Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

chimpanzee

Update

by

When you begin the process of chimpanzee group formation, you do so knowing that 10-20% of all introduction attempts do not succeed. Sadly, this is the fate that we have now come to accept for our efforts to integrate Willy B, Honey B, and Mave with the Cle Elum Seven.

For the last week, Burrito and Negra had been living in relative harmony with the newcomers, and further introductions were planned for next week. Unfortunately, we were awoken yesterday at 4:30 a.m. to the sounds of screams from our closed circuit camera system. Minutes later, we arrived at the chimp house to find this group engaged in a very serious conflict. We believe it started between Burrito and Honey B but we can’t be sure. Burrito sustained some significant trauma, most notably to his scrotum. Due to the substantial risk of infection and the presence of an existing mass on one of his testicles, our veterinary team decided that castration was the best course of treatment for his injury. Honey B also sustained a serious bite to her small toe, which was later amputated. Both did well during their procedures and are recovering uneventfully thus far.

Conflicts and injury are part and parcel of the introduction process. If we took a zero-tolerance approach to injuries during integration attempts, we would almost never integrate captive chimpanzees. But there is a limit to what we should tolerate on their behalf, based on the extent of the injuries, what we think we can realistically hope to achieve for them from the process, and, ultimately, what is fair to the chimps involved. While it is still true that this group of ten could eventually be formed, to everyone’s ultimate benefit, we feel that the chimps have done all they can for now. Each chimp’s individual safety must remain the top priority.

We are disappointed and heartbroken, because there was so much potential. But we are also reminded once again to be grateful for just how much support these chimps have. Our veterinarian, Dr. Erin, immediately rushed to the sanctuary for what would become an incredibly stressful 16-hour day. Our staff, most of whom were enjoying some well-earned sleep on their days off, each responded to a 5:45 a.m. text without question and with a simple message: on my way. Other members of our veterinary team, Dr. Jen and Dr. Erika, came from the Seattle area on a moment’s notice, and we were fortunate to have surgical and ultrasound support on site from Dr. Khachatryan from Sumner Veterinary Hospital and x-ray equipment from Best Friends Mobile Veterinary Care. Board member and volunteer caregiver Jessica even covered our normal produce run while we were otherwise occupied. There is nothing that our friends and colleagues won’t do for these chimps.

We obviously didn’t hope for this outcome, but we did plan for the possibility. In the short term, Burrito and Honey B will return to their original groups, just as they were all living in the weeks following Willy B, Honey B, and Mave’s arrival. It’s possible that in time some chimps will be able to cross back and forth between groups so that the relationships they had been forming can be maintained. In early spring we plan to break ground on Phases 2 and 3 of our facility expansion, which will allow us to take in more chimps in need and create other opportunities for Willy B, Honey B, and Mave to live in a larger group that can meet all their social needs.

It may seem strange that chimps who can groom and play with one another the instant they meet or live together in a group for a week without incident would suddenly engage in such violent conflict. All I can say is that there are some things about chimpanzee behavior that you never fully understand but instead, simply come to accept. And we accept that our particular efforts in this case have, regrettably, not been successful. We’ll all take some time to heal, and then focus on creating the best sanctuary possible for these two groups of chimpanzees, as well as those to come.

Wish list Wednesday!

by

In case you haven’t noticed, the chimpanzees consume A LOT of fresh produce.
Jody:

On top of making sure they all get enough to eat, we also try to make sure there is plenty of variety.
Negra:

Burrito:

Jody:

Annie:

Missy:

Jamie:

Foxie:

Oh and did I mention we are now filling the stomachs of 3 4 new chimps (Willy B counts as 2 😉)?

If you are interested in helping us keep our fridges stocked full of a variety of delicious produce, check out our Amazon Wish list and send the chimps a gift card to our local Safeway store!

The chimpanzees and caregivers thank you!
Mave:

Little big things

by

Today we humans, well, okay, this human, did a victory lap around the chimp house because the chimp Gods smiled upon us all. For this one blissful day the chimps have been utterly calm, at ease and quiet today. No fights have ensued, no screaming, no biting. Everyone has shifted with relative ease (with the exception of Mr Willy B, who has seemingly claimed two of the front rooms as his own personal bachelor pad and refuses to leave) which has allowed us to clean the chimps’ home to our hearts content.

First order of business this morning was Anthony kindly removing half of the plastic strips covering the entrance to the chute which vexed Foxie to no end last night. Today she mustered her courage and even though each passing required hair standing on end and pushing herself again the doorframe so as not to touch the remaining offending flaps as she quickly raced through, she did in fact race back and forth all day long on her own. Brave heart. And so Jamie, Jody, Foxie, Annie and Missy have joyfully spent the day coming in and out and racing around Young’s Hill to their hearts’ content.

