Today volunteer Kim brought over a discarded tree from her friend Michelle. Kim “decorated” the tree with food for lunch. Later, volunteer Pam came and told me about a Swedish holiday called St. Knut’s (or Canute’s). It was on January 13th. It seems the chimps celebrated it well, though a bit late…
chimp
Jamie and choices
While going though blog posts the last couple of weeks, I was struck by what I wrote about Jamie after meeting her for the first time. This was written three years ago, almost six months before she came to Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest. This is what I wrote (link to the original post here):
Jamie is someone who could be referred to as a “character.” She clearly likes attention and demanded a lot of it from me and the other Direct Care Committee members (J.B. and Sarah) who accompanied me on my first visit to Buckshire to meet the chimpanzees. Jamie was the most gregarious of the group and was full of energy. She was clearly pleased to have the rapt attention of new people and really enjoyed having her feet tickled (with newspaper) and playing chase.
The first physical feature that I noticed about Jamie was that her belly had almost no hair. This was obviously due to “over-grooming” – Jamie picks out the hair on her belly and the skin underneath the hair. Over-grooming is considered a form of self-mutilation and can be the result of a stressful, unpredictable life or a sign of utter boredom. Often, this type of behavior gradually disappears when a chimpanzee is moved to a sanctuary which provides a stimulating environment.
A big element that is missing from the day-to-day life of the chimpanzees at Buckshire is the lack of choice. Born into captivity, Jamie’s entire life has been determined by the humans who claimed ownership over her. Her early years were spent as a “performer” in a circus, and then she was passed on to the biomedical research industry (note: we now know she lived with an animal trainer for nine years, but we don’t know how or where she was used during that time). There are very few opportunities to make choices in her daily existence at Buckshire. For Jamie, I believe this will be the biggest benefit to her new life at CSNW. I imagine that once she figures out there are so many things that she can do and ask for, she will probably be quite demanding of the time and energy of the staff at the sanctuary. And they will, no doubt, be elated to indulge her desires.
Jamie did, in fact, completely stop plucking the hair from her belly when she arrived at the sanctuary. She began to do it again this summer after an illness, though it was much, much less severe than before and not very noticeable (nothing like this photo of her bare belly when she arrived). Sometimes this happens with stereotypical behavior – it returns even though the environment has vastly improved. Hair plucking / over-grooming is a really common behavior in captive chimpanzees. We’re keeping an eye on Jamie and making sure she has things to do, which is partly why we started the “enhanced enrichment” in the evenings.
What really struck me about the post, though, was the last two sentences. Did I call that one, or what?? Jamie is by far the most demanding chimpanzee at the sanctuary. A lot of what we do to enrich the lives of the chimps is with Jamie in mind. And I do love to indulge her curiosity and need for stimulation. Just tonight she saw me bringing in some boots to put away and motioned for me. I stopped and lined up all of the boots in front of the caging. She nodded with appreciation in her Jamie way, then indicated that she wanted one, so I gave it to her. Then she wanted another, so I gave her a second boot. In the end, she was satisfied with four boots, but probably more satisfied with the interaction and the process of asking and receiving.
Missy up close
Here are a few more photos – all of these of Missy – taken with the combo new camera and “Kathy lens” which produced the photos of Jamie last week. Missy REALLY likes to eat snow, so much so that she will eat it all day long and will sometimes shiver as though she’s lowered her body temperature. She’s pretty active, though, and a game of chase gets her body warmed right up.
Happy Birthday, Lynn Williamson
A very big happy birthday to chimp house volunteer Lynn Williamson. This is super sponsor-a-day! Donations came in Lynn’s name from good friend Diane Thompson AND from Eric & Sheila, Pam & Steve, Mel & Dawn and Cathy & Brad. Are you feeling the love?
Maybe a couple of photos will add to that feeling.
This photo goes way back. It always makes me smile because it contains three things I love: chimpanzees enthusiastically playing, Foxie with a giant playface, and Missy bipedal. Seems good for a birthday wish:
and here’s Burrito, who just celebrated his birthday a few days ago:
Foxie
Jamie’s intense love of boots
As a fitting tribute to Kathy Cochran’s birthday, I used the beautiful telephoto lens she gave us way back when with the new camera that the board of directors recently purchased for us. It’s so great to have high quality equipment to capture moments at the sanctuary and share them. Perhaps one of these photos will be in the book Sanctuary: Year Three.
