Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

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chimpanzee

Negra

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When you take care of chimpanzees in a sanctuary, your whole life revolves around trying to make them happy. You live for those moments when they are food squeaking over a good meal, or playing a wild game of chase around the outdoor enclosure. For some members of the Cle Elum Seven, we’ve begun to take these moments for granted. When does Missy not want to play chase? And is there ever a moment when Foxie is not playing with her troll dolls?

But for some chimps, its harder to tell when they are happy. Negra has one speed (slow) and a limited number of activities that she engages in (eat, sleep, groom, gaze out the window). Perhaps its due in part to her personality; some folks just live life at a different pace. But you can’t help but wonder how much of it is due to 35 years of confinement in a laboratory.

Determining what effect a lifetime of stress in the laboratory has on chimpanzees is currently the work of two researchers, Debra Durham and Hope Ferdowsian. Debra and Hope are conducting a large-scale study of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in ex-laboratory chimpanzees. This summer, we participated in interviews with the researchers to look for indications of PTSD in the Cle Elum Seven.

Debra recently penned an Op-Ed for the Orlando Sentinel (see Drawing Ourselves into the Lives of Chimpanzees), in which she comments on the improvements they have seen in Negra. And, as fate would have it, the article’s publication coincided nicely with this video we took of Negra playing with Missy right before Jamie’s birthday party. (My favorite part of the video? When Negra grabs both or Missy’s ears and shakes her head back and forth 🙂

Its not likely that Negra will ever be rambunctious like Missy, or acrobatic like Foxie. Usually, I take comfort in the fact that when Negra chooses to put a blanket over her head and stare out the window, at least she has a choice. But she does have her playful moments, and according to Debra and Hope’s research, she is still showing signs of improvement.  So we can all look forward to seeing Negra pull Missy’s legs and ears more and more in the days to come.

On the radio

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Arik Korman, the director of 102.5 KZOK’s The Bob Rivers Show, recently visited the sanctuary. Arik has shared a podcast full of great questions, a dramatic intro and some terrific audio of the chimpanzees food grunting (in the beginning) and Jamie displaying (toward the end).

You can learn more about the sanctuary and chimpanzees by listening to the podcast linked to below or hear it broadcast on KZOK this Sunday in the 6am hour, KJAQ in the 7am hour and on AM 1090 in the 11am hour.

http://www.twistedradio.com/podcasts/ArikKormanPodcast_2009-11-05_1649.mp3


Construction volunteers needed

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Construction continues this week on the greenhouse project, as we prepare to pour the concrete floor for what will be the 6′ x 10′ human area of the chimps’ winterized outdoor enclosure. Once our final building permit has been issued, we will begin constructing the framework for the polycarbonate greenhouse panels…weather permitting!

We are currently looking for more volunteers to help with construction. If you have building experience, or if you are simply willing to do manual labor in cold weather, we would appreciate your help! Please email [email protected] for more information.

Negra and “night bags”

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Each night after dinner, we give the chimpanzees treats in the form of “night bags.” These are brown paper bags with a small amount of sugar-free cereal, dried fruit, salt-free nuts, seeds and sometimes dried pasta or other goodies. Our beloved volunteers make these bags up 21 or so at a time to ensure we have a supply for a few nights. Negra in particular likes this snack and sometimes asks for her night bag before dinner is even over. She asks by loudly clapping and sometimes extending an arm out. One night last week when J.B. was serving dinner, I snapped a few photos of Negra making her request, then enjoying her night bag.

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For the love of cowboy boots

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Quick Jamie story of the day: I had picked up the front rooms to prepare for cleaning and brought the enrichment over to the washing tub. Jamie saw me from the playroom and started gesturing emphatically. I knew just what she was trying to tell me – I had one of her cowboy boots among the enrichment items and she wanted it back.

I did a brief cleaning job and offered to throw the boot up to her in the space above the big human doors to the playroom. Instead, she looked at me and ran outside. I came around and threw the boot on the roof. She climbed up and got the boot down and carried it with her most of the day. I’ve never seen Jamie ask for something specific that wasn’t food – she REALLY likes her new birthday cowboy boots. Thanks, Stephanie P.!