Over in the original building, Willy B, of his own choice, enjoyed the day in his increasingly wild looking “bachelor pad” (every time he exited and I approached to close it off, he quickly leaped back in!). Negra has contently been napping in the sun in front of her favored playroom window, Burrito and Mave spent at least a couple hours grooming one another in the next sun puddle over, and the very second that Burrito left Mave’s side, Honey B slid right in, hooting softly and spooning Mave in contentment. (After all, who among us doesn’t want to spoon with Mave?). And later in the afternoon, with the other ladies off Young’s Hill (to avoid any unnerving kerfuffles at the raceway leading to the greenhouse), Mave and Honey B headed into the late afternoon sun-warmed greenhouse, scooping up blankets as they went and made nests to each other, enjoying peaceful afternoon naps.

As I write this, we have one hour to go before lights out and it’s about time for the chimps’ internal clocks to go off, meaning the chimp house is about to erupt in hooting and hollering and general ruckus raising in excitement for dinner, and as a call and response to one another in opposite sides of the building. Today was just one day and things literally change in the blink of an eye or the sound of a hoot or a scream. But to see each of the chimps seemingly feeling truly at ease today, enjoying activities they normally do, but understandably haven’t had a lot of concentration for in some time, it’s been a gift. A brief lull for everyone to catch their breath, be at peace, enjoy the beautiful autumn day, their friends and the things they love. It all may sound like not such a big deal. But given the last few months, sometimes it truly the little things that are actually the truly big things.

Here’s Jamie feeling snoozy, hiding behind one of her brilliant kitchenette forts, warming up after enjoying a brisk autumn day outside:

Mo’ Doors, Mo’ Problems

by

Our facility is a maze of doors, and each is important in its own way.

To be exact, we have 31 doors that are intended for humans and 21 doors that allow chimpanzees to access different areas. All of these are within the electric fence perimeter that surrounds the Chimp House and Young’s Hill. There are many other doors, gates, and other entryways located around the property, and we still have many new ones left to build as we expand.

It’s not easy to get lost, but it is a never-ending challenge to keep track of the doors. Monitoring doors is one aspect of being a caregiver that we rarely mention on social media even though the task dominates our work day. We’re constantly double-checking to make sure doors are closed, testing the accompanying padlocks, and reporting to each other when we open and unlock new ones. We inspect the corresponding locks and levers that allow us to operate the hydraulic and pneumatic doors constantly, and we have a huge checklist of safety checks that we complete at the end of the day to ensure that the doors are open and closed in a safe and appropriate arrangement.

For the chimps, the doors are also a priority. This Chimp House is their territory, and they know every inch of it.

Annie patrols her group’s territory on Young’s Hill

Free-ranging chimpanzees living in African forests use a combination of memorable landmarks and acute spatial awareness to find their way around. It’s not surprising, therefore, that our chimpanzee residents are highly attuned to changes in their own environment. Their ability to notice and remember minute details is remarkable, and we all have anecdotes that highlight their perceptiveness. Any changes to their home are, by default, their business, and sometimes even subtle changes can have a big impact on their day-to-day lives.

The infamous flaps over Door F.

On Thursday, J.B. added a set of translucent vinyl flaps over the doorway that leads from the new chimp rooms into the outdoor chute. These flaps will allow us to have the door open while still keeping it warm inside, so they’re a critical addition as we prepare the sanctuary for winter. So far, Annie, Jamie, Jody and Missy have all learned to waltz through them without any noticeable issues. Foxie, on the other hand, is absolutely terrified of brushing past them. We’d probably have more luck asking her to go into the sewer drain from the opening scene of It. Each morning, she has had to muster up the courage to charge through the flaps on her way out onto the Hill, and then she has to dart back inside at the end of the day. Right now, as I am typing this, she is beating the flaps to death with one of her dolls as we try to entice her inside with handfuls of grapes and encouragement. We’re optimistic that she will acclimate eventually, especially since she sees four of her closest friends passing through repeatedly without hesitation. At one point, Jody even hit the flaps in what appeared to be Foxie’s defense. We have some options for making the strange new barrier less impactful, too.

Jody passes through the vinyl flaps on her way through the chute.

On top of the new door flaps and the regular drama within her own social group (including a brief fight over breakfast), the tension between social groups has seemingly added to Foxie’s pre-existing anxiety. With Burrito, Honey B, Mave, Negra and Willy B now living together on the other side of the building, Foxie and her pals have been trying to interact with them through every window possible. To accommodate housing two social groups in the same facility, we’ve added another new door to the complex. This door, known by us as Door Z, is an additional barrier that separates the chimpanzees in the Greenhouse from those on Young’s Hill. Because of this, we could give the Girl Gang access to the Hill while the mixed group occupies the Greenhouse and Playroom.

Foxie and the rest of the Girl Gang (left) look into the Playroom from their vantage point in the chute.

