Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

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chimpanzees

Weird and Routine

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Since Anna included it in her Top 10 Sanctuary Videos of 2020, you may have been reminded recently of the video of J.B. and I in the gator racing Jamie at sunset. Thanks to J.B.’s transcription, you know I said, “This is the weirdest job.”

That’s true, in many ways.

The weird, however, has a way of becoming quite routine round here.

Jamie now frequently asks us to get the gator so she can race it, or us in it, or maybe just the boots we are wearing while driving it, around the hill.

Today, she made this request of Kelsi as they were starting off on a walk (you just need to know Jamie and how to interpret her gestures to know what she’s asking for – it’s a learning curve).

Kelsi ran back into the barn and started up the gator and Jamie took off at a sprint to get a head start. This time Burrito, Missy, Annie, and Jody joined the race. I climbed up to the observation deck to get a few photos.

 

Jamie up top, Missy standing bipedally, and Jody’s and Annie’s behinds

Annie catching up

 

Jamie in the lead

 

Missy likes to do things the hard fun way!
Annie and Missy taking in the sights at the end of the walk
Annie seems to really like the view from the top of the Escher structure
Jody sporting a classic drooped lip

Later in the day, Mave was having me play a fun game of chase where she ran around the mezzanine and I went from the human area of the mezzanine, downstairs via the rungs, through the door into the new getting-closer-to-being-finished playrooms, and upstairs to the window, where she was waiting for me.

She thought this was great fun.

While I was playing with Mave, I looked out one of the upstairs playroom windows, which have great views of the hill. Honey B was in the chute and spotted me through the window, so then she and I played a little game of chase where she ran back and forth in the chute and I went from one window to another.

Like J.B. yesterday, my batteries seemed to run out at an alarmingly accelerated pace compared to the chimpanzees.

It was all kind of weird, kind of routine, and very special at the same time.

The Eve of Burrito

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It was a normal day within all the CSNW Chimp House,

The chimps were grooming, while caregivers tidied the house.

But there was one person who just couldn’t sit still.

He wanted to play and laugh until his heart was filled.

The sounds of kicks and Bronx cheers grew ever so loud,

Should I abandon my duties? Is this even allowed?

I looked to my staff with a quizzical stare,

“I must keep cleaning, but he does not care!”

“Go! He is requesting you! But be sure you stretch! 

For he will run you tired, and an ambulance we might fetch!

He deserves everything his heart would ever desire,

But be cautious, or he will make your body retire!”

And within a flash we were off to the races,

With giggles and laughter, even play faces.

Out the gate and through the snow,

I trudged my way up my steep uphill foe.

I gathered my breath and prepared to run,

While his face seemed to scream, “This will be so much fun!”

My muscles were burning and as I was gasping,

I thought about lying down and just collapsing.

After not once, twice, but thrice around the snowy hill,

We returned to the Greenhouse to continue to play still.

I wished for a break in such long play session,

But none was granted by his absolute obsession.

“Buddy, let’s take it easy today, for there is much more in store,

Tomorrow is your big day, and we will play even more.

There will be treats and snow for the whole fam,

Why, I even heard there may even be a Pasta Cam.

“2020 was just a doozy of a year,

You survived a fight, procedures, and even a rattlesnake scare.

You pulled through, and inspired us all.

Staff, volunteers, interns, and donors big and small. 

“It was you who got us all through this pandemic,

Your joyous laughter, and foot stomps that were seismic.

We hope you have the best of days tomorrow,

Because it was you who helped us through the pandemic sorrow.”

“Happy Birthday, Burrito!” The world will all scream.

You are one of the chimpanzees of our dreams.

So have a good night, and sleep real tight,

Because tomorrow, we will celebrate you with no end in sight.

A Wintry Mix of This and That

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For those in more mild climates free of cold winter weather, when the forecast calls for a wintry mix, you can expect a little rain, a little snow, a little sleet, a little bit of everything. A little of this and a little of that.

For most of the day, there was rain, though it was more of a drizzle. While tonight calls for some slight snow before it turns to rain again. Though the chimpanzees had access to go outside, everybody felt it better to stay indoors with weather like this. For them, it was a good day to wrap themselves up in blankets and nap.

Willy B felt this was the most optimal course of action for the majority of the day.

While I was taking photos of Willy B, it almost felt like he was modeling different takes for me, which if you know Willy B, he likes to review the photos of himself.

He soon climbed down to take a look.

While he napped, Honey B and Mave groomed.

Before the napping and grooming sessions commenced, they were treated with firehose cubes in the afternoon.

Maybe their excitement over one of their favorite food puzzles put them in a relaxing mood afterward.

