Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

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chimpanzee rescue

man of mystery

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If you tuned in yesterday, you read that Willy B has been asserting his desire to disrupt the routine and, instead of shifting for meals, he has one thing on his mind – keeping tabs on the neighbors, we suspect Annie in particular.

Today was a continuation of this trend. Anna, J.B. and I put our heads together yesterday to attempt to problem solve and try to give Willy B what he wants but also ensure we are able to clean their house.

I think I mentioned this a couple of weeks ago, but I have a blog post percolating in my brain all about how much of what we do in caring for captive chimpanzees is balancing different aspects of welfare and safety.

I don’t know if I’ll ever write that grand post. There’s a hundred examples of this sometimes difficult balancing that we do throughout each day. Rarely are there clear right or wrong answers.

Willy B’s new defiance to the routine illustrates several examples.

Because of the construction happening right now that will give Willy B, Mave, and Honey B more space and variety, we decided to not give them access to the courtyard when construction workers are on site.

There are a few reasons we landed on that decision, but mainly it was about safety. Willy B is still getting used to the courtyard and Honey B and Mave are still curious but not curious enough to take steps outside. The Courtyard is right next to where the construction is taking place. We certainly don’t want any incidents while strangers are in the vicinity.

So, this means that Willy B’s Courtyard time has been lessened and we aren’t actively working on encouraging Mave and Honey B to be adventurous, but rather leaving it up to them for the time being.

Also, the Courtyard was a bit of a quick construction project. It’s not their final outdoor space, rather it’s a stop-gap that we created after the integrations didn’t work out so that Willy B, Mave, and Honey B could have an open-top outdoor space while we continue to work on the expansion for them and for another group of chimpanzees coming from Wildlife Waystation.

In order to create the space quickly, there’s just one electric fence running between the Courtyard and the rest of Young’s Hill – the outdoor habitat that the group of seven access. With just one fence between them, we don’t have both groups outside at the same time. This means we have to balance the needs, desires, and welfare of each of the individuals in the two groups when allocating outdoor access.

This is temporary. Both groups will one day have large open-top habitats, but right now we have to work with what we have. And there’s always the possibility of Mave and Honey B never (or take years to) get accustomed to the big open outdoors. So, part of our future plans include a large enclosed outdoor space too. Balancing. Balancing.

Our routine lately has been going along swimmingly for the most part. There was that one day a couple of weeks ago when Willy B decided to camp outside. Anthony’s post that day covers some of this same material I’m relaying here. At the time, that incident was an anomaly and didn’t impact the cleaning routine. Willy B’s decisions this week, however, are putting a wrench in the routine.

Today, I opened up the Chute first thing in the morning, hoping that Willy B would get his fill of monitoring the other group / watching Annie, and would then come in for breakfast so we could clean. I realized at the time, of course, that this was wishful thinking. He chose not to shift for breakfast. And today Honey B decided to join him in his keeping-the-humans-on-their-toes mission. Mave had a fabulous breakfast and was in high spirits all day, inviting the humans to play chase whenever she could catch our eye.

Based on Willy B and Honey B’s decision, I changed up the routine a bit, eventually closing Willy B in the Chute so that we could clean all of the front rooms. Happily for everyone, it was a beautiful sunny day, and he was quite content napping at the top of the Chute.

With the construction crew off, I decided to wait until after lunch to open up the Courtyard so that Willy B could have some extra time out there, if he chose.

He chose.

Anna and I took turns hanging outside with him most of the afternoon.

It wasn’t so much that he wanted to be in the Courtyard as he did not want us to eliminate the option of him being in the Courtyard, so the few times Anna or I approached the controls to close the door, he would move from the Chute to the Courtyard.

It was nice to be able to give him this choice and it allowed me to do a little photo study of this man of mystery.

Eventually, he let Anna close the door and he came inside just before dinner. Whew!

I had a decision to make now. It was right before dinner, but the seven hadn’t been outside on the hill since this morning. They probably would have been just fine getting dinner and ending the day, which would make things easier on the humans. On the other hand, if they could have twenty minutes or so of outside time, that would be nice.

You can probably guess what I decided to do.

The question now was whether Jamie would allow me to close the hill after dinner. Jamie is controlling by nature and often chooses when the caregivers go home by sitting in the doorway to the hill, knowing full well that we won’t leave until all of the chimps are inside for the night.