Today, Jamie went to inspect the new door and search for a way through while the others followed. They were shocked to see Willy B’s silhouette through the semitransparent doors and they all took turns anxiously screaming, submissively pant-grunting, and excitedly bouncing at him. Even though the communication was mostly positive, the arousal was contagious and the females tried their best to break through the new steel door so that they could get closer to Willy. Foxie tried to stick her head around the new door, between the electrified wires of the fence, and ended up receiving a painful shock that sent her screaming back to the perceived safety of the chute.

Annie pant-grunts at Willy B through the new set of doors.
Jamie tries to break through the new door.

Eventually, the drama subsided enough to let Willy take a peaceful nap while the Girl Gang resumed their normal activities of patrolling the boundary of Young’s Hill and exploring the habitat.

Willy (left) and Mave (right) chill out by the new door.

After our string of peaceful days in the Chimp House, today snapped us back to the reality of trying to manage two groups of chimpanzees in adjacent enclosures. It certainly had more than its share of drama and tension. The growing pains are very real, but we hope that every challenge we overcome now will lead to a more stable and enjoyable future for Foxie and her friends.

Foxie Chimpanzee

 

 

Man of Mystery

by

Willy B remains somewhat of a mystery to me and to some of the chimpanzees too, I think.

Maybe he’s the big silent type. He definitely can be difficult to read and he rarely makes eye contact when I’m serving him food. That trait, combined with his size, has caused me to affectionately refer to him as a gorilla.

He seems to take time to feel settled and is rather aloof in new situations. With all of the many new experiences and combinations of new chimpanzees he’s been meeting, he’s been pretty aloof for the last few weeks, with very rare breaks to let his guard down for a bit to play with Burrito.

Most of the time, he’s been keeping to himself. Today, we gave him and the rest of the group access to the front rooms for the first time. He’s seen other chimps in those rooms, but hasn’t really had the chance to hang out in them. He seemed to enjoy the option to get away from the group and it gave us the chance to snap a couple of photos of him (above) in front room four, which we also call the “portrait studio” because of the nice lighting.

It was the first time in over a month that I’ve been able to get him to respond just a little to my invitation to play chase. It didn’t last long, but he did his characteristic double-tap across front room three a couple of times. Maybe he was just humoring me.

Despite his relatively mellow nature, as he gets more comfortable, we have observed him being the tiniest bit intimidating at meals. All it takes from this large guy is the slightest look or a motion of his arm, presumably indicating that he wants the food being served, and the female chimpanzees next to him react in fear. I don’t blame them! He’s a gorilla!

Interestingly, Burrito doesn’t seem intimidated by him at meals and will sit right next to him when they are being served, even taking food that Willy B has dropped. Is this because Willy B doesn’t want to dominate Burrito in the same way he easily does the females, or is he playing it cool for the moment until he gets more comfortable? We’ll just have to wait and see.

Burrito has actually surprised us quite a bit. We tend to think of him as someone who gets wound up and just can’t contain his energy, but he’s clearly modulating his displays and being careful not to charge anyone. Who knew Burrito had so much self control? The calming presence of Mave is likely helping him (these two have been grooming a LOT), but even before she was added to the group on Thursday, Burrito was impressing us with his heretofore-unknown ability to keep his composure. Even chimpanzees we’ve known for over a decade can surprise us.

The Hug

by

Burrito and Willy B have now been together for nine days. This past Tuesday, we added Negra and Honey B – who get along unexpectedly well – creating a group of four. Upon entering the group, Negra did as Negra does, which is to say that she waltzed back into the playroom and made a nice comfy nest while pestering her caregivers to start dinner, as if nothing had changed. Honey B, on the other hand, came out of the gate with a message for Burrito: don’t mess with the little girl. On two occasions, as Burrito started to display, Honey B pounced on him, leaving him with a couple minor bites. Burrito seemed to be immediately overcome with the realization that the girls that had dominated him for so long were not an anomaly – they are all this way. Willy B stayed out of it entirely, as though he had received the same message from Honey B in the past and took it to heart.

With her point made, Honey B spent a considerable amount of time trying to get Burrito to groom and play. He has so far declined most of her offers, understandably. But they have maintained a peaceful relationship since.

So yesterday it was time to add Mave to the group. We had a strong feeling that Mave and Burrito would get along, based on their brief encounter in the group of ten and their interactions through the lexan as they have been housed in adjacent enclosures. And Mave seems to be a very stabilizing force wherever she goes, with her keen social awareness and penchant for giving out hugs when they are needed most. But given that Burrito was already working on a challenging relationship with Honey B, we thought it would suit him best to spend time with Mave one-on-one. As you can see, they hit it off right away and within a couple hours, both were introduced into the group with Willy B, Honey B, and Negra. This is how things will likely stay for a little while, so that Burrito can continue to build on his friendship with Willy B, work out his differences with Honey B, and find comfort in the warm fluffiness of Mave’s hugs. Negra will continue to play with her new friend Honey B and keep track of mealtimes for the staff. When the time is right, we will begin to engage Foxie with some of the newcomers so that she, like Burrito, can overcome her fears and forge new relationships.