Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

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Strivin’ to Survive: A Scarecrow’s Tale

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As some of you have seen, this Jamieween included A Tale of Two Scarecrows. The first scarecrow was put out in the Courtyard for Willy B, Honey B, and Mave.

If you read the blog on Saturday, Willy B made quick job of the cabbage head while leaving the body intact. Diana and Kelsi, brought the scarecrow’s body in and placed in the Mezzanine later that night. (You can see him in the corner just beyond Mave.)

We all kind of suspected Honey B would be the first one to be curious about it. I’m told that she indeed was. I wasn’t there to witness everything unfold at that time, but I’m told Honey B indeed was the one to be the first to inspect it. I was there, however, the following morning as I brought breakfast up to Mezzanine and she was sitting on it’s chest pulling alfalfa out searching for more treats.

The other scarecrow was placed onto Young’s Hill for the Seven to enjoy.

So far, it has had a longer life… so to speak.

This year, Jody did not disappoint and was the Great Pumpkin Thief once again.

Though Jody made way with taking the scarecrow’s head, its’ body still remains on Young’s Hill to this day.

Yesterday, as Jamie and I were coming back from our walk/run around the hill, a shadow near the scarecrow caught my eye. As I saw this shadow, my mind raced with anticipation that somebody was finally going to bring it inside and find every treat! (I apologize for some slightly blurry photos, but it was difficult to hurry and focus in time to catch it as it was happening.)

Who could this be? Was it Annie returning to claim what once might have been hers? Was it Missy whose curiosity got the better of her to finally investigate the a few days after?

As the camera (finally) began to focus, it was clear to me who was going to try to finally put this scarecrow to pasture.

Jody!

She had returned to finish the scarecrow off!

She brought up the torso, removed a significant amount of alfalfa, and found some remaining treats inside. She attempted to untie the torso down from the structure, however they were tied on too tight to remove. Instead she took what she could get and moved on.

I expected today to see the scarecrow completely removed by day’s end. However, today was slightly rainy and most everyone chose to remain indoors.

So the scarecrow survives just one more day… for now…

Who will be the one who finally takes this scarecrow out? Will somebody else’s curiosity prevail?

Missy seems like she might be ready to see what this thing is all about.

I couldn’t choose between these next two photos, so you can choose which one you like better to fit this story.

Or will Jody comeback and claim her prize?

UPDATE:

As I was closing up I decided to take a gander to see if the scarecrow was still there. Only and empty shirt remains.

We will never know who the Scarecrow Destroyer is.

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.

Happy Anniversary, Lisa and Marcus!

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Lisa and Marcus Andrews sponsored this wonderful day of spooky sanctuary and shared this message: “Happy Anniversary to us, and Happy Halloween to everyone!”

Me being me, I really cannot think of a better day in which to celebrate pretty much anything one would choose to. Happy Anniversary, Lisa and Marcus! May it be full of all the mystical magic and wonder this day holds. And many thanks to you both for making today’s celebration of our own Jamie Chimpanzee on her birthday (officially known as “Jamieween”) all the more special with your support.

Happy Halloween/Jamieween everyone!

Burrito and Jody:

Negra:

Foxie and Jamie:

Burrito:

Missy and Annie:

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.

Bedtime stories

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Bedtime stories! We received several wonderful questions from Diana’s recent blog post, “Inviting your questions,” about the chimpanzees’ bedtime routines!

We run a pretty tight ship here for a variety of reasons. In part, because we have a lot we need to complete each day! Another reason is because, as you might imagine, it’s really important for former lab chimpanzees, or anyone living in captivity, to have a routine in which they know what to expect and when to expect it. And while we still allow for, and adjust the routine to suit the chimpanzees’ choices, it definitely helps facilitate our ability to do things such as shifting the chimpanzees out of areas we need to enter to clean each day when they know what’s happening.

So with that in mind, we serve dinner at 4:30 and believe me, the chimpanzees’ don’t need a clock to tell us what time it is! (As a sidenote, with daylight savings time happening soon, this will be changing to 3:30. We humans adjust our schedules with daylight savings in order to allow the chimpanzees to have the maximum amount of outdoor access with daylight they can, so while we work from 9:00 am-5:30 pm in the spring/summer, we “fall back” to 8:00-4:30 for autumn/winter). While someone serves the chimps their dinner in the greenhouse or front rooms, the lead caregiver for the day takes the opportunity to spot clean the playroom (where the seven tend to sleep), put out extra blankets for night nests (we pass out at minimum 70+ blankets each day) and distribute their after-dinner evening enrichment (food puzzles!). At the end of dinner we hand out night bags (small bags full of nuts, seeds, dried fruit and popcorn) and just about the time they finish these, the playroom is about ready for them to be given access to again for the night. Once they’re given access, they are pretty excited about searching out their puzzles. Then when they’re done with their puzzles they promptly start building their night nests. The chimpanzees are typically all in bed by the time we wrap up the day (with the exception of boss lady, Jamie, who is very busy).

