Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

The conifer connoisseur

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As you’ve probably seen previously on the blog, Jody is one of our most adventurous eaters. Wild greens, flowers, bamboo, she loves it all and seemingly the wilder the better!

Yesterday Anna wrote about Negra enjoying some Ponderosa pine tree browse that J.B. recently put out on Young’s Hill for the chimps to find. It took Jody mere moments to find it and haul huge branches back to the greenhouse to enjoy, in classic Jody style, while lying on her belly and taking in the view. It’s been a particularly big hit with a few of the chimps, but I think Jody has moved on to qualify as Honorary Conifer Connoisseur.

Apparently pine needles make for good wadging material:

I love the pine needle in her hair. 🙂

A cabin built for her

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Happiness is watching Negra enjoy some quiet time under the shelter lovingly named “Negra’s Cabin.” The cabin was designed with her comfort especially in mind.

Negra isn’t quite as adventurous a forager as Jody, but she enjoys her fair share of browse. This morning she found a Ponderosa pine tree bough in the cabin and carefully took it back to the greenhouse for further consumption.

Happy Birthday, Kayla!

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Today’s day of sanctuary was sponsored by Bernice Schick in honor of Kayla on her birthday!

Bernice, thank you so much for thinking of the chimpanzees in celebration of Kayla! We are always touched when people so compassionately include the chimpanzees in their lives.

Kayla, all of us here at the sanctuary hope you have the best birthday yet filled with all that makes your heart happy!

Adventurous-hearted Annie:

The wild wildflowers

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May is our most stunning time of year here at the sanctuary. Spring suddenly explodes in a kaleidoscope of birdsong, wildflowers and neon green grass. It only lasts a few short weeks before the sun bakes everything brown, but all of the primates relish every single glorious day.

Every morning while the chimpanzees are having breakfast the lead caregiver for the day walks the perimeter of Young’s Hill (sans Jamie) to ensure that the outdoor habitat is secure to give the chimps access to. It always feels strange to be out there without the boss lady, but it’s one of the most peaceful and beautiful times of the day, watching the sanctuary wake up:

As the sun rises over the hill these redstem stork’s bills cover the sanctuary in fields of pink. By afternoon they pull their tiny shades to the hot sun and you’d never even know they were there.

Our friendly neighborhood elk, Ellie (aka Buttons, locally) doing her best to stick to all the shady spots:

Foxie and her Doras took a leisurely stroll by themselves this morning, weaving in and out of the tall, spring grass:

We have three tiny American Goldfinch couples singing their hearts out all the live long day this year. They are so vivid they look like flying dandelions when they take flight from the grass.

For as far as the eye can see the hillsides are covered in balsamroot:

Birthday lady, Jody, promptly made a nest in front of the barn doors where the cool breeze wafts through the chimp house. She seems pretty pleased with how 43 looks so far:

The bleeding heart blooming outside the frontrooms is filling the chimp house with the most beautiful scent right now. In the upper 80’s, it’s by far the warmest day we’ve had this year and the chimps are sprawled in every direction, dozing in the afternoon breeze, only the sounds of swallows zipping and zooming and chittering. It’s a good day.

Jody’s 43rd Birthday Celebration!

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Today is not only Mother’s Day, but it is also Jody’s birthday! We had double to celebrate! There is no better way to celebrate than to have a Green House and Young’s Hill forage, we even set out a whole coconut (I bet you can guess who ended up with it)! We love celebrating Mother’s Day, why not tell the strong women who helped shape who you are how much you love them! We do have a few mothers at our sanctuary including Jody. Jody is kind, nurturing, and always making sure that everyone is safe. For Jody’s birthday we set out lilacs because she loves to go on the Hill and find things like thistles, spruce trees, etc. Well, it turns out Missy LOVES lilacs and got most of them! Jody did get one of her favorites, which is the top of a pineapple (she was pleased)!

Missy eating all the lilacs:

Neggie had a nice relaxing day. She foraged on the Hill in the morning all by herself, attended the party, and napped for most of the day (it was pretty exhausting):

Power pose, Negra actually jump with all her might to get the enrichment, it was very exciting to watch:

Annie gathered some lilacs and then ventured out to the Hill to forage:

Burrito stayed pretty close to the birthday girls side, but found some opportunities to enjoy a drink and go on the Hill:

Foxie actually found the coconut and tried ever so quietly to sneak away:

Foxie eventually ditched the coconut and came back for it later in the afternoon, however Jamie heard Foxie trying to crack it open on the new structure and Jamie food peered her way into getting the coconut…

But Foxie did get to enjoy herself at the party:

Jamie enjoyed some cold drinks and some snacks as well:

Later when it was very warm Jamie and I took a few walks, when she got hot she would just hide in the shade:

Jody spent a lot of her day laying around, enjoying good company, and eating some of her favorite things. That sounds like a great 43rd birthday to me!

The birthday girl, Jody:

 

Cheers Jody! Happy 43rd Birthday (Missy is holding the drink):

 

New enrichment puzzle on Young’s Hill!

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Intern caregiver Grace came up with this cool new enrichment puzzle for the chimps! This bag was originally a slow feeder bag for horses, but to make it into a chimp puzzle, we added fresh vegetables (in addition to hay), locked it closed, and hung it on Young’s Hill! Thanks to Grace for her brilliant idea, our supporters for purchasing everything we ever dream up on our Amazon Wish list, and JB for making it all come together today!