Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

chimpanzee retirement

What A Day Pt. II

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Today was another day! Yesterday, Cy, Lucky, Willy B, and Honey B met all together and even had a sleepover together. Overall, the sleepover went well. So today we decide to let Rayne and Mave partake the meetings. There were some ups and downs with the six(!) chimpanzees. We ultimately decided to just let them meet at the mesh for today. I wasn’t able to get enough photos or footage to piece together a video of today’s meetings… however… caregiver Sam was ever so gracious enough to allow me to share the video she was working on of the meetings that took place on Sunday!

Along with Sam’s video, please enjoy some of the photos I was able to take before introductions. I was not able to choose between some, so I had some other caregivers help chose which ones to use, but the consensus was to post two of each.

Though virtually the same, small little nuances make each photo different!

Jamie enjoying today’s browse of rose hips:

Picking at the rose hips
Enjoying the rose hips

Mave in her Greenhouse:

A straight shot of Mave looking at the camera
The addition of the lip bite

And one final photo of Lucky!

The Storm Before the Calm

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Last night I heard a new take on a familiar phrase while watching PBS NewsHour. Jonathan Capeheart, while referring to something political, said the phrase, in a very deliberate way, “The storm before the calm.”

I often get phrases or little bits of lyrics in my head that repeat without me even realizing it, and “the storm before the calm” has been with me all day.

Earlier this week, I was describing chimpanzees to someone as being either very quiet and mellow or loud and explosive. Of course they have in-between states too, but chimpanzees do often seem to have a dual way of being that can flip in an instant.

What I like about the inversion of that familiar phrase about storms and calms is its fundamental truth. We can worry about the storms when things are calm, but, during storms, we can also try to appreciate that calm is sure to follow.

Like most days with chimpanzees, there were a few stormy moments, but for the most part, things were very calm.

Jody in her favorite spot:

image: Jody

Jody, poolside:

Burrito and Missy grooming a calm Jamie:

Isn’t Sanctuary Life Grape?

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A million thanks to all Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest supporters that participated yesterday in our HOOT! For The Holidays virtual celebration to welcome the Lucky Six. We are all so grateful for the generous donations and bids because we surpassed our goal by plenty and more, assuring future plans to develop. Sanctuary life for these amazing 16 chimpanzees could not be possible without all of you amazing souls. We hope that learning more about the Lucky Six and their past brought everyone a bit closer to them.

To continue the celebration we harvested some grapes directly from our small vineyard and gave some to the chimps as an afternoon snack. Everyone was very excited about fresh grapes!

I walked to the green house and noticed this chimp lineup. Caregiver Katelyn had many sets of eyes looking at her while she harvested grapes from the vineyard.

Caregiver Katelyn serving Missy some grapes fresh from the vine.

Negra all cozy this morning in the green house. Thanks to everyone that has donated blankets, they certainly appreciate it!

Foxie coming in from Young’s Hill after enjoying a beautiful sunny day.

Gordo resting high up on the green house platform after a scrumptious lunch.

Mave looking into the camera while enjoying the breeze in the outdoor chute.

Rayne looking down from a platform in the green house with a wooden toy in her mouth.

HOOT! is tonight!

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Here we are, skipping another in-person event due to the pandemic. In-person events are a lot of work, but there’s an unmistakable energy that happens when you get a group of people together in one space with a common mission and a drive to give.

The crucial funds raised are of course the main focus, but that sense of a shared purpose–the hope and the love–is what is the most encouraging aspect of an event.

The sanctuary is incredibly fortunate to have you, supporters and champions of the chimpanzees. With this blog, we are exposed to that energy, albeit in an online context, every day.

Preparing for tonight’s second virtual HOOT! gala has been filled with moments of nostalgia. Some of the people who you will see and hear from tonight during the event are from the early days of the sanctuary. Even some of the auction items have been unearthed from years ago (like the Troll Mania book created for our 2011 event).

The staff went way back to our childhoods for some of the auction items, with each of us choosing a favorite children’s book (see auction items #10-20).

The pandemic has often been described as a collective pause. Of course the sanctuary doesn’t have the option to pause, and the last year has been one of the busiest times in our history. There hasn’t been a lot of time to reflect.

Tonight, though, as we watch the virtual event in our respective homes, together in spirit, we have the chance to reflect on what we have accomplished as a group, each with our individualized efforts, to provide a home for chimpanzees who had no where else to go.

Humans failed these chimpanzees, but now our collective humanity has saved them. It’s a giving back that will always be incomplete, but that doesn’t make it any less worth the effort.

To all of the staff, board members, volunteers, donors, followers, and supporters, thank you for being here for them. Let’s celebrate together all that we’ve accomplished and the continued hope for the future.

Bid on auction items through Sunday on the auction site and watch the event on Facebook and YouTube live streaming starting at 6:00 p.m. PT / 9:00 p.m. Eastern. We’ll be with you!

