Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

chimpanzee retirement

Old Tools, New Ideas

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Chimpanzees are known for their ability to evaluate situations and find some pretty novel ways to handle the task at hand. Everyday, the chimpanzees are provided with numerous items throughout the day as enrichment. One of these items is a long, plastic tube. Jamie generally uses it to reach items just beyond her reach, or to groom the human caregivers. Burrito uses it to play tug-o-war. And every body uses it as a straw when we provide them with buckets of diluted Gatorade. At the end of each dinner service, we also provide the chimpanzees with nighttime food puzzles. The purpose of these puzzles is to exercise their cognitive functions, help promote natural behaviors, and to try to alleviate boredom. And every so often, they surprise us when two-and-two are put together.

Last night’s evening food puzzle were small PVC tubes. The purpose of this puzzle is to promote one of chimpanzees’ natural behaviors: fishing. In the wild, chimpanzees have been found to fish for termites, grubs, and honey. They will find a stick and modify it to suite the situation. They will adjust the length, girth, and the leaves depending on what they are fishing for, and where it is hidden. Here, caregivers put a smear of peanut butter, smashed fruit (bananas, avocados, etc) applesauce, or honey in PVC tubes for the chimpanzees to fish out. The chimpanzee’s are also provided a tool in the form of a chopstick. Some just use their fingers, while others use the chopstick they are provided. Last night, we were pretty amazed that Honey B decided she had an even better tool: the long plastic tube. It was so efficient, she waited patiently for Willy B and Mave (who were using chopsticks and fingers) to be done with theirs, collected them up, and got the peanut butter missed by both of them.

As mentioned before, the chimpanzees use these tubes as straws as well. Usually for buckets of diluted Gatorade or sometimes for their breakfast smoothie. Annie is one who is more likely to use a straw for her smoothie. That is, until caregiver Anthony witnessed her using the tube to siphon smoothie from Jamie’s cup as Jamie was drinking from it!

These chimpanzee people never cease to amaze and surprise us with their actions!

Lastly, an update on Jody. Jody was recovering so well and wanted nothing more to be back with her group, we decided she was well enough to be brought back into the group. She flew into the playroom and was greeted with a sincere hug by Annie.

 

The Saga of Willy B

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Right now, I know that many folks are struggling to adjust to the new normal: a degree of social isolation, economic strife and general mistrust that rails against our innate drives to be together. No matter what we believe should be happening right now, I think it’s safe to say that most of us are frustrated, worried, and even exasperated. We want this to be over, but it won’t end.

Instead, we must look at our own lifestyles, identify the things that truly bring us fulfillment, and work to keep those fires lit even as boredom, anxiety, loneliness and grief do their best to snuff them out.

Amid this uncertain period of perpetual unease, one new development in particular is giving us all some inspiration: the methodical progress and unexpected bravery of Willy B.

I could sit here writing about this chapter of Willy B’s story for hours on end. Given the gradual adjustment of the three new chimpanzees to life at CSNW, punctuated by a couple heartbreaking setbacks, Willy’s recent exploits have given his tale the flavor of an odyssey. It’s now a epic saga of sorts, complete with a courageous, endearing and hairy little hero. Lately, he seems to be on a vague quest with a yet undetermined goal.

In recent weeks, I think that other staff have done an amazing job describing each step in his journey. If you’re looking to catch up, I suggest skimming the previous blog posts about Willy, the Courtyard, and the tall wooden structure that he is gradually conquering one ladder rung at a time. If you are really feeling ambitious, you could skip back to last June when we first announced that we would be welcoming three chimpanzees from the Wildlife Waystation, including a mysterious dominant male named Willy B.

Today, I’m focusing on one particular chapter describing one short event. It occurred over the span of an hour today in the Courtyard.

We’ve been setting food items in small caches throughout the Courtyard to entice Willy B and the others to explore. Gradually, Willy B’s bottomless appetite is leading him to venture into parts unknown. He recently made sporadic forays out onto the boardwalk until he determined that each section was safe. He then grew comfortable sitting at the end of the boardwalk and began to investigate the base of the multi-tiered wooden structure that it leads to. Last week, he climbed the tower, and he has been slowly acclimatizing to the new sensations of sitting on wood decking, perching high above the ground, and being able to see clear over the Chimp House. He’s made tremendous progress, but there are still areas of the Courtyard that he has yet to explore. For example, the structure has two thin spits of decking that jut out toward the rest of Young’s Hill. These pier-like extensions are connected by a web of twisted vines (“the ropes”) and a large hammock, all made from repurposed firehose.

