Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

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chimp sanctuary

Annie bird and bluebirds

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Everyone’s gathering. Red-winged blackbird, nuthatch, woodpeckers, squirrels. With each passing day we see the return of our wild neighbors. We’re still below freezing at night, but today is almost 60 degrees! And with that warmth returned the neighbors I’ve been watching for every day, the ones who announce it’s spring, regardless of the calendar: the swallows and the bluebirds!

When the chimps rushed onto the hill together this morning they all seemed to slow down, noticing the warmth of the sun and the air filled with birdsong. It was as if everything stilled for a moment and my heart sang right along with all the birds just watching the chimps take it all in. Spring has arrived.

When the sky is bluebird bright and clear, Annie in particular loves to find a perch outside in the sun and take it all in in relative solitude. Her bestie, Missy, was ripping and running back and forth beneath her trying to entice her into a game of chase, but it was some time before Annie could be swayed to leave her lookout. When she finally did decide to head inside she promptly made a nest in the sun streaming into the chimps’ playroom, put her feet up on the wall and sang her own Annie-bird song (whistling through her hands) that always means her heart is joyful and content. Missy came in and curled up next to Annie in the nest. And so our day went, all our hearts singing.

 

Blustery Day

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Jamie was very disappointed about this snow storm today… So much so that she wouldn’t let anyone else have any fun…

What it looked like outside (two bald eagles in the background):

Volunteer Lizz trying to play with Burrito:

Jamie moved her nest from Room 3 to the Playroom to let Lizz know to stop playing with Burrito:

Jamie laid on the barrel with her boots on her belly:

Jamie holding her boots:

Lady J:

Don’t worry though! The day was still full of grooming and (quiet) silly play among the chimps, just not with humans. Jamie received new boots later in the day and was very pleased to say the least!

 

On Duty

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Boss Jamie has a long list of (mostly) self-imposed duties, including (but not limited to) monitoring the whereabouts and activity of all living beings on her domain. No matter where she is, she always knows where you are.

She’s also responsible for ensuring strict compliance with all rules and protocols. She oversees all volunteer training. This afternoon she showed Level III trainee Caroline how we groom.

Constant vigilance can be tiring, so she allows herself short breaks before resuming her work.

Morning solitude

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We continue to experience what feels like spring, just a much a colder version. There are moments when, much to my delight, I think it’s autumn. Despite this morning being in the low twenties, the hillsides are greening up, vines are sprouting, garden plans are swimming in our heads, and the trills of the red-winged black birds have been dipping and swirling across the pond and into the fields as they reclaim their place in this corner of the world. And it’s all happening at least a couple months early. But neither chimpanzees nor humans are complaining.

When I opened the hill up this morning the chimps marched out with purpose, each seemingly with the intent to find their own spot of sun and solitude.

Annie was the first one out:

Foxie, her Strawberry Shortcake dolls, Jody and Burrito headed up the hill together:

Foxie peeled off from the group with her dolls to head in another direction:

Missy took her chow from breakfast and raced past everyone to enjoy some privacy on a structure. But it wasn’t long before Foxie decided to join her (though I think she invited herself):

You can spot one of Foxie’s dolls on the post above her. Foxie often likes to put her dolls in precarious positions and then rescue them:

Foxie eventually decided to climb higher and join Missy:

Missy didn’t seem ready to give up her solitude as she quickly relocated:

Jamie was busy inside preparing for a walk around the hill, but to my surprise even Negra ventured out with her pine tree snack to enjoy the sun for a few moments. I love that the chimpanzees can each find solitude within whole, a space to be with one another, but apart, knowing they have each other to return to as soon as they’re ready.

Quiet Moments

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Another beautiful February day is in the books and the chimps couldn’t be happier! Jamie and I spent quite some time with each other today. While our amazing volunteers cleaned, Jamie and I went for a nice slow and mellow walk. The sun was shining down, the view was amazing, and you couldn’t ask for better company. All the chimps were out ripping around Young’s Hill, meanwhile Jamie and I just sauntered around. Jamie looked so relaxed and at peace (if Jamie is relaxed I know I have done my job that day). Afterward, we went in and groomed her boot, she relaxed some more and I began to knuckle rub her arm and groom her with a brush. These are the nice little moments I will cherish forever.

Jody:

Missy:

Annie:

Foxie carrying her doll:

 

Mysteries of the heart

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Foxie’s love of her dolls is an endless source of heart-melting joy, fascination and mystery to us. If you’ve been following the chimpanzees for awhile you are probably aware that Foxie’s love of her dolls (that we’re aware of) began shortly after the chimps’ arrival to the sanctuary in 2008 with her subsequent discovery of “Trixie” the troll doll. For several years, Foxie lived and breathed troll dolls and showed little to no interest in other dolls or forms of enrichment.

Then Dora the Explorer appeared on the scene and for reasons known only to Foxie, she was utterly smitten. Dora quickly raised through the ranks to join the status of the trolls. While we’ll never know what mysterious criteria Dora met, we were happy to see Foxie branching out with her interests. She became particularly enamored with France Dora. She definitely has a certain “je ne sais quoi” and to this day I think she remains Foxie’s most treasured of all the Dora dolls.

Fast forward a few years and Foxie branched out even further to include Dora’s friends:

It’s hard to resist wanting to interpret Foxie’s behavior with her dolls and in our curiosity to make guesses as to Foxie’s doll criteria, we thought maybe it was the combination of big hair and big eyes. Most recently she’s incorporated the new Strawberry Shortcake dolls. Big hair: check! Big eyes: check!

And then…Foxie threw us a curve ball by falling in love with the new old-style Strawberry Shortcakes. Big hair: meh, not so much. Big eyes: no, beady!

When Foxie adds another doll to her collection that doesn’t mean her trolls and Dora dolls lose their status. Her comfort level just seems to expand allowing her natural curious nature to investigate new things. And it seems her heart feels increasingly safer to let new experiences in. And we certainly know that our fellow animals experience the same emotions we humans do. That said, it’s tempting to read too much into Foxie’s behavior and it’s emotionally appealing and comforting for us to think her love for her dolls is all about a chance to be the mother she was never allowed to be to her four children she gave birth to in the labs who were stolen from her. After such incomprehensible trauma, it’s clear the dolls bring Foxie enormous comfort and joy and I think it’s safe to say she does engage in mothering behavior with them, but at the same time she often beats them up. And I mean beats.them.up!

And so as curious as we are and as well as we know Foxie, just as with any other person, we can never know for sure what she is thinking. Nor would we be so species-centric if you will, to assume. And the thing is, it doesn’t matter. Foxie is Foxie and her happiness doesn’t need definition. Nor does our love for her. Her happiness and well-being, that’s the only thing that’s our business.

It’s been a few weeks since Foxie has received a new Dora and when we surprised her with one a supporter had sent, it was evident that Dora’s still got it. Whatever “it” may be.