After dinner, Jamie looked at me and ran outside. The gig was up, there would be no closing of the door; we were going to walk. Actually, a walk was not exactly what she had in mind. I had to get the gator from the barn so we could race.

I have to hand it to Jamie, she knows how to end a day.

Willy B also did not want a door closed during dinner – the door to the Chute. Eventually his stomach and curiosity made the decision for him and I closed the door while Anna passed out grab bags.

Now everyone is tucked in and sleeping soundly, and I’m awake-dreaming about the new spaces taking shape for Willy B, Mave, and Honey B and new chimpanzees and all of the ways they will be able to choose to keep the humans on their toes.

Here’s some exciting progress on the construction.

Doors!

Stairs!

Thanks for tuning in to today’s blog! Happy Thanksgiving week to everyone.

The Reflection of Oneself and Others

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Chimpanzees are an highly intelligent species. You probably know this by now if you have been following the blog for a while. One test chimpanzees have passed numerous times is the Mirror Self-Recognition Test. This test simply shows that an individual knows that the reflection they are looking at in a reflective surface (i.e. mirror) is in fact their own and not a separate individual. Only a handful of species have passed this test to date, including all the large-bodied apes (including humans), elephants, dolphins, orcas, and magpies.

The chimpanzees here are no exception. They all seem to like to look at their reflections. Willy B absolutely loves staring at himself in the mirror!

While Willy B, and most of the other residents, like to stare at their reflection, Honey B uses it a tad differently.

First and foremost, the large Looky Lou mirror in the Mezzanine is a giant swing toy!

Once she has her fun swinging on this giant pendulum, she will stand there holding it. Then ever-so-slightly, turn it to make sure the humans watched her “coming in like a wrecking ball.”

And she will make sure we were watching from multiple angles.

Even when we arrive with camera in hand, she will watch us intently taking pictures, but through the reflection of the mirror.

Honey B is so clever and fun spirited. Her intelligence never ceases to amaze us, as do all the residents here! Just the other day I was quickly reminded of how clever they really are, especially with the use of mirrors and other reflective surfaces. As I was in a (what I thought was) blindspot in the kitchen, I heard Burrito Bronx cheering and banging on the mesh from one of the front rooms. This is usually Burrito talk for, “Hey you! It’s play time!” I didn’t think it was possibly directed to me because how could he see me? Then it hit me! The door leading to the chimp area was positioned ever-so-right that he could see me through the reflection of the window on the door! Since this discovery, I’ve noticed he will position himself in the front rooms if he has the slightest hint any of us are in this blindspot trying to get some work done. “Silly humans!”

As a bonus to end the day, here are some photos of Negra and Jody today!

 

let’s hear it for the bovines

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If you are not in the mood to read words at the moment, watch the video above and scroll down for some photos.

Yesterday was my day to muck out the cattle barn and feed the bovine family.

The staff person assigned to “cattle care” for the day generally carries out this task after the morning duties in the chimp house – mainly serving the chimpanzees breakfast and doing a lot of cleaning.

J.B., Anna, Kelsi, and I got done with the chimp house cleaning pretty early, and I decided to finish up some donor thank yous before heading out to give the cattle their hay.

Because it’s winter, the cattle are given hay in their barn, which is on the side of the property where our home office is located. (side note: during the summer months they graze the pastures, helping with fire protection, and do not need supplemental hay.)

I tried not to look out the window too much, but I could feel them staring at me as I was finishing the thank yous. They are quite aware of the schedule and they are not shy to remind us when we are behind.

One funny thing – they had hay leftover from yesterday; they almost always do, but that does not matter. They want the new hay and they want it delivered on time.

Thank yous complete, I went to the old barn on the property and wrestled a half-opened bale of hay into our gator (utility vehicle). I was quite aware as I was struggling to do this that if anyone had been watching they may have thought I was attempting to perform some sort of slap-stick comedy routine; at one point I laughed out loud at myself.

I finally triumphed over the bale of hay and was able to deliver the good stuff to the bovines.

As Chad described earlier this week as part of wishing her a happy birthday, Honey is the sassiest of the bunch and does not put up with any nonsense from the humans. As they were all contentedly eating from the hay feeder, I went around to each one and pet them, even sneaking in a hug of sorts with Betsy and Nutmeg, who very graciously put up with my affection.