Here is an old photo of caregiver Chad testing out the hammock after it was first made and hung inside the building. It was moved outdoors when we realized that the chimps didn’t seem interested unless we placed food on it.

 

Today, I placed a whole apple on the hammock. Willy B will do almost anything for an apple, but I wasn’t sure if he’d have the confidence to go after this one. He’s an athletic and intelligent individual with a bold personality, but he’s not as skilled at climbing as an adult chimpanzee should be.

Well, he tried. He tried hard.

First, he scouted the area.

Then, he tested whether the new sections of decking were safe to sit on. They were.

Suddenly, shockingly, Willy B dropped down below the decking and swung himself over towards the hammock.

He was so close. But then, with the visible apple just out of reach, he turned back. It seems that he wasn’t yet confident in his ability to make the final swing over to the hammock. From the safety of the decking, he surveyed the area from above a second time.

He dropped down again and swung back to the hammock, gripping the firehose vines with his chubby chimpanzee feet.

This wasn’t the right moment to try out the hammock, though. He backtracked all the way to the safest spot in the Courtyard at the base of the structure. There, he checked in on the neighbors, nibbled on a slice of tomato, and let out a muted display.

After expressing himself as only a chimpanzee can, he gave the ropes another try.

Again, he retreated and regrouped.

He mustered up the bravery and strength to make one more push. He got so close, but seemed hesitant to put any weight on the hammock and did not reach out to grab the apple.

Willy b even thought about lowering himself to the ground to find a new route over to the hammock, but he apparently decided the dirt and grass were too strange for today. He paused, suspended from the decking with his toes skimming the blades of grass, and then hoisted himself back up without ever planting his heels on the firm ground below.

Fortunately for Willy B, he gets several apples each day (along with many other nutritious foods). Importantly, he’ll get another shot at the elusive hammock apple for as many days as he needs. If he’s ambitious enough, he’ll conquer the ropes tomorrow just as he has so many other unusual obstacles in his path. We’re hopeful that he will eventually grow to enjoy climbing and exploring even without the promise of a shiny red apple to propel him forward, just as a chimpanzee should. Either way, I look forward to watching the saga continue.

Courage, little by little

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Willy B has gotten a lot more confident in the courtyard. He usually just marches right out there like he’s been doing it for years. He does, however, still stick to the boardwalk and usually keeps to the parts of the platform by the posts.

So today we decided to scatter pieces of food (instead of one whole piece of fruit) all over both tiers of the platform.

The photos that J.B. took today are in sequence and tell the story of Willy B’s exploration for the day. You can see he gathered the food and then ate it in his comfortable spots near the post, but still, he went to the middle of the platforms. We’ll continue to push his comfort zone in different ways so that he gets used to being on the grass too. Little by little.

The last photo in the sequence shows what a great view there is at the top of that structure. I wonder how he feels when he’s up there.

Random Assortments of the Day

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I’m finding it hard to piece together things that have happened today at Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest into a nice, fluid story. However, there were just a wide assortment of things that happened, that it’s probably best to just showcase them.

Before the clouds came rolling in to give us a nice, cool Spring rain, Willy B did venture outside. He stayed outside for nearly an hour on his own before the sun was swallowed up by the gray clouds. Caregiver Kelsi was able to grab this shot of him soaking up as much sun before it disappeared.

After Willy B went inside, we gave the Group of 7 access to Young’s Hill where first order of business was to patrol their area. Foxie was the first one to race out onto Young’s Hill, but Jody and Missy weren’t far behind.

After their patrol, the staff conducted some positive reinforcement training. Here, J.B. is asking Burrito to show him his foot.

Kelsi asked Negra to open her mouth to get a look inside.

And Anna is giving Jody a grape for showing her hand.

Positive reinforcement training (PRT) is an important tool for caregivers for medical purposes. It allows us to conduct a quick health overview of the individual or to inspect an extremity without the use of anesthesia. Though it is an important tool for us, the chimpanzees sometimes view it as a game.

The PRT session ended right as it began to rain. Listening to raindrops hit the window can drum up the desire to wrap yourself in a blanket, and take a nice afternoon nap. In Honey B’s case, replace “blanket” with “blanket fort.”

