Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

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Happy Birthday, Doug!

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Today’s day of sanctuary was sponsored by Natasha Yankoffski in honor of Doug Engmann! Natasha is a long-time friend and supporter of the chimpanzees who also works to help rescue and rehabilitate sick and injured marine mammals. Natasha shared this lovely message about today:

“August 3rd is my boss’ birthday. He is a very kind, caring & generous individual who is very supportive of my passion for wildlife conservation. I wanted to give him a unique holiday present and what better way to honor his caring spirit than to ensure that your wonderful chimps live their days in a safe, happy & fun environment (with lots of good things to eat!).”

Natasha, thank you so much for being such a wonderful advocate for not only the chimpanzees, but all animals. We truly appreciate your desire to make a difference in the chimpanzees’ lives as you honor Doug today.

Doug, thank you for your support of wildlife conservation and the passion of those who advocate on behalf of so many special beings. We hope you have the best birthday yet and a day full of celebration and joy. You sound like a wonderfully special being yourself and all of us here at CSNW send birthday pant-hoots your way! Happy Birthday!!

Annie enjoying pea tendrils and corn on the cob (and lips 🙂 ):

Annie eat corn and pea tendrils

We are so fortunate to have two people sponsoring this day of sanctuary for the chimpanzees so please tune in later this morning to help us celebrate with our second sponsor! The chimpanzees have the best friends!

Recovery and Reunion

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I’ve never seen a chimpanzee sleep so soundly and for so long as Burrito did after his dental procedure yesterday. He slept from mid afternoon yesterday straight through to this morning.

Burrito sleeping in recover room

J.B. and I decided to leave the playroom empty so that Burrito could have a peaceful rest without the girls disturbing him, They spent the day in the greenhouse and Young’s Hill. Around 7:00 last night I opened up a couple of the front rooms for the girls for the night, leaving one empty as a buffer between him and them.

Even with the noise of operating doors, Burrito continued to sleep soundly. Burrito’s position in Front Room One meant that the girls couldn’t see him. They sure did try, though. I had taken the photo above of him sleeping, so I decided to show that to whoever wanted to take a look. Jamie stared at it for a very long time – I’ve only seen her look at photos that long when they are of herself.

Jamie seemed reassured that Burrito was okay, and made her nest up on the bench in Front Room Three, with Foxie bedding down next to her. Negra was very eager to make a nest. She chose a spot on the floor in Front Room Three and used most of the blankets that were in that room, so I handed out more. Jody made her nest on the lower bench in Front Room Four, which allowed her to see down the hallway.

When Missy and Annie went back out to the greenhouse after trying to see Burrito, I went out to see what they were up to. It turns out they had decided to camp out on the top of the structure of the greenhouse.

Here’s Missy making her nest at the top of the structure:

Missy nesting in the greenhouse

 

And here she is, all covered up and ready for sleep:

Missy covered in sheet

 

I handed out more blankets to Annie, and she made her bed next to Missy:

Annie nesting

Annie nesting

 

When I went back a few hours later, Burrito was still sleeping, and either Missy or Annie had moved into the upper bench in Front Room Four. I didn’t want to disturb sleeping chimpanzees, so I don’t know who it was, but either Annie or Missy had a nice sleep out in the greenhouse, which was probably a first for an overnight!

This morning, Burrito was much more alert – all that sleep served him well!

He was anxious to get back with the group, but we wanted him to rest up some more, which was probably good because the ladies had a fight this afternoon, so it was just as well that he stayed out of that.

As is the routine after a fight, grooming commenced. Here is Missy, Jody, and Foxie:

grooming after a fight

 

Burrito was back to his usual self by the late afternoon:

Burrito holding toy

Burrito holding toy to mouth

Burrito with toy in mouth

 

By the time dinner came around, everyone was insisting that they be reunited. And so they were.

 

In the photo below, Burrito is standing bipedally and Foxie, Negra, Jody, and Missy are all rushing to greet him.

Jody and Foxie and Negra greeting Burrito

 

Foxie was particularly enthusiastic with her greeting:

Foxie greeting Burrito

 

And here’s Mr. B doing what he loves most – eating. He’ll be on a soft food diet for a few days, so there will probably be many more baked sweet potatoes in his future:

Burrito eating baked sweet potato

 

Burrito in Recovery

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Today was Burrito’s big dentist’s appointment. A month ago, after we noticed he had fractured a lower canine tooth, he had an initial exam to help determine the course of action and his ability to withstand anesthesia. You can read about that exam in this blog post written by J.B.

The echocardiogram from his first procedure showed some cardiac disease, as expected, and confirmed that the treatment we have had him on for the last three years was appropriate.

Today, we owe a debt of gratitude to the chimps’ local veterinarian Erin Zamzow and tech Amanda Carner, veterinary dental surgeon Loic Legendre, his intern Adriana Regalado and veterinary technician Barbara Boyle, nurse anesthetist Kurt Smudzinski, CSNW volunteer Rebecca Smudzinksi, and the staff and volunteers who came as support crew. And we are so grateful to everyone who helped us fundraise for the clinic, allowing the chimpanzees to receive medical treatment at home.

One thing that we’ve learned about Burrito with these past two procedures is that he can tolerate A LOT of sedative and anesthetic drugs. Once he was finally completely sedated, he was in the skilled hands of the veterinarian team. The canine tooth that was recently fractured was extracted, and a front tooth that had been broken for some time was also pulled after reviewing x-rays taken on the spot.