When I got to Honey, she looked at me askance. I touched her head gently and she flipped her head up to remove my hand. I did it again, and she repeated her head flip, but with a little less enthusiasm. And then, rather than backing away or trying to get me to back away, she returned to eating. This was progress in our slowly developing relationship, so I left it at that and left her in peace while I mucked the barn.

Four cattle leave a surprising amount to muck.

One other side note that might answer a question you have: we often use the term cattle or bovines because there are technically just three cows in the group: Honey, Betsy, and Meredith. Nutmeg is a steer (of formidable size but mostly gentle spirit), not a cow.

I finished up, luckily did not get the gator stuck in mud, and went back to the office after changing my shoes and jacket. Then I grabbed the mail to take to the post office.

As I was driving to town, I noticed that I smelled of hay and perhaps a bit of manure, and I thought to myself that this is why I love living where we do. No need to put on any airs, you know what I mean?

I reached up to scratch my head, a piece of hay fell into my lap, and my finger got stuck in what I quickly realized was smoothie.

I had served Mave, Willy B, and Honey B breakfast earlier. Honey B likes to hang on to her smoothie cup herself. She had stopped drinking from it and I reached for it, thinking she was done, and she proceeded to spit a mouthful of smoothie on my forehead. Honey B could also be described as sassy; maybe there’s something in the name.

So, for the second time that day, while all alone, I laughed out loud at myself.

What a very strange and enchanted life I have, going to the post office with chimpanzee-spit smoothie in my hair and smelling of cattle.

Truly, it is enchanted. Here’s that video which is also above. I took the first bit of this video last week and J.B. took the other clips today:

J.B. also got some great photos of Betsy and Meredith today:

Betsy (foreground) and Meredith behind her
Betsy in profile with her thick winter coat
Meredith
Betsy and Meredith with the neighbor’s horses in the background
gratuitous photo of handsome Willy B by J.B.
messy paper double chimpanzee nest found in the loft of the playroom this morning

 

Riding the Waves

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The chimpanzees began their morning with a raucous exchange of displays between the two neighboring groups. Screams, barks, drumming and hoots reverberated throughout the Chimp House. The neighbor effect is very real.

The following breakfast services were predictably tense. On one side of the building, Jamie was irate that the poor human caregiver wouldn’t give her someone else’s chow bag. The white paper bag sat awkwardly in the bottom of the food chute as Jamie loudly won the ensuing argument, but Negra quietly absconded with the prize during the chaos. In the Mezzanine, Willy B flexed his dominance by intimidating the female chimps and claiming Mave’s chow bags. Willy has grown more patient and tolerant in his time here, possibly due to our efforts to promote cooperative feeding. However, like all high-ranking chimps, he still needs to assert himself occasionally. This morning was one of those moments.

Generally speaking, chimpanzee behavior is characterized by short chaotic episodes during which the social hierarchy is challenged. These conflicts can either reform existing relationship dynamics or reinforce them. Instability and tension, however, are not just unpleasant; they’re downright exhausting. Adrenaline is unsustainable and requires a long reset afterwards. For this and many other reasons, chimps spend most of their time engaged in relatively peaceful activities such as grooming, foraging, and rest. I don’t know if chimpanzees have a “love language,” but low-key quality time would probably be it.

Given today’s hectic beginning, it was not surprising that the sanctuary’s residents had calmed down by lunch. The Seven were all about doing laps around Young’s Hill, while Honey B and Mave spent a large chunk of the day grooming and playing chase. Once our team was finished scrubbing enclosures for the day, I took a moment to go sit just outside the caging in the Mezzanine and observe the chimps. Willy B was the only chimp up there, lazily turning over some blankets and toys that had just been distributed by caregivers.

Willy B stared at me for a second, made a gentle hoo, and retrieved a fluffy blue blanket that had been draped over the nearby bench. He dragged it towards me with his knuckles, stopping only when the edges of the blanket were pushed up against the bottom of the steel mesh that separated us. Willy then leaned forward and, like a collapsing Imperial AT-AT, took a gargantuan nose dive into the shaggy pile.

He laid there for some time, face buried in the folds of the blanket. It was difficult to tell if it was a moment of pure exhaustion or zen-like bliss. I followed suit, sprawling out on the smooth heated floor. He lifted his head to reveal his brown eyes, which briefly showed a flash of skepticism, before apparently deciding that it was okay for me to join him on the floor. As I laid on my back, looking up at the passing clouds through the Mezzanine’s skylights, Willy began to take longer and longer blinks until he slowly fell asleep.