What A Day

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Whew! What a day! When we arrive in the morning, we never know what kind of day it will be. This is why we expect most scenarios that can arise and try to be prepared for them.

After we got done cleaning all the enclosures, we were prepared to start the introduction process for today. As we are continuing planning and preparing for each introduction, we decided it was time to try a two-on-two introduction. One thing to keep in mind is that just because certain combinations of one-on-ones go well doesn’t necessarily mean things will automatically fall into place when you combine certain dyads together. So today Cy and Lucky met with Willy B and Mave. When they first met through the mesh caging, there was the expected displaying and screaming. When things calmed down and they were showing signs of wanting to be together, we let them into the same areas with each other. When the doors opened, they greeted each other with some grooming. But it was short lived. Similar to humans, when you are starting to get to know another person, you’re also getting to know their body language and how to translate their intentions. There was some miscommunication between Cy and Mave. Cy seemed like he wanted to play, and Mave misinterpreted it wrong. There was a lot of screaming from all parties and a non-injurious scuffle. We were able to separate everybody from being in the same area, though they still could have contact through the mesh. After an event like this, it’s also important that amends can be made. As we were discussing our plans to reunite them with their respective groups, we found all four of them grooming and playing with each other through the mesh. We allowed them to continue their interactions to ensure there were no hurt feelings between them until dinner time.

(Front to back) Mave and Willy B (left side) groom with Cy and Lucky (right side).

Though this meeting wasn’t the best outcome, it also wasn’t the worst. There were glimmers of hope mixed within the chaos. And amends were seemingly made as it took a little bit of convincing at dinner to have Mave and Willy B leave Cy and Lucky at the mesh caging. Most of this is what we expected might happen and were prepared for it.

So with the kind of day it was, I wasn’t able to get very many photos. But thankfully, Kelsi and Sam allowed me to use some of the photos they were able to get from throughout the day to share.

Kelsi was able to get this photo of Lucky lounging on the firehose after her meeting with Mave and Willy B today.
Sam was able to get this photo of Burrito today during a break between one of their play sessions.
And one I was able to take of Cy eating a sweet potato yesterday during lunch.

We want to thank you all for the support you have given us throughout this process and throughout the years.

For those you have followed for a while, then you know that our annual gala is upon us! Similar to last year, Hoot! will be held as an online auction! There are some amazing items up for bid, with bidding live now! Be sure to check out some of these items and don’t forget to tune in this Saturday at 6PM PST for the live event! We hope to see you there!

CSNW (Lip)SmackDown

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As mentioned last week, chimpanzees produce several different noises while they’re grooming. Lip smacking, blowing raspberries, and teeth clacking, are among some of the sounds produced. The meeting between Cy and Willy B was perfect example of teeth clacking.

For this week, I decide to let you hear some of the other noises in the form of a Guess Who game!

Below are two other residents here producing some grooming noise. Can you guess who they are?

Guess Who Part 1

Guess Who Part 2

I will give you some time to take a guess. In the meantime, some other little updates from today!

It was a fairly quiet day today, overall. We did continue with the introduction process between Willy B’s Group and Cy’s Group.

The first meeting today was between Willy B and Terry! Just like last time, when Willy B and Terry realized it was their time to hang out with each other today, they were excited to say the least. There was no initial display that we might expect between two adult males. It was instant grooming, playing, and laughter between the two.

Next was Terry and Honey B! As you may have read about their last meeting, things didn’t go as planned. We are taking it very slow in allowing these two to get to know each other. Today, they just met each other through the caging and did not share the same space. Though Honey B was a little apprehensive of first, her confidence grew. When it did, she almost beckoned Terry to meet her at the caging. He obliged, which resulted in a long grooming session, and a longer play session between the two. We will continue to provide them opportunities to interact with each other through the caging before they both are comfortable enough to play with each other in the same space.

Have you locked in your guesses yet!?

If not, I will give you a little more time. Here are some photos I was able to capture today (and one from last week). Is there a clue with in the photos of who they are? Maybe? Maybe not?

Gordo in a box!

 

Lucky and Rayne hanging out with each other on a front room bench!

 

Nutmeg in the creek! (He’s a wild steer now. You can’t change his mind.)

 

Willy B with one of the new Giant Kongs last week!

Ok! Without any further delay… *drum roll*

The first video is Terry!

And last but certainly not least, the second video is Honey B!

How many grooming noises did you hear in those videos and what kinds?

Thank you for playing along everybody!

Reminder: Chimps Don’t Belong in Captivity

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For today’s blog post, I thought it would be worthwhile and prudent to review some of our positions and policies for anyone who may be new to our content.

First, I hope that everyone takes the time to find out why we exist, how we do what we do, and why we do it that way. The quickest way to familiarize yourself is to visit the Mission, Vision and Goals page on our organization’s website.

