Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

chimpanzee

Foxie on a troll stroll

by

Foxie takes her dolls with her almost everywhere. She holds them during meal times, she plays with them (both on her own and with friends), and she rests with them. She even takes them on brief outings onto Young’s Hill. A lot of times she carries them on her back like a mother chimp would carry their infant around, but sometimes she is able to manage with them in her hand or mouth as she walks. In the last photo, you’ll see she’s rubbing the troll’s belly as they head back into the greenhouse.

Though it can seem endearing how Foxie loves her dolls, it’s also a sad reminder that Foxie was never able to keep a baby of her own.

Foxie was used as a breeder in the lab. When she was just 10 years old, she gave birth to twins, David and Steve. Steve is deceased, but David is currently living at Alamogordo Primate Facility (APF) in New Mexico. Foxie had two other babies, Angie (who now thankfully lives at Save the Chimps in Florida) and Kelsey (who lives at APF like David).

Though we can never make up for all that Foxie has lost, we are so glad that in sanctuary she has found a great deal of happiness and companionship in her dolls.

web_foxie_troll_in_mouth_yh_dm_IMG_4595

web_foxie_walk_troll_in_mouth_yh_dm_IMG_4596

web_foxie_walk_look_at_camera_troll_in_mouth_yh_dm_IMG_4597

web_foxie_walk_troll_in_hand_rub_belly_yh_dm_IMG_4598

Today is in memory of Orfeo Tanzi

by

Today’s day of sanctuary was sponsored by Rita Stevenson in memory of her father, Orfeo Tanzi. Rita is a long-time supporter of chimpanzees and she shared this lovely message about today: “A year after my father passed away I saw the video of Jody munching away on a huge sunflower. It warmed my heart because my dad and I used to grow sunflowers in his huge garden. He loved chimps and all animals. He was kind to all animals. Thus, in memory of my father, I’ve been supporting Jody, Negra, Burrito, Missy, Annie, Foxie and Jamie with Nuts.com deliveries and blankets and toys care packages. Today, on my 60th birthday, I wish to honor my dear father who I miss and love dearly.”

Rita, thank you for not only honoring your father in this way and including the chimpanzees in your special memories of him, but also for sharing your own special day in order to make theirs better. We hope you have a wonderful birthday and may your day be filled with all the things you love.

Our resident Master Gardener/Forager/Harvester, Jody:

web_Jody_wide_eyes_bamboo_YH_jb_IMG_3720

web_Farmer_Jody_bipedal_walk_hold_carrot_food_stash_forage_harvest_Easter_party_GH_ek_IMG_8685

web_Jody_rose_forage_on_logs_YH_ls_IMG_9126

Jody Harvesting in the Greenhouse

by

As Katelyn mentioned in her post the other day, Jody is known as Jody the Harvester.

Though we have been having a very mild winter, there isn’t much new to harvest on Young’s Hill yet. Today, instead, Jody turned her harvesting attentions to the Christmas tree.

We’ve been getting a lot of use out of that Christmas tree – using it to hide goodies during various foraging parties. It’s in a big pot right now in the Greenhouse, and we are hoping to plant it on the hill in the spring, but we weren’t sure if the chimps would allow it to survive until we can plant it.

For the most part, they’ve ignored it, aside from getting treats out of it during parties. Every once in a while, however, Jody decides to take a few samples:

Jody harvesting the Christmas tree

Jody biting tree

Jody holding tree bit

Jody inspecting tree bit

Jody eating tree bit

Jody eating tree bit

Jody inspecting tree bit

Jody eating tree bit

Lazy forage

At the center of everything

by

If you were to diagram the relationships between the chimps at CSNW, Foxie would be the one point at the center that connects everyone together.

She is by far the best friend that Jody has. The two like to take morning walks around Young’s Hill together and play gentle tickling and wrestling games while lying on their backs. When Jody is upset, Foxie is there to comfort her.

web_Foxie_with_troll_on_back_jody_walk_bamboo_YH_jb_IMG_4654

She is one of Missy’s favorite play partners, and one of the few that can keep up with Missy’s breakneck pace.

web1_Foxie big playface sock around neck Missy standing up_MG_8225

And while she got off to a rocky start with Annie, the two have come to understand each other better in the last couple of years and these days it’s not uncommon for them to play together or spend time with each other surveying the valley below Young’s Hill.

web_Foxie_and_Annie_on_platform_pasture_in_background_trolls_YH_jb_IMG_6529

Foxie is one of the only chimps that can get Jamie to let down her guard and play. If it weren’t for Foxie, Jamie would never get a break from being bossy. And that, frankly, wouldn’t be good for anyone.