Even though I’m used to the routine by now, I noted how odd it felt to see Willy B gradually drift off into a light nap. He seemed to be at ease amid his surroundings despite being a hurricane of hair and muscle just hours earlier. I also felt slightly honored that he had chosen to be in my proximity without asking for anything else. I reminded myself that the never-ending waves of chimpanzee emotion, with peaks of chaos and troughs of serenity, are not something to be necessarily battled against. Rather, they are all part of the chimpanzee experience, adding value to each other. As Anna once told me when I was learning to manage the complex dynamics among these unique chimp individuals, “you’ve gotta ride the waves.”

I decided not to take any photos of Willy B’s nap; doing so would have likely caused him to sit up and stare into the camera lens. Instead, here are some photos our team has taken of chimpanzees resting during the peaceful eyes that separate many tumultuous storms.

   

   

Have a great night, everyone!

Willy B is Never Going Back Inside And We Are Going To Be Out Here Watching Him Forever

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Chad and I have been taking turns sitting out by the chute this afternoon, so that’s where I’m currently stationed while I hammer out this blog post using my iPhone’s Notes app.

As many of you already know; three chimpanzees currently reside in the new wing of the Chimp House: Honey B, Mave and Willy B. Since arriving here in 2019, Honey B, Mave and Willy B have spent most of their time lounging in their cozy indoor areas, investigating new enrichment items, and looking out at the surrounding pastures and forests from the safety of the enclosed outdoor chute. As their caregivers, one of our responsibilities has been to give them the opportunity to go outdoors. For retired chimpanzees who were once used in laboratory research, going outside is a “gateway behavior” of sorts, bringing them closer to a multitude of novel and unique experiences.

Last fall, we started to give these three newcomers daily opportunities to venture outdoors into Young’s Hill, a two-acre outdoor habitat enclosed by two electrified fences. Early in this process, the chimps had some negative experiences with the “hot wires” that connect the fence posts, and for the next few months it seemed like the allure of the unknown was not worth the risk of another painful shock. As you may have gathered from following us this far, chimpanzees have a way of subverting our expectations and making us change course.

As J.B. reminded us all on Friday, chimps are not adapted for captive environments and we are constantly challenged to balance safety, health, and comfort for all parties involved. In the case of the new three and the prospect of going outside, we had to tinker with the environment in a way that led the chimps to act differently without compromising human or chimpanzee safety. The electrified barriers of Young’s Hill enable the chimpanzees to have an expansive and enriching outdoor environment, but they also can be a psychological deterrent.

Last winter, we extended a wooden boardwalk from the end of the chute to the large wooden tower that sits about thirty-five feet away. Chimpanzees, being semi-arboreal, like to stabilize themselves when they move and they often prefer to be above the ground. The boardwalk was designed so that the chimps could walk out into the Courtyard without having to touch the unfamiliar grass and without being tempted to grab the electrified wires for support. Then, we sectioned off that modest alcove of Young’s Hill to create a separate, secure area that we lovingly named The Courtyard. This way, the three would have a manageable amount of space to explore without the uncertainty of the larger enclosure (the far boundary of which is barely visible from the threshold of the chute). The modifications to the fence would also make it easier for us to monitor them if they decided to go on an adventure. Each day, we placed some treats on the boardwalk and waited patiently for them to consider their options.

One afternoon, just after the cold weather had broken and the valley greened up for spring, Willy decided that the moment was right. It began with a few cautious steps down the wooden path to collect food. Over a short period of time, like a chimpanzee Samwise Gamgee, his courageous adventures brought him farther from his familiar home. He learned to climb on firehose ropes, walk on grass, and even take naps outside. As J.B. stated in one blog post:

There could very well be setbacks to come, but Willy B’s efforts this past week have been deeply inspiring. To be honest, I have had trouble doing anything other than sitting quietly by the fence to watch it all unfold. There are so many other things to do and so much going on in the world deserving of attention. But Willy B is the story I need right now.

I wish I could go back a few months to let everyone know that, although Honey B and Mave have not yet decided to join him, Willy B has become quite comfortable in the Courtyard. As long as the weather isn’t too cold or wet, he excitedly waits by the hydraulic doors until we open them up. With all of the recent construction going on nearby, we’ve had to skip some of his group’s Courtyard turns. This hasn’t deterred Willy from making the most of his opportunities, though.