Burrito tooth extraction

Right now, he has a whole circle of compassionate people watching over him (we feel your concern and caring too!)

compassion circle

Based on his quick bouncing back last time, we have no doubt that he’ll be back to his usual self, toy in mouth, with the girls in no time… just with two fewer teeth.

Burrito with toy in mouth

Burrito with blue stick in mouth

Burrtio with toy in mouth

Burrito with block in mouth on YH

If you’d like to add your support for Burrito and crew, we have a wishlist full of a variety of needed things that you can gift to the sanctuary, and / or you can make a donation in Mr. B’s honor. Thank you for all of your support!

 

Chimpanzee Tool Use and Jamie’s Smartness

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We all know by now that chimpanzees are really smart. And, if you are familiar with Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest, you know that boss Jamie chimpanzee often shows off her intellect. Sometimes she even impresses those of us in the know, however.

Case in point: the other day I was doing a perimeter walk with Jamie and she turned back to gather two big tumbleweeds. At first I wasn’t sure what she was doing – she doesn’t usually pick up tumbleweeds on our walks. Plus they were rather awkward to carry. They kept slipping out of her hand as they scraped against the ground, but, each time, she would pick them back up and continue the walk.

Jamie gathering tumbleweed

At one point she stood up bipedally and put one of the tumbleweeds in her mouth for easier carrying. She also took a good long look at the boots I was wearing, and I became clued in to her plans.

Jamie bipedal with tumbleweed

When the walk was complete, I met her and her tumbleweeds in the greenhouse. Jamie pulled up the big black tub to sit on.

Jamie altering tumble weed

And then she proceeded to alter one of the tumbleweeds to her liking:

Once she was satisfied with her tool, she pushed it through the caging and began to groom the boot I was wearing (which, of course, she had picked out prior to our walk).

Jamie grooming boot

Imagine the forethought that it took for her to go through the process of seeing an unruly tumbleweed well before the walk was finished to the grooming session that she imagined would happen minutes later. She’s one smart cookie!

The inevitable march of time

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The summers at the sanctuary begin with the grass and plants an almost unnatural neon green. The plant life boastfully emerges from the earth looking impossibly fresh. The photos we take during this period are beautiful with the chimpanzees’ dark hair contrasted against the bright green of the grass on Young’s Hill.

Foxie:

Foxie in the green grass

 

Jody with some wild plant she’s harvested:

Jody in the green grass

 

This period of lush green that comes on so strong, holding the promise of electrified life, sometimes feels like a fleeting moment. As soon as summer begins, the precipitation seems to come to a halt. The grasses release their seeds and begin to fade, but they remain tall and the chimpanzees can hide and explore in this more wild landscape.

Jody:

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Missy:

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Annie:

Annie walking in the tall grass

Annie profile walking in tall grass

 

Jamie in the foreground, Missy in the background:

Jamie and Missy walking in the tall grass

 

Jamie:

Jamie in the tall grass

 

With the threat of wildfire that arrives each summer, and to allow the chimpanzees to navigate the hill a bit easier, we (meaning J.B.) mows pathways that turn to amber streaks across the fading but stubborn green grass.

 

Annie (taken today):

Annie standing tall grass

 

Negra collecting her lunch from a forage set out on the hill (taken today):

Negra forage

Negra mouth full of food

 

While the rich and deep green of early summer imparts a contagious sense of renewed life, there’s definitely a beauty with the changing landscape of each season. Just as the grass turns gold, the established bamboo plants along the irrigation lines have produced ambitious shoots that leaf out and offer greenery for many more months, which Jody clearly appreciates:

Burrito and Jody with bamboo

 

There’s something for every season, and I think that the chimpanzees appreciate what this sanctuary environment has to offer year-round. Yes, even as the seasons inevitable progress into winter:

Jody eating snow

 

Happy Birthday, Harry Hmura!

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This day of sanctuary was sponsored by Alison Chapot in honor of Harry Hmura’s birthday! Alison has been a long time supporter and friend of the chimpanzees and in celebrating today she shared, “Harry is a dear friend and advocate for apes around the world.”

Harry Hmura is a musician and volunteers his performances to bring awareness to great apes and the sanctuaries that many of these individuals call home and assist with fundraising. Gaining inspiration from Dr. Jane Goodall and all of the great apes, Harry created a unique project called, I AM, I AM, in which he composed and produced an album using great ape vocalizations. “The entire collection of great ape vocal recordings, beginning in 2007, of chimpanzees, bonobos, gorillas, orangutans and gibbons including background environment sounds were recorded at sanctuaries or in natural indigenous habitats around the world.”

“I AM, I AM Project’s mission is sharing half the proceeds for much needed funding with sanctuaries around the world. Sanctuaries are amazing places, innocent beautiful lives, the spirit between humans and great apes. They are home to individuals, each unique from the next with different names and faces rescued from laboratory research, the entertainment and pet industry, the bushmeat trade and loss of habitat. They provide life time care, rehabilitation, companionship, shelter, protection, even sometimes reuniting family members, bringing new meaning and desires to life.”

Alison, thank you so very much for thinking of the chimpanzees and giving them a special day as you honor your friend, Harry, and celebrate his life!

Harry, we are so grateful to you for the work you do to advocate for great apes and sanctuaries worldwide. Thank you for sharing your talent and compassion by bringing awareness of these incredibly special beings to so many others and helping to make a real difference in their lives.

Jamie, always living her life to the fullest:

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web jamie play ukulele greenhouse IMG_9637

web Jamie YH view of valley below_MG_4302