While the Seven stayed indoors all day today to avoid walking in the remaining snow and mud, they also felt today called for naps and resting.

Negra was fully onboard with this plan.

Though today was a day of relaxing and staying warm indoors, we just can never truly know what each day will bring and what choices they will make.

Though yesterday had similar conditions minus the rain, the Seven were dashing around the hill, climbing structures, and collecting snow.

Annie was really into her snowy treats yesterday and made several trips outside to grab some of the nearest snow.

Foxie decided she had to try to find some of the further reaching patches left on the structures.

While Foxie had a purpose of collecting snow on the structures, Jamie climbed from structure-to-structure just because she could.

After climbing most of the structures, she returned piloerect, possibly because of the chill factor outside or because she was happy and satisfied with her winter adventure.

Days like these are possible due to our followers and donors who help us care for these 10 unique individuals and to provide them with fun and interesting activities.

This day of sanctuary was sponsored by Marcus Andrews. Thank you so much, Marcus. With your generous gift, you made it possible for us to provide the warmest blankets, fun enrichment, and good meals on a wintry mix of a day.

There are many ways to help support the chimpanzees and cattle who call Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest home. You can become a Chimpanzee Pal to one of the chimpanzees, a Bovine Buddy to one of the cattle, a Produce Patron who helps us provide the freshest of foods, or Sponsor-a-Day of sanctuary like Marcus. These forms of support help us provide a comfortable lifestyle for these individuals who haven’t had the most comfortable life before being brought to sanctuary.

Holiday Games

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This period between Christmas and New Year’s Day is always a bit odd.

Even if you don’t celebrate Christmas, the days between the solstice and end of the year must still have a unique feeling. For one thing, unless you work in the health or service industries, you’re probably spending most or all of this time on vacation. Maybe you’re using the holidays as an opportunity to chip away at your reading list, reach out to friends and family, or partake in winter sports. Perhaps you’re sleeping in, binge-watching crime documentaries, or cuddling with your nonhuman companions.

Regardless of your interests, you’re likely reflecting on the events of the past twelve months and recharging your emotional batteries for the challenges of another year. After the rollercoaster ride that 2020 just gave us, it seems more important than ever that we all take a deep breath, recite our personal mantras, and engage in the activities that bring us fulfillment.

One thing that I’ve been doing during this week-between-the-holidays is playing a wide variety of games with my friends and family. The ongoing pandemic makes meeting up with loved ones more difficult for all of us, but we still find ways to compete virtually because we think it’s important. For humans and other creatures, play challenges cognitive abilities and yields valuable insight about the world and how it works. When done socially, it can reaffirm social relationships and hone crucial skills like empathy, adaptability, and resilience. Of course, I don’t usually think about these benefits while I’m getting torched in a game of Cribbage (unlike some cool scientists who actually research the adaptive value of play behavior), but I still appreciate the opportunity to engage with others in lighthearted competition.

Lately, my playlist has included card games like Rummy and Cribbage, online multiplayer games like Among Us, and turn-based board games like Settlers of Catan. (By the way, does anyone have ore or wheat to trade? I’ve got a ton of sheep.) My friends and I have also carried on with our fantasy football league, giving us each a small stake in the weekend contests.

On top of all that, I am greeted by ten playful chimps upon arriving at the sanctuary each morning. The chimps and staff jointly create arbitrary rituals that, over time, become woven into the fabric of our relationships. The games that the chimps play, like ours, have understood rules and require a certain amount of trust. When Jamie nods, we start walking. When we rev up the Gator, Missy starts running. When Burrito stomps and pivots, we stomp and pivot.

When I see the chimps creating these odd rituals, it reminds me of the contests that we conceive among ourselves. Therefore, today, I’m giving you all a new game to play. It’s similar to ones that we have hosted in the past (Saw references and all).

Today’s version challenges you to guess which one of the sanctuary’s four rescued cattle is pictured in each of the following images. Each member of the Moo Crew is included at least twice. I’ll post the answers in a separate comment tomorrow evening. “Let the games begin!”

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.

Hint: One pair of related cattle shares a similar hair-do. The other related pair does not!

Bonus points!

Good luck, everybody!

 

 

Christmas Party Bonus Photos

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We took hundreds of photos during the various parties yesterday, no exaggeration. I combed through them today and selected a few I just had share.

Burrito unwrapped one of the many gifts and decided to wear the raffia ribbon for a while.

Then he donned a new leopard print scarf

The tree in the greenhouse was a real treasure this year and produced quite a lot of enjoyment.

Negra:

 

Annie:

Missy mastered the tree and got the most out of it until the very end when she toppled it over (see video from yesterday).