Today, we opened up the Courtyard after lunch, which is a bit later than usual. With a full belly and little incentive to rush back indoors, Willy has elected to spend two-and-a-half hours lounging on the structure all by his peaceful self, munching on lettuce and surveying the golden-flecked valley below. He shows no signs of coming back inside. I’m not complaining at all, but our daily workflow would definitely be improved if he had a change of heart. (After all, the barn needs to be mucked and I need to upload this blog!) We’re really excited for the day when we have two outdoor habitats, and Willy can sit unbothered from dawn ’til dusk.

Chad and I just offered him some sugar-free chewing gum, grapes, and strawberries in exchange for his return to the building. He chose to stay outside each time. Still, we’re respecting his choice to stay where he likes to be. As I finish typing this, he’s currently sprawled out in the autumn sun, holding his feet in the “happy baby” pose, letting the gentle breeze tickle his disheveled hair. I wouldn’t be surprised if he, like Jamie, learns that he can choose to stay outside as long as he wants. That would be fine with us.

Update: Willy finally chose to return inside after almost three unbroken hours in the Courtyard. It was almost certainly the longest duration of time he’s ever spent the outdoors. Now it’s time for one last walk with Jamie, dinner and evening puzzles, and a good night’s sleep in a heap of fleece blankets.

Adventure Awaits

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Yesterday, as I was helping clean the Playroom, I noticed Foxie sitting at the door that leads to Young’s Hill.

Was she contemplating going outside? Was it too cold for her? Was she just waiting for somebody to return? I admittedly stopped cleaning and watched her for a few minutes. After some time, others began to return from their patrol around the hill.

Jody returned with some fresh picked greens.

Then Jamie returned with Burrito right behind her.

After their return, almost everybody spent the rest of the time on the top platform waiting for us humans to finish cleaning.

Annie, Burrito, and Jody

It’s hard to say what Foxie was thinking or why she herself didn’t choose to go outside, but today was different.

When cleaning was done today, Jamie requested Kelsi and Anna to go on a walk with her.

They were soon joined by Missy and Burrito. All three of them thought it was an amazing idea to sprint up the hill, which included making Kelsi and Anna sprint as well.

While Jamie, Missy, and Burrito were running around with the human caregivers, I caught two familiar figures out of the corner of my eye.

Jody and Foxie decided to have their own little adventure.

The Adventures of Jody and Foxie aren’t quite like the others. They can be equated to being like two old friends taking a walk in the park. Really just a casual stroll through the outside enclosure. If someone takes an interest in something, the other stops and waits for them.

Foxie decided to try to climb one of the structures. As she did, Jody waited for her.

When they were done with their adventure, they headed back inside the Greenhouse.

Right around the time Foxie and Jody decided they had enough adventure, the Trio’s adventure was coming to an end as well. It should come to no surprise that Missy was the first one to make it back. She usually sprints the entire hill, leaving everyone else in her dust.

Jamie and Burrito were not far behind though.

You may have noticed Jamie’s attire might have changed from the beginning of their adventure to the end. Both Anna and Kelsi told me she started out with a scarf, then half way through it turned into a waistband, and at the very end it turned into a sash. We never know how the chimpanzees will react and interact with the different enrichment items they are provided. Sometimes they are a hit, sometimes they fall flat. Jamie though has an ability to shape the items in such a way to her liking. We don’t give her instructions on how to use an item or force her to interact with it. It’s always her choice and her way. I cannot wait for Jamieween to arrive!

And here are some bonus photos I just wanted to share from earlier in the week:

Honey B enjoying a magazine with peanut butter smears.
Willy B getting ready to take an afternoon nap.
Annie waiting for everybody else to return from a patrol.
Negra enjoying her dinner celery from the other night.

The Wonder of Progress

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It’s been a crazy year, but it’s been very exciting for us to witness the steady progress on the new enclosures.

We’ve shared a few updates on the blog over the past few months (1, 2, 3) so that you all can get glimpses of the expanded Chimp House and see how the chimpanzees are coping with all of the commotion.

Today’s post includes a short video of the ongoing construction (and some clips of the three patient chimpanzees who have been taking it all in, day by day).