web_Jamie_Foxie_play_playface_wrestle_PR_ek_IMG_2108

To be Negra’s friend, you have to learn to go at her speed. Foxie can groom quietly with Negra, but she also gets Negra to let loose once and a while. She does this by inviting her to play with big, exaggerated play gestures, knowing that she has to be clear with Negra and ensure that Negra still wants to play along at every step of the way. This gentle and understanding approach has really helped Negra come out of her shell.

web negra foxie groom cute greenhouse GH IMG_9848

And I don’t know where Burrito would be without his 90-lb bodyguard. Whenever Burrito gets himself into trouble, she is there, trolls in hand, and ready to place herself in harm’s way to defend him.

web_Foxie_troll_Burrito_walk_YH_jb_IMG_4405

Primatologists often refer to a primate’s political skills as “Machiavellian intelligence.” Chimps with a high level of Machiavellian intelligence are able to work social relationships to their advantage. They form alliances and exchange favors in an effort to climb the social ladder. If I didn’t know her better, I might think that Foxie is a Machiavellian genius, the way that she has won everyone over. But I don’t think she has a cynical or manipulative bone in her body. She just likes everyone and wants everybody to get along. And they, in turn, like her. How could you not?

Nature documentaries tend to focus on the alpha males, and in many human societies, we deify the powerful. But behind all the brash, dominant types hogging the spotlight, there’s usually someone like Foxie holding everything together.

If anyone deserves our admiration, it’s her.

web_Foxie_close_up_FR3_jb_IMG_2996

Annie’s bird noises

by

I just posted this video to our Facebook page:

Post by Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest.

Annie loves to relax on her back. Today I not only caught her making her “bird noises,” but also snapped a quick photo of her tongue sticking out a little bit—which just adds to her endearing personality.

web_annie_lie_on_back_nest_christmas_blanket_look_at_camera_gh_dm_IMG_4606 copy

web_annie_make_bird_noise_gh_dm_IMG_4608 copy

web_annie_tongue_out_lie_on_back_nest_gh_dm_IMG_4604 copy

Sanctuary is love.

by

Today has been all about love! We threw a big party in the greenhouse for Valentine’s Day with the help of decorations and enrichment donated by Lisa S., Carol M., and volunteer Patti—plus delicious food donated by Anne R. and Patti, including some tasty buckwheat waffles with walnuts and carrots. They smelled delicious! Patti excluded the sugar and salt from the recipe, but the chimpanzees didn’t mind one bit. They wolfed them down!

Here’s some photos from the set-up:
web_valentine's_day_party_set-up_gh_dm_IMG_4533

web_valentine's_day_party_set-up_connie_drinks_dm_IMG_4529

During the party, Foxie started to whimper a little bit. Jamie swooped in and comforted her and even shared a waffle piece with her. Now that is love! Jamie is the boss of the group, and in the chimp world, that means she doesn’t have to share anything if she doesn’t want to. In fact, she can take anything from anyone to assert her dominance. So for her to share something with Foxie is a true gesture of friendship.

Negra especially loved the waffles:
web_negra_eat_waffle_valentine's_day_party_gh_dg_IMG_8521

web_negra_eat_waffle_valentine's_day_party_gh_dg_IMG_8474

web_negra_drink_valentine's_day_party_gh_dg_IMG_8482

Jamie loved the drinks—we had red gatorade watered down plus smoothie in little shot glasses!
web_jamie_drink_valentine's_day_party_gh_dg_IMG_8498

web_jamie_get_last_drop_valentine's_day_party_gh_dg_IMG_8499

web_jamie_lick_smoothie_cup_valentine's_day_party_gh_dg_IMG_8503

web_jamie_hold_smoothie_cup_valentine's_day_party_gh_dg_IMG_8502

web_jamie_forage_valentine's_day_party_gh_dg_IMG_8526

web_jamie_eat_raspberry_forage_valentine's_day_party_gh_dg_IMG_8528

Foxie:
web_foxie_twin_pink_haired_troll_babies_in_mouth_gh_dg_IMG_4252

web_foxie_profile_close-up_twin_pink_haired_troll_babies_in_mouth_gh_dg_IMG_4258

Jody:
web_jody_eat_apple_valentine's_day_party_gh_dg_IMG_8464

web_jody_drink_valentine's_day_party_gh_dg_IMG_8461

We all appreciate your gestures of friendship and love for the chimpanzees and are blown away with how we surpassed our Share the Chimp Love goal! It warms our hearts to know that these chimpanzees mean so much to all of you that you would share your generosity with them.

share_the_love_heart_names_2015

note: Patty Clark’s name should have also been included in the heart above!

 

You all have played a part in a second chance at life for these chimpanzees.

As supporter Kathleen C. put it in her sponsor-a-day message for today, “Sanctuary is love.” Just watch the video below to see how much love they had for sanctuary today!

 

 

And here’s the final Share the Chimp Love image of what love is for Negra

Love is for Negra