Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

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Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

October 32nd

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So, about last night…

Jamieween isn’t officially over until the chimps say it is. Even though it’s now officially November 1st, they’re still enjoying themselves like its just another day of October.

For those of you who missed the original post or want to refresh your memory, I will simply link to yesterday’s blog entry by Sam: Jamieween 2021!

Today, we spent the morning cleaning up the disastrous mess that inevitably follows a house party of that caliber. It’s hard to describe the mess that sixteen chimps create when their caregivers prime their enclosures with a lavish excess of enrichment materials, but perhaps the following snapshots will allow you to imagine the scene: Pumpkin guts splattered on the walls, pistachio and peanut shells in heaps on the floor, a half-eaten Jack-O-Lantern, raffle tickets blowing around like tumbleweeds, and shiny new books about bonobos and mummies lovingly tucked into a blanket nest.

Enrichment Coordinator Chad helped me to collect some photos of the aftermath.

Happy October 32nd, everyone!!! Thanks for helping us make this Jamieween an exciting day (or series of days) for all the chimps!

Jamieween 2021!

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Jamieween is finally here! Today we celebrated the one and only Jamie’s 44th Birthday, as well as Halloween! Today was full of scarecrows, pumpkins, pomegranates, shrunken apple heads, birthday gifts for Jamie, and much much more! The chimpanzees here had quite the celebration today. Enrichment Coordinator, Chad did such a good job planning all of this for them. A huge thank you to everyone who bought items for today off of our wish list! Everything really added to the celebration today. Also, thank you to all of the care staff who helped get these great videos and photos!

I hope that Jamie and the rest of the chimpanzees here enjoyed themselves today. I know we all enjoyed watching them. Back in the day my time as an intern here only breached the surface of who Jamie is and I’m getting to know her so much better. I’m still leaning some Jamie language, but its a fun ride and it is a privilege to be able to help care for her. She is definitely a special chimpanzee.

Jamie’s group had a 2 part celebration that began in their Greenhouse. Willy B enjoyed time in the Courtyard with his scarecrow while Mave and Honey B celebrated inside. The Lucky Six enjoyed their pumpkins and Halloween bags full of things like nuts and cabbage.

Shrunken apple heads!

Jamie enjoying her pumpkin bags next to her new book.

Jamie gathering as many as she can.

Missy taking over after Jamie moved on.

Annie investigating the scarecrow.

Missy enjoying her pomegranate next to the scarecrow.

Burrito with his corn on Young’s Hill.

Foxie with her pomegranate.

Foxie made sure her doll got to enjoy the forage.

Negra found lots of Brussels sprouts.

Jody trying to carry as much as she can to enjoy her food back in the Greenhouse.

Jamie found three pomegranates!

Terry enjoying the celebration.

Lucky found some goodies.

Cy taking a break from reading.

Dora with her forage finds.

Gordo and Dora.

Rayne took hers to the Greenhouse.

Mave and Willy B are excited about pumpkins!

Mave and her pumpkin.

Honey B enjoying her stash.

Willy B found some pumpkin bags before making his way to the scarecrow.

Willy B ready to dive into the pumpkin head!

 

And…….Burrito ended up being the Great Pumpkin Thief this year! As you can see in the video he brought it down from a platform on Young’s Hill, but it rolled away. It ended up rolling into the fence and we had to bring everyone inside so we could get it unstuck. After spot cleaning the seven’s playroom we put it back inside to see who would grab it. Jody really wanted it and tried several times, but Burrito was the winner this year.

 

 

Chimpanzee Paparazzi

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The next time a stranger asks me what I do, I think I will answer that I’m part of a paparazzi team for some high-profile niche celebrities, focusing on positive images and stories.

The camera was clicking away when I was taking these photos of Queen Negra today:

Co-paparazzi J.B. captured this image of the devilishly handsome Willy B while he was in the Courtyard.

Fall Things Considered

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Today’s itinerary is, per usual, quite full.

Our staff is staying busy with ongoing social integrations between the two former Waystation groups, regular cleaning and organizing in the Chimp House, and special projects around the sanctuary.

In place of a wordy update, I’m just going to upload some photos I’ve taken of the sanctuary residents basking in the warm autumn colors (and crisp October breezes).

Annie and Jody return to the building after foraging in Young’s Hill
Nutmeg
Meredith
Honey
Betsy
Meredith’s nose
Honey
Betsy
Meredith
Betsy
A free-ranging blacktail fawn taking shelter in a wooded section of the property
Barn Kitty (a feral cat who hangs out around the sanctuary’s barn)
A rainbow over one of the property’s old farm buildings

The Holdouts and Foot Boxes

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On any given day you can bet that we are cleaning around Cy and Lucky. These two are known holdouts and when they decide to stay somewhere they settle in for the long haul. Pretty much if they decided to stay in the front rooms you have no luck in cleaning the front rooms. Though this may throw a wrench in our schedule, they are great company!

Cy reading his magazine in front room 6 while we clean front room 5 and the chute.

Lucky taking a little snooze next to Cy.

Today we also put a “Foot Box” in front room 5 just like on the other side of the building. The purpose of the foot box is so that the chimps can present a hand or foot and we can get a x-ray. Obviously the foot box is new and it has to go through a rigorous inspection process by the chimps. I would say it passes their inspection standards as you will see in the video above.

Rayne and Gordo looking in.

Terry taking a little peek!

Bonus!

Missy, Jody, and Burrito have a very nice grooming session.

Missy and Annie grooming themselves.

I Spy: Movement Up the Mountain

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Last week one of our supporters very excitingly asked when expansion work was going to begin, and I’m happy to inform everyone that today was the day. During the morning, Gary’s Sage Mechanical crew came in to do some work on top of Young’s Hill. This meant that Jamie and her six friends could not go out on the hill during that time but that did not mean that they were unaware that some humans were in need of chimp supervision. After work concluded and it was safe to give them access to the hill, Jamie, Annie, Missy, Foxie, Burrito and Jody sprinted up the hill to assess the situation. Jody went back inside the safety of the green house shortly after, might have been too scary of a situation. On the way up Missy asked for reassurance from all her friends. First from Burrito, then Jamie, and finally from Foxie who gladly complied. Annie was the first one to arrive and climbed up the Twister to get a better view. Jamie, of course, was very excited to see new people but more excited about seeing new boots.

Foxie reassuring Missy on the way up to check out the expansion work.

Missy and Foxie looking at Jody as she turns around to go back into the safety of the green house.

Foxie and Jamie looking at J.B. and the members of Sage Mechanical…and their boots.

Gary’s nephew, who has a background in forestry, Gary, and J.B. smiling for the camera.

Annie supervising from the Twister platform.

After brief visual inspection, the construction boots pass the test and are worthy of a run around the hill.

On the other side of the chimp house:

Rayne eating green apples during breakfast this morning. Courtesy of caregiver Sam.

Dora resting in one of the front rooms.

Rayne in the green house taking advantage of the break from the rain that we got today.