Jamie’s love of boots…
YOUR favorite blog posts
The staff has shared some of their favorite blog posts of the last 2.5 years.
Now here is the compiled list of readers’ favorites:
Let it snow 12/13/2008 – the chimps’ first snow storm. The video was shared on King5 TV in Seattle and brought in some terrific supporters who remain today
Success 8/26/2008 – our announcement that the chimps were outside for the first time
A new doll for Foxie 10/27/2010 – quoting Elizabeth (even though she specifically says not to in the post), this video shows Foxie’s “ritualistic adoration behavior” with her troll dolls
Cowgirl Jamie 9/20/2010 – when Jamie managed to get her opposable toe into an extra-wide boot
Jamie keeps us guessing and Foxie keeps growing 9/22/2008 – video of Jamie going through a purse and using each thing she finds, including a nail file
The thinker… 12/26/2010 – a recent photo of Jamie in the hand chair, examining her hand
Jamie’s boots 11/4/2010 – Jamie enjoying some new boots and looking through a boot catalog
Easter Party 4/12/2009 and And the party continues 4/13/2009 – video and a photo of Burrito and his coconut
Foxie and the giant troll 10/4/2009 – Foxie being a mom to a big troll doll
Tutu retrospective 10/9/2009 – Jamie during her tutu phase (don’t forget to read Chimpanzees wearing clothes about our decision to share photos of the chimps when they choose to wear clothing).
Mail call 10/7/2009 – Jamie opening up the returned auction invites
Playful bunch of chimps 5/14/2010 – a staff favorite too – Negra really wins people over
Old ladies playing 7/3/2008 – another staff favorite with Negra being playful
Young’s Hill and Out of the Box 8/19/2010 – video announcing Young’s Hill, our 2-acre expansion project
Way, way Out of the Box 10/3/2010 – letting everyone know about the success of the Out of the Box auction!
Foxie and her adorable toes 2/13/2010 – Foxie expressing herself with her toes
Nest grunts 10/11/2010 – video/audio of the chimpanzees saying goodnight
Conflict 7/27/2009 – photos and description of the chimpanzees having a disagreement, it explains chimpanzee social dynamics and fear facial expressions a bit
And the list below is from one person – Julie Harding, who went back just one year and selected these favorites (those that were duplicated above weren’t included in the list):
Laughter 10/20/2009 – Foxie and Jamie wrestling and laughing
Smiling 10/29/2009 – an explanation of the difference between human and chimp smiles
Negra’s son Noah 1/14/2010 – a photo of Noah who lives at Save the chimps & who Jennifer and James Douglas sponsored his migration from New Mexico to Florida
Mother’s Day party 5/9/2010 – photos of the party, the volunteers (including Julie and her daughter Sarah) and the great party food
Chimpanzees still in labs 5/13/2010 – information about the Great Ape Protection Act
Foxie’s new baby 5/20/2010 – Foxie and a baby doll (not a troll doll!) – a gift from Tamela
We’ve Come a Long Way Baby! 5/27/10 – the garden and landscaping, thanks to Dakotta of Sustainable Landscaping, Cloudview Ecofarms, and Jackie, J.B. & Denice
Burrtio and Sarah Play 6/4/2010 – a happy Mr. B playing with Sarah
Jamie Then and Now 6/8/2010 – photos contrasting Jamie’s appearance the day she arrived at the sanctuary with two years later
Negra Moments 6/13/2010 – caregivers’ favorite Negra moments or favorite aspects of her personality
Bounty of Trolls 7/6/10 – photos of Foxie with a ridiculous number of troll dolls
Senator Cantwell introduces GAPA companion bill 8/3/2010 – good news and links for more info about the bill
How to Nest by Jody and Missy 8/17/2010 – a photo montage of Jody and Missy nesting (this was one of my favorite posts to write)
Grooming 8/31/2010 – photos of Annie and Missy grooming and explanation of chimpanzee grooming
Today in Memory of Marilyn Goodrich 9/12/2010 – photo of hands and feet
It’s harvest time! 9/21/2010 – the garden’s goodness
HALLOWEEN 10/31/2010
Negra’s daughter Heidi 11/19/10 – a photo of Heidi, Negra’s daughter, who is at the Alamogordo Primate Facility
Thanks for sharing, everyone!