Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

chimpanzee

Play Day Tuesday

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As caregiver Grace and I were cleaning Burrito’s playroom, I saw him and Missy engage in a fun play session. They were having such a fun time, the play session lasted a very long time. Every time I tried to pull away from recording to help Grace clean, they would engage in a different game that I had to record.

Here are some bonus photos as well!

Annie eating her breakfast chow biscuits while watching the construction crew work on Young’s Hill.

Gordo also watching the construction while sitting inside a Prima-Rocker in the Oakwood Greenhouse.

Then sitting in one of his favorite spots, the window ledge.

Mave waiting for lunch service to begin.

Negra still cozy in her nest as I said good morning to her when I got in.

Lucky being beautiful as always!

And this guy! I can only imagine what is going through his head.

Oh right! Playing! That’s what’s on his mind!

And don’t forget, Giving Day for Apes is right around the corner! Tuesday, October 11th to be exact! You can help us by donating on our page or by creating a fundraiser page of your own! Be sure to check out when the Power Hours are and other prizes on the 11th to try to make your contribution more impactful!

Eat, Drink and Be Terry

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We caregivers often talk about Terry’s kind and easygoing personality. He’s not without occasional bursts of machismo, but these emotional tempests quickly subside to reveal his true gentle nature. It’s always a pleasure to be in Terry’s warm presence, and he seems to hold us caregivers in equally high esteem.

Today, I sat near Terry while he industriously processed a paper braid stuffed with seeds and raisins. It’s always nice to see the chimpanzees engaged with their enrichment, and we value opportunities to share those moments with our readers and supporters. On that note, here’s a clip of Terry’s sweet face for you all to enjoy!

Lunchtime With the Cle Elum Seven

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Meals are always an exciting time of the day around here! The chimps get fresh fruits and vegetables for all three meals of the day, along with forages and food puzzles throughout the day and evening. Everyone has their favorites, of course, and today Caregiver Katelyn prepared tomatoes, mini sweet peppers, and avocados for lunch!

Join us for lunchtime with the Cle Elum Seven on this beautiful October day. 🙂

Terry, inspecting his own hand:

Terry, noticing me taking photos:

Negra during a meal last week:

Missy, watching Foxie play with Caregiver Katelyn:

Lucky hanging out with me earlier this morning:

A thread of Burrito photos, because he’s handsome and I couldn’t pick just one:

In Memory of Dr. B

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The world lost an incredible human being recently. Jocelyn Bezner, VMD, was a friend and a mentor to the staff of CSNW and played a vital role in the chimps’ care over the years. She regularly consulted with Dr. Erin on diagnoses and courses of treatment, even joining in on surgeries over FaceTime. She was a wealth of knowledge and always had time to help chimpanzees, regardless of where they lived.

I asked Dr. Erin if I could share a portion of the email she sent to the rest of the staff when she broke the news. She summed up what Dr. B meant to us and the world better than I could have:

Jocelyn was one of the kindest, most supportive and selfless people I’ve ever known.  She was truly an amazing chimp vet and human being and it’s hard to believe that she is gone.  I wouldn’t know half of what I do about chimp medicine and behavior if it were not for her mentorship and support.  She was SO encouraging and supportive but also very authentic and didn’t take life too seriously. She was the easiest person to talk to and I will miss her very much. 

[…] I am just now understanding how many people’s lives she touched and enriched, both human and non human.  Such a loss for the veterinary community, the chimpanzee sanctuary world and for all who loved her.  She was smart, funny, fiercely dedicated to chimpanzees and a lot of fun to hang out with.   She was one extremely loved human and in many ways was my hero. 

I strive to embrace life and worry less in honor of the one and only Bez.  

Thanks for everything, Dr. B.

📸: Save the Chimps

Versions of Annie

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It’s been a busy day. Rather than write a detailed blog post, I’m sharing a simple portrait of Annie that I took earlier this afternoon.

Annie was lounging on the elevated platform in her group’s greenhouse enclosure. The chimpanzees who live on that side of the building have been closely watching J.B. and the Sage Mechanical crew as they put in another full day renovating Young’s Hill. I thought her expression (or lack thereof) made for a good portrait. I also included some alternate versions of the image, each edited in a unique way. Let me know if you have a favorite edit!

My “preferred” version:

The original:

Black and white with red and yellow hues lifted:

Black and white with blue and green hues lifted:

Increased contrast with “cinematic” preset settings:

Morning Play, Coffee Required

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It’s almost always a guarantee that when you are the first person into the chimp house in the morning and you look through the kitchen doors to Front Room 4, you will see Burrito sitting there. He usually has a block in his mouth or a blanket in his hands. A few head nods and breathy pants later, you’re off on a morning game of chase.

There are many reasons I drink one too many cups of coffee in the morning and this is one of them. Once you initiate a game of play with Burrito, there is no time to stop for fuel. There is no time to stop to chat. There is no morning to-do list. There is only play.

This morning was one of these mornings- I got into the chimp house and as soon as I opened the kitchen door, Burrito was ready. He took off to the greenhouse and it was on! He was also throwing out his Burrito-Spin-Move-Classic, which always brings a smile to your face- no matter how early it is.

Check out the video to come along on a morning play session with Bubba!

Burrito, on the move:

Foxie with her bebe:

Jamie keeping an eye on me:

Jamie with her favorite Lucy Bonobo Book:

Lucky with the right idea- a late morning nap!

Missy trying to convince me to sneak her some tomatoes from the garden:

Negra resting in the greenhouse, in the morning sunlight:

Terry, snoozin, uninterested:

Paparazzi

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Jamie is always aware of what the humans are up to and doesn’t shy away from sharing her opinions.

I love Jamie’s dominant personality and respect her autonomous attitude, but satisfying her desires for choice and control is a continuous challenge given the limitations of her captive environment. I am grateful that her outspoken honesty provides some insight into how she perceives her world, allowing us to tailor our caregiving to her preferences. Not all chimps express satisfaction and displeasure quite like she does, accepting a new piece of enrichment with a deep grunt or telling us not to close a door by waving her arm at us. This candid rapport between Jamie and human is extremely beneficial when we engage the chimps socially; Jamie can say “go ahead” or “not now” in her own special way and still be understood.

Jamie demonstrated her forthright demeanor as I was photographing the chimpanzees in her wing of the facility earlier today. I saw her sitting on the bench in Front Room 4, a small indoor area with a good amount of natural light. I saw that she had a single raisin daintily held between her lips and approached to take some photos. Before raising my camera to my face, I pointed to the bulky device and politely asked “Can I take your portrait?” I’m not sure if Jamie understood my request word-for-word, but she nodded eagerly in response. I pressed the shutter over and over again as she patiently stared back into the curved glass of my 85mm lens for what felt like minutes. We exchanged another friendly nod before I moved on to a different location.

 

I passed Jamie’s perch again as I circled back to the foyer and presented the camera to her again. This time, she ignored my inquiry and just stared back. I had just lifted the viewfinder to eye level with my finger and taken the first two exposures when Jamie suddenly threw her arm up in my direction. I took it as a casual but clear signal that patience for my creative exploits had waned and her participation in the photo shoot was over.

If you’re wondering where Jamie got the raisin…