The chimpanzees were just served dinner and are enjoying their evening enrichment puzzle. Today’s puzzle is peanut butter in small containers. The idea is for the chimpanzees to fish out the peanut butter using a tool. In this case, Missy is using a chopstick. (My apologies for such a blurry photo.)

For extra stability, she used her foot to hold on the small container.

Foxie, on the other hand, bypassed using chopsticks and just used her fingers.

Now if you please pardon me, I hear raspberries being blown by a certain Burrito Chimpanzee, and I think it’s time for his nightly ice. Good night, everybody!

Honey B’s Paper Escapade

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Honey B’s excitement over paper is just one of the many things that endear us to her. If you’d like to buy more paper for more escapades, I just added some to our Amazon wish list.

I had to add in a little update at the end of the video about Willy B, of course. He’s getting more and more comfortable in that Courtyard!

 

Reaching for New Heights

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Today is absolutely a terrific day for many reasons. The weather is bright and sunny with temperatures near the 70s. Many of the seasonal birds are back and gleefully darting back and forth, grabbing what they can to make their perfect little nests for the Spring. The cattle are out grazing in their new pasture. And Willy B hit another milestone in his adventures outside.

You’re eyes are not deceiving you. Willy B made a couple of attempts to climb the outdoor structure. He is capable of climbing the structure in the Courtyard, however, it is still really new to him. He first would poke his head up to scan the platform for any food. When he noticed there wasn’t any up there, he would come back down and just sit. After the first initial scan for food, it seemed like his curiosity wasn’t about food anymore.

It seemed like he was determined to conquer any fear he may have had and want to be on the platform. However, today was not that day. After several attempts, he decided it was best to just sit in the open air Courtyard, and take in the scenery. This in itself was another big milestone. Willy B ventured out further than before, and stayed out longer with out constantly darting back to the safety of the Chute.

He also made attempts to walk on the grass multiple times today.

But his excursions onto the grass weren’t long.

He even performed a mini-display. We’re still not sure if he was hyping himself up for another attempt to climb, or to show his neighbors who is in charge of the Courtyard now.

To think of the places he has been in life, to now experience grass, open air, dirt, cattle neighbors, can be somewhat over stimulating and frightening for someone with a past like his. I truly admire Willy B’s spirit.

Willy B just has that kind of spirit. The spirit to take on new adventures and try new things in new surroundings.

And the determination to come out on top in the end at his own speed.

Hopefully, his confidence and sense of adventure will spread to Mave and Honey B soon so they can enjoy the wonders of their Washington home. Mave, just like yesterday, seemed like she’s hyping herself up to take that first step. It may be tomorrow. It may be next week. It may be a year from now. But that isn’t our call. There is no way to tell when either her or Honey B will be ready. The only thing we can do is try to show them it is safe and wonderful to be outside.

You can help us continue to provide care and a safe home for the 10 chimpanzees and four cattle by participating in Washington’s Give Big Fundraiser Drive. This is the first year we are eligible to participate in this annual drive, and we hope to make a big impact. The smallest donation can have the biggest impact for the 14 residents of Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest. So we hope you are able and willing to participate today or tomorrow.

What Friends Are For

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As some of you have read yesterday, Foxie went through a medical exam. Going under anesthesia can take a lot out of a chimpanzee, but Foxie is fierce and strong despite her small stature. By the time dinner was ready yesterday, Foxie was up, alert, eating, and ready to go back to her family. We decided to keep her by herself overnight just in case. When we arrived to the sanctuary in the morning, it was clear she was more than ready to go back with the group.

The first person to greet her was Jody of course! And since then, they have almost virtually been inseparable.

Jody made sure that for most of the day, Foxie was within eyesight or earshot of Foxie. It’s hard to see, but if you look closely between the ladder and the pillar at the top of the platform, you can see a little fuzz of a shoulder. That’s Foxie! With Jody resting right below her of course!

Jody was available nearby in case Foxie needed her. It’s hard to tell in this photo, but Jody (front) is keeping an eye on Foxie (back).

Foxie and Jody have such as strong bond with one another. It’s one relatively not talked about much as say Missy and Annie. They continuously motivate each other, lookout for each other, and just genuinely enjoy each other’s company.

May you find yourself the Foxie to your Jody or the Jody to your Foxie in life.

Bonus photos of Annie performing her famous “bird calls” and Negra peering out onto Young’s Hill after hearing the cattle call for Anthony for their daily care.