If you’re a regular reader, you probably know that tomorrow is a big day for us here. It’s the 4th anniversary of the chimps’ arrival in Cle Elum and also Negra’s birthday. We’re planning a whole bunch of fun! As we get ready, we always find ourselves pausing to reflect about how far the chimps have come, and then daydreaming about how much further they will go. Check out this post from four years ago today, and this one too. There was so much excitement in the air. And then compare this with this. Breathtaking!
chimpanzee
Lazy Sunday
The chimps have been ridiculously playful lately (see Negra and Missy’s play session from last Wednesday, as well as Missy and Annie’s goofiness on Friday)! But some days, they just want to kick back and relax. It’s been sunny but really windy today (and the last several days!) which makes for a really warm and relaxing greenhouse.
Annie has been laying in a super comfy-looking nest all morning- the perfect place for a little yoga:
Foxie has been kicked back with a couple of troll dolls while grooming herself. There’s something so adorable about Foxie’s tongue!
And just now, I caught Jody grooming Burrito. I love the way she was holding his foot!
Pile of Trolls Day
Watch Foxie choose her daily trolls from a giant pile in the video below.
As the video mentions, you can send your troll dolls to Foxie at the sanctuary for her birthday and to be used in the Troll Olympics. In addition to troll and dora dolls, we are looking for bakers to bring vegan baked goods to sell at the bake sale that’s part of the Roslyn Doggie and Troll Olympics on July 22nd. Contact Diana: [email protected] if you want to bake or if you have any questions. More information about this fun event will be forthcoming!
Fun & Games
Missy makes it obvious when she wants to play. The gigantic play face is the most obvious indication, but she also has the unique signal of wearing a sock on one foot.
Wet grass
Jody was not very happy about the cold, wet grass on the hill today. She walked bipedally (upright) to try to keep herself dry, but decided in the end that it was better to stay warm and dry in the greenhouse.
Blanket Play
Today as the chimps were waiting for their lunch to be served, I caught Missy playing with a red blanketed lump, also known as Negra Chimpanzee. It stood out as particularly funny to me because, although Negra loves to wrap herself (head and all) up in a blanket, and although lots of the chimps, particularly Missy and Jamie, often play with blankets over their heads, we don’t often see Negra playing like this. I love seeing Missy bring out Negra’s playful side!
Comfort
A few nights ago while the chimpanzees were being served dinner in the greenhouse, I entered the playroom for a quick spot clean and found this nest in Negra’s current favorite spot in the loft. The photos really don’t do it justice. It was about four feet wide and beautifully put together. The next morning when we (reluctantly) deconstructed it during cleaning, we counted 23 blankets! It was only four years ago that Negra and the other chimps were sleeping on bare concrete in the lab. To Negra, I think sanctuary means comfort.
