Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

chimpanzee

Morning happenings

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I always think it’s the best feeling to spend time out in the brisk elements and then come inside and get warm. That’s exactly how the chimps chose to spend their time after breakfast today. They climbed, ran, chased, explored and meandered over every nook and cranny of the hill. I even caught someone hanging upside down from a metal bar licking ice off of it who I was certain was Foxie, but was delighted to discover was Jody! Naturally, as I raised the camera she swung off to other adventures so you’ll have to take my word for it. 😉 After a surprising amount of time outside the chimps all returned to the toasty chimp house to make fluffy nests, warm-up and doze off.

Negra:

Annie:

Missy grooming Annie:

Jody:

Jamie after taking just herself and her new pair of boots for a walk all the way around the hill:

Foxie was napping along with everyone else until I popped by with the camera…

Hello. I am Foxie. And I’m fabulous:

Session over! (This is how about 90% of our photos turn out by the way 😉 )….

Burrito was resting as well, but for whatever reasons, his photos didn’t turn out so it’s just the ladies today.

 

The New Boot Ritual

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Jamie received a new pair of boots from our wish list this afternoon. She has a specific series of rituals that must be followed when she receives a new pair of boots. First, one of the staff or volunteers must wear the boot and join Jamie on a walk around the hill. After returning, Jamie expects the boot wearer to meet her in the greenhouse for a grooming session.

Jamie begins by inspecting the boots carefully.

She encourages the caregivers to show her all of the features of the new boot, such as Velcro or zippers.

Then she begins to groom the boot with a tool – in this case, a wooden chopstick given out earlier as part of a food puzzle.

Eventually Jamie will ask to groom the caregiver herself, pointing and gesturing toward specific areas she wants to groom. Sometimes it’s a freckle, other times it’s a scab or hangnail. She also likes to untie our shoelaces with her grooming tool. Her dexterity is incredible, even when she’s holding the tool with the very tips of her fingers.

With a brand new pair of boots, Jamie will often insist on being given them immediately after the grooming session is finished. With boots that she’s had for a while, she will typically ask for them back when the staff are doing their closing rounds. But you can only give them back to her when she’s ready. If you drop them in the chute too early, she will take them out and throw them back to you (or rather, at you) from an opening high up on the playroom caging. When she is truly ready to receive them, she will wait by the chute and issue a low moan of contentment as they are dropped in. Eventually she will make her nest for the night include them or even use them as a pillow. Only then can you close up for the night, knowing that Jamie is satisfied.

Mixing up the menu

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The chimpanzees eat a diet consisting of primarily fresh produce. For added protein, they eat a variety of nuts, seeds, primate chow and soy protein powder (in their a.m. smoothies). A few years ago, caregiver Debbie was able to bring some hard boiled eggs from her free range chicken friends for the chimps to enjoy. She wrote this blog about their introduction (or re-introduction) to the treat. As you will read, Foxie was completely unsure about why anyone would ever want to eat such a thing.

This summer my husband and I adopted four little red hens that get to roam happily around our spacious yard. Here’s Charlotte:

Since the chickens have come, the chimps have enjoyed hard boiled eggs about once a week for breakfast (to replace their usual primate chow).

And Foxie must have figured it out at some point, because she now seems just as excited to eat them as everyone else:

Then and Now

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Negra in the lab:

Negra in lab cage

Negra today:

Sanctuary has given Negra peace, safety, and dignity. She now knows the sensation of the sun on her back, of curling up with a mountain of warm blankets, and of being loved.

There are currently hundreds of pre-sanctuary Negras who have no idea that there’s another kind of life. Help us bring them home by donating toward our year-end fundraising goal! We’re so grateful for your help.

All You Can Eat

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Chimpanzees love to forage. There’s something very exciting about knowing that a bunch of delicious food is scattered across a wide open space and that you are welcome to as much of it as you can hold. It’s like a treasure hunt with a tasty reward.

This afternoon we took advantage of the sun and blue skies and set up a lunch forage on Young’s Hill. Burrito kept his eyes on the prize:

Today’s winner, though, might have been Missy, who we saw hobbling along with a mouth and both hands full of the good stuff: