Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest
Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary
For lunch today, caregiver Lisa served the chimpanzees corn, cauliflower, potatoes, cherry tomatoes, snow peas, and red onions.
Annie with a corn cob wadge (you can see that chimps don’t have the same hangups about “table manners” as we do):
Negra with a mouthful of cauliflower glancing out the window on her way to her favorite spot on the catwalk:
Jody:
Missy heading upstairs with her haul:
She settled in front of the window for a lunchtime view of the valley:
Enrichment comes in many forms—food enrichment, social enrichment, object enrichment, and structural enrichment—but sometimes the most enriching things are completely unintentional. Nearly two years ago, JB took out the extremely heavy drain covers we used to have and exchanged them for lightweight covers. They are much easier to handle for the humans, but also much more likely the chimps could get it. However, the covers are durable and pose no danger to the chimps, so the risk of them grabbing it versus practically breaking our backs every time we had to lift the heavy drain cover was worth it!
After JB put in the new covers, we took bets on when the chimps (particularly Jamie) would get it. I guessed about 20 minutes after they had access to the playroom. Diana guessed that night while the humans were away, and JB guessed within 48 hours. We were all wrong! Twenty-three months was the actual answer. We didn’t see how she got it, but when we came into the chimp area a few days ago, Jamie had removed the drain cover, finally.
After removing it, she proceeded to clean it with some scraps of paper. Annie was very interested in watching her—I’m sure they know it is something they aren’t really supposed to have. (Kind of like this time we played keep-away with a laundry basket).
You’ll notice in the video that there is quite a mess in the playroom—it was the day after the Lunar New Year party, so there was a lot to clean up. Once breakfast was brought out, Jamie dropped the drain cover and exited the playroom so we could enter to retrieve it and clean up the party. As far as I am aware she hasn’t bothered to get the drain cover since, but it certainly was enriching for her that morning.
Okay, okay, yesterday was actually Groundhog Day but, as it happens, it was also GAME DAY so we may have been a little bit distracted! As it turns out, it appears the Groundhog has predicted 6 more weeks of winter. [And a Seattle Seahawks Super Bowl win! Oh, wait that wasn’t Punxsutawney Phil, that was me. Did I mention I love football?] Seahawks pride aside, the wind and the snow seem to be in agreement with the prognosticating rodent and have conspired to keep the chimpanzees primarily indoors today.
Annie, in the playroom, relaxing on the bridge:
Burrito, in the playroom, playing with a wooden toy:
Negra, in the playroom, lying down on the catwalk and watching Burrito from above:
Foxie, in the playroom, observing the paparazzi:
Jody, in the front rooms, relaxing on a bench:
Missy, also in the front rooms, relaxing on the bench:
You may be wondering about Jamie’s whereabouts. I can assure you she was around and making her usual rounds but was in no mood to have her picture taken today. Since she is the boss, I was only too happy to oblige her request!
Because we’re always looking for an excuse to throw a party, and because the Seahawks are our home team, the chimpanzees had a little Superbowl shindig today. We decorated the greenhouse with Seahawks colors; everything from blankets to breakfast was green and blue. The chimps foraged for bok choy, green apples, and honeydew smoothie in blue plastic shot glasses.
Jamie used this perch as a lookout to scout for food:
and found some smoothie:
Burrito was on a mission searching for anything edible:
Missy found some bok choy and stuffed it in her mouth for safe keeping:
Foxie with a mouthful of food:
Negra was all about the peanuts, as usual:
Jody took her food up to this windowsill, where she could keep an eye on everyone else:
And Annie filled every inch of mouth space with green apple:
Our Superbowl party appears to have been a success and, I think, an indication of good things to come this afternoon. Enjoy your food, friends, and family wherever you are and join the chimps in wishing the Seahawks a great end to a great season. Go, Hawks!
It’s no secret that Negra has a big place in my heart. I first wrote about my love for her in this blog post from 2008, before the chimpanzees had made the journey across the U.S. to come to Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest. She has many endearing qualities, including her enjoyment in watching her caregivers dance (as shown in the Dancing with Negra video from 2009), the multiple stages of her droopy lip, and her love of the night bags that we give the chimpanzees after dinner each night (there’s a short video of Negra getting her night bag here).
As mentioned in this post, one of my favorite sights is a very content Negra eating her night bag while the shells of the seeds in the night bag drop on her belly. Tonight, I finally got a few good photos of just this. Negra has lost a little weight at the sanctuary, but, despite our attempts at rationing her food, she still has a buddha belly. She actually eats quite a bit less than the other chimpanzees and isn’t as food focused as, say, Burrito, but she’s also the least active of the chimpanzees. I consider Negra’s shape to be a pretty endearing quality in itself.
I hope these photos make you as happy as Negra with seeds are her belly makes me.
Today was a happy, happy day at the sanctuary. There was snow on the ground, the sun was shining, and we all celebrated the life and memory of Dr. Mel Richardson. (Thanks again to Lynn, Connie, and Sue and Dawn and Jo for sponsoring today in celebration of what would have been Dr. Mel’s 64th birthday.)
The chimpanzees celebrated in style. The hit of the party was definitely the snow in plastic shot glasses. The chimps have been waiting all winter for snow to eat, and the last couple of days finally delivered.
Jamie:
Burrito:
Annie:
Missy:
Foxie with snow in mouth and troll in hand:
After the party everyone found a sunny spot to rest. BFFs Annie and Missy groomed each other in the playroom:
Negra headed to her favorite spot on the catwalk:
The day was extra special for Jamie. Bill Jackson, who has done some work for us at the sanctuary in the past, stopped by with a pair of boots. Last time he was here, he noticed that Jamie admired the boots he was wearing, so he came back today to hand them over. The chimps really do attract the best people.
As we wrap up the day here in the chimp house, we’re thinking of Dr. Mel, and all the good people of the world, and smiling.
Missy is Annie’s best friend, but she is more dominant on the chimp hierarchy. Today she took Annie’s place in a huge paper nest Annie built (called “displacement”), but Annie didn’t get upset—instead, she started to play.
