behaviors. At one point this morning, Willy B and Burrito proved that they can make a formidable duo when throwing enrichment objects across the open spaces in the Playroom. The explosive display provoked a boisterous response from the females on the other side of the wall. After lunch, however, the Chimp House was remarkably quiet and peaceful as the chimpanzees channeled their energy into positive social interactions.

Honey B and Mave continued to forge new friendships with Negra, while Willy B and Burrito kept lounging, eating and grooming together. The Girl Gang (composed of Annie, Foxie, Jamie, Jody, and Missy) spent the day socializing with each other, pant-grunting at the boys through the Playroom windows, and exploring Young’s Hill. I’ve included some snapshots of today’s activities at the bottom of this post.

We’re preparing to facilitate more meetings between chimps this week as we continue the gradual integration of the two social groups. It’s going to be an exciting week, so we’re appreciating the serenity and comfort of a lazy Sunday afternoon.

P.S. If you haven’t seen the news yet, there has been a critical setback in the effort to transfer the remaining populations of retired chimpanzees from biomedical facilities. Although it does not directly affect our future plans here at CSNW at this point in time, there is now a very real possibility that 44 chimpanzees will not be transferred to permanent sanctuary at Chimp Haven in Louisiana. I recommend the following articles to any of our followers and supporters who want to read further about the issue and be informed advocates for captive chimpanzees:

October 30 – Opinion – LA Times

October 27 – Article – NYT

 

Burrito grooms Willy B this morning in the Greenhouse.
Honey B grooms a scab on Negra’s backside. It’s not a glorious job, but someone’s gotta do it.
Negra playfully bites Honey B’s genital area during a rowdy session of wrasslin’.
Negra and Honey B exhibit goofy faces as they engage in some rough, friendly play.
Annie seems to enjoy a moment of solitude while sitting on the new structure on Young’s Hill.
Mave naps on an elevated bench in the front rooms.
Negra curls up in a nest after lunch.
Jamie looked back to make sure that her companions were following behind as she patrolled the boundary of Young’s Hill.
Mave intimately grooms Honey B’s face, even sticking her fingers in her friend’s mouth. Mave is an avid groomer and has a gregarious and outgoing personality around the other chimps.
Mave picks at Honey B’s face on a bench in the front rooms.

In honor of Jamie “Boss Lady” Chimpanzee!

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This amazing day of sanctuary was sponsored by Shirley Wooten, Chimpanzee Pal to the boss lady herself, Jamie, in honor of Jamie’s 42nd birthday today!! Shirley shared this really lovely note about her gift today:

“Happy Birthday Jamie! Thank you to her caregivers and to the supporters of CSNW for giving Jamie choices, lots of space, more freedom than she has ever had, and the enrichment her active mind needs. Thank you for giving her the opportunity to be the leader she was born to be, Jamie is a very special lady and I hope she has a very special day.”

Shirley, thank you SO much for thinking of Jamie and sponsoring her honorary Halloween birthday, or as it’s known here at the sanctuary, Jamieween!!

If you’ve ever had the honor of meeting Jamie here at the sanctuary or have gotten to know her through our daily blog, you know she’s one of the most intelligent, creative, amazing (and sometimes intimidating) people you will meet. To the Lady Trickster herself, Happy Birthday, Jamie! We could not be more in awe of, or in love with, you.

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.