Look at that tangerine hidden way in the depths of the the tree!

Jody enjoying the fruits of her tree-scavenging labor:

There were several spots in the greenhouse that were dusted with coconut. Here’s Annie collecting some:

and Negra:

and I’ll end with this photo of Burrito, in awe of Christmas, with coconut dust on his lips:

for even more warm holiday cheer, check out our Instagram account to see a short clip of Mave’s Christmas nest. Happy Boxing Day, everyone!

The Forest for the Trees

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It’s been a busy week at the sanctuary, but that’s not stopping us from feeling a little bit of holiday cheer.

For the most part, the holidays don’t interrupt our operations. First and foremost, the chimps need the same amount of specialized care that they always do. Additionally, the ongoing construction of new chimpanzee areas will continue right up to Christmas and is set to resume immediately after. Since the electrical work that Anna mentioned last week is still in progress, the seven chimps living on that side of the building have been somewhat inconvenienced. For the past few days, they have had to hang out in the heated Greenhouse and cozy front rooms while the larger playroom is unavailable.

That hasn’t seemed to bother them too much, though. They have ample enrichment puzzles, nesting materials, views of the contractors, human caregivers to socialize with, and each other’s company.

Burrito
Burrito (and the Holiday Tree!)

Jamie seems to enjoy watching the electricians. Although she can’t see their faces because of their masks, Jamie nodded approvingly at their footwear today. The guys seemed proud when I told them The Boss was pleased.

Jamie

Fortunately, the first days of winter have been relatively warm and consistently clear, so the chimps have also felt comfortable making frequent excursions outdoors. The amazing weather convinced us to spread forages on Young’s Hill both Saturday and Sunday, but they seem to be motivated by other factors in the days since. Maybe they want to survey the land and spy on the neighbors, or perhaps they’re just looking for some recreation. Either way, it’s nice to see them using the large outdoor enclosure this late in the year. I took the following photos during Sunday’s special activities and today’s regular patrols.

Jamie (front) and Burrito (back)
Annie
Foxie
Foxie
Foxie
Annie
Missy
Jody
Jamie
Negra

Foxie, in particular, seems to value her time outdoors. Based on her tendency to wander off from the others, I’d guess that she enjoys the brief periods of solitude.

Foxie on “The Escher” structure
Foxie atop “Neggie’s Cabin”

Of course, she may just be taking in those sweet views of the surrounding pastures, forests, and snow-covered mountains.

Foxie

Mave. That’s It. That’s the Blog

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Today, electricians continued their work connecting the existing building to the new area of the expansion! This meant there was a lot of human activity in the Chimp House. Similar to last week, the chimpanzees were extremely patient while parts of their enclosures were closed off to ensure the safety of both chimpanzee and human.

As the electricians worked and caregivers spent a majority of the day processing all the amazing Christmas gifts everybody donated from our Amazon Wishlist (sidenote: thank you all so much! There is a lot for us to process!), there was a lot of grooming going on with the chimpanzees. The few times I tried to get some photos of the massive grooming party happening nearly all day with the Group of Seven, Burrito halted every chance. Playtime is more important than photo time to Burrito.

However, I was able to capture a few photos of the Group of Three sporadically throughout the day.

Honey B chewing on some sugar-free gum.
Willy B pondering if he will continue to allow me to take photos, or decide he needs to review the photos I captured. (He lip-smacked at this one, which I took as him telling me this was the shot to use.)

Then there is Mave!

Mave is generally low key. As Katelyn described yesterday, Mave can be laying down one second, then be more than a foot in the air the next. Sometimes I feel she can put Tigger to shame with her jumps and bounces. Though Mave can be very playful with human caregivers when she wants to, sometimes she just likes the quiet company. Unlike Honey B and Willy B who want to play chase, groom boots, play poke, or watch what ever screen a human has, be it a television or smartphone, Mave generally just likes the humans to sit there quietly with her. As we sit with her, she usually grooms herself or lays there drifting off in to Dreamland. If we attempt to leave, she will jump up in the air in a flash. Though sometimes we mistake this for her now wanting to play, she will immediately resume her prior activity of self-grooming or setting sail to Zzz-Town. When Mave is ready, she will let us know if it’s play time, or if we can go. The former is usually accompanied with laughter and her fingers extended toward us to play poke. The latter is usually just no objection to us getting up and continuing to work.

Here are some photos she allowed me to take of her as I sat with her today.

As also mentioned yesterday, we just never know when she’s going to do it or who she’s going to direct this invitation toward. I can’t speak for the other caregivers, but I am certain they are like me in cherishing these quiet moments with the Marvelous Mave.