You’ll quickly see that we’re extremely opposed to practice of keeping nonhuman primates in captivity. Unfortunately, many chimpanzees were taken from the forests of Africa years ago and have been bred and behaviorally conditioned for use in research and entertainment. The majority of these individuals were deprived of the irreplaceable maternal bonds and complex social networks that free-living chimpanzees depend on for survival, essentially rendering the entire captive population incapable of a reintroduction into the wild.

As a response to these past injustices, the sanctuary provides a permanent retirement home for these individuals where they are free from further exploitation and can have some degree of self-determination.

Mave looks out from one of the new indoor playrooms.
Cy watches the caregivers from behind the steel mesh caging.

This protection from harm does not, however, come with absolute freedom from captivity. Each group of chimps has regular access to several different enclosures, but they must stay within these areas for their own security (and for human safety). Chimpanzees are not a domesticated species and the individuals we care for are not tame, so it would be irresponsible and dangerous to let them out of their enclosures to interact with humans in any capacity. Likewise, we never enter an enclosure occupied by chimpanzees; Before staff can unlock a space for cleaning or repairs, multiple trained personnel must confirm that all the chimps are accounted for elsewhere and that all the barriers between the areas are secure.

Willy B watches a caregiver operate the hydraulic doors while safely outside the enclosure.
Caregiver Sofia interacts with Gordo across a chimp-proof window in the new indoor areas.

If a staff member or experienced volunteer wants to have a social interaction with a chimpanzee (e.g., playing, grooming, serving food), the human must follow our protected contact protocols which minimize the risk of physical injury. This policy also requires us to wear appropriate protective equipment, such as masks and gloves, in order to protect the chimps from any respiratory illnesses that we may be carrying.

When we share photographs or videos of humans and chimpanzees engaging in these activities, we add a disclaimer that provides key contextual details and reiterates our philosophy on captivity. Otherwise, we’d risk spreading the harmful myth that chimps can be safely handled.

Caregiver Kelsi allows Terry to “kiss” the back of her gloved hand.
Volunteer Lizz grooms Jamie with piece of browse.

Similarly, imagery of nonhuman primates situated in artificial environments (or provisioned with similarly anthropogenic objects) may cause people to wrongly believe that they are meant to be in proximity to humans. As advocates for these individuals and their species, this puts us in an awkward place. Are we better serving the chimpanzees if we portray them as they should be or as they currently are?

Dr. Erin plays “tug o’ war” with Burrito.

When sharing any content online, our team also has to consider the aesthetics of our facility and how it may be perceived. While we prioritize the design and regular enrichment of these enclosures in ways that maximize their suitability for the chimpanzees, they still have some unmistakable hallmarks of captivity: cement floors, industrial architecture, steel caging, and giant padlocks. For this reason, we often belabor the fact that the chimps have access to various indoor and outdoor areas throughout the day (except for the brief periods when we’re cleaning each of those spaces) but often choose to hang out inside regardless of the other options made available to them.

Rayne lounges on a bench in one of the indoor “front rooms.”
Honey B watches the other chimps from the comfort of an indoor playroom.

The facility’s largest (and most “natural”) enclosure is Young’s Hill, a two-acre meadow furnished with wooden climbing structures and surrounded by a perimeter of electrified fences. The chimps frequently explore and patrol this space and we look forward to having another outdoor area for additional group of chimps to use simultaneously. Even so, the chimpanzees who reside at the sanctuary choose to spend only a small fraction of their time out there (despite the unique opportunities that such a habitat gives them). Instead, the chimps generally prefer to socialize and lounge in the semi-enclosed “greenhouses” throughout the day and make their nests in the elevated portions of the climate-controlled “front rooms” and “playrooms” each night. Some even choose to sleep on the heated cement floors.

The truth is that these chimps have lived most of their lives in artificial spaces like these. Apparently, they feel more comfortable in them.

Who would we be if we forced them to do anything different?

Lucky watches the passing caregivers from an elevated platform in one of the new greenhouses.
Willy B sits outside but is partially obscured from the camera by the electrified wires.
Foxie (with one of her dolls) looks out from within the perimeter fence of the Young’s Hill enclosure.

Last year, Diana wrote some words that, in my opinion, say it best.

We’ll continue to blur the fencing out of some photos and put the cameras up to the caging for an unobstructed view, but it’s not because we want you to forget that it’s there; it’s so you can fully see the unique and wonderful chimpanzees who are choosing to do whatever they are doing in the moment when the camera shutter closes.

I compiled an assorted reading list for anyone who wishes to read more about these nuanced issues (and hopefully get some perspectives besides my own)!

From our website:

CSNW FAQs page

CSNW Blog: “Why are the Chimps in Cages?” (by Diana, 2015)

CSNW Blog: “The Tough Questions” (by Me, 2020)

CSNW Blog: “Caging is OK” (by Diana, 2020)

From other sources:

Study: Impact of Visual Context on Public Perceptions of Non-Human Primate Performers

IUCN’s Best Practice Guidelines for Responsible Images of Nonhuman Primates

North American Primate Sanctuary Alliance’s Position Statements

Thank you all for caring so much about chimpanzees!