Where do they sleep? By nature, chimpanzees are arboreal sleepers and in the wild they climb trees and build nests each night by tucking and weaving the branches around them. Only mothers and infants share nests so while our resident chimpanzee friends are weaving nests of blankets, none of them share a nest, though they will often sleep near one another. They usually all build their nests upstairs along the windows (maybe their version of climbing up a tree, they have a good view, and it’s extra warm up there!). Though they have separate nests, Annie and Missy do have an endearing habit of occasionally weaving their individual nests together into a figure eight. You can kind of see it here (they are super fluffy right now with all the amazing blankets people have been donating!):

Willy B on a shelf in the front rooms:

Sigh…Willy B is a handsome devil:

Here’s Honey B in her amazing night nest! A very sweet thing that she does once she lies down in the middle of her nest is to pull a blanket up to her chest, tucking herself in:

I wanted to have photos of everyone in their nests, but you know, it just doesn’t go that way when you plan for it, so hopefully this has given you an idea. Important bedtime notes!

  • Mave, Honey B and Willy B are people who go to bed early! (Like me!) Once they are in bed, they expect the lights to be turned off, the door to close and the humans to get out.
  • Burrito operates on “go” all. day. long. But once he’s in bed, he also expects lights and humans out! He gets furious with us on those long summer nights with Jamie or when we go in to do a final chimp count for the night (to make sure everyone is accounted for, safe, sound and secure) if he happens to be in bed. I’ve tried countless times to capture the look on his face! He literally stares at us, incredulous, and angrily waves his arm at us clearly saying, “Get outta here!” I know, it’s impossible to believe until you’ve seen it and though we apologize to him profusely it makes us giggle every time.
  • Foxie often has a bedtime routine of playing pass the troll/doll with her caregivers until she’s ready to fall asleep. Sometimes I will be quietly walking down the human hallway getting ready to lockup when “plink!” Orange Marmalade drops down from the heavens above, landing in front of me. I’ll look up only to see Foxie’s toes and fingers through the caging, wiggling and waiting for me to toss her doll back up to her. Also, Foxie is one person who still has no interest in building a nest. She prefers, for her own reasons, to shirk any blankets, often aggressively pushing them aside, and chooses to sleep on a shelf or just enjoy the heated floors. It’s emotionally appealing for us to envision her in a cozy nest, but she chooses as she pleases and her and her doll du jour seem happy curled up together, which is all that matters. And yes, she sleeps with her dolls every night.
  • And this brings us to the boss. Jamie’s bedtime routine is that she wants her chosen boots and books passed through the food chute to her before we go. Sometimes she takes this time to groom with us, have us model the boots, or look at her books with her. But just as often she takes them and carries on with her own agenda for the evening while everyone else is in bed. As I mentioned earlier, she is often the only one still awake when we leave for the night. She’s busy, you know. The boss’s work is never done. She reads, scouts around to see if any food puzzles still have any treats missed earlier, or sometimes just enjoys her solitude in the greenhouse for awhile, listening to the night sounds, holding her boots, thinking whatever amazing thoughts we all know she has rumbling around in that amazing head of hers.

Here she is earlier today looking at her newest book about apes. She tears out very specific pages she finds fascinating and carries them around or nests with them. It’s one of my favorite things to see what we find the next day in her nest, what her interests are:

For the past two days, she’s been particularly fascinated with this page:

The final thing for the evening is lights out and it’s one of my favorite moments with the chimpanzees. Why? Because of nest grunts! I had a recording of this that I posted on FB ages ago and have to dig up as it’s just not something I usually have the phone out for. But it’s a vocalization that chimpanzees make to one another from their night nests. A way of checking in with one another for the night, saying all is well. Kind of like a chimpanzee version of the decades old show, “The Waltons,” where everyone in the family yelled goodnight to one another when the lights went out. And so it is here. We turn the lights out and whether we say goodnight in English or chimpanzee, nest grunts echo and build throughout the chimp house until all falls quiet. I say “I love you. Rest well and we’ll see you all in the morning.”

As far as morning goes, the chimpanzees are mostly awake by the time the humans arrive and either sleepily playing with one another, quietly enjoying the morning sunshine in the greenhouse or view from the window, or still curled into their warm nests until breakfast is served (this if often where you will find Negra and Missy). This is another favorite time of my day as the chimpanzees are typically all really joyful, excited to greet the humans, playfully wrestling and chasing one another as their excitement grows for breakfast.

Hoping you all have an equally cozy night in your nests, grunting to loved ones near and far, resting with ease, dreaming in wonder.

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).