Grooming is a bonding experience for chimpanzees, and one reason is that it requires a lot of trust in one’s grooming partner. Chimps aren’t afraid to get quite personal with each other. The other day I caught Jamie very gently grooming Negra’s eyes and ears.
Cle Elum Seven
Dominance
Jamie reminds us multiple times a day who’s boss.
Overcoming Fears
As a rule, Negra does not like to be touched by humans. For over three decades, Negra lived in a research laboratory where human touch was usually painful or scary. Sometimes she seeks out touch from her caregivers at the sanctuary by pressing her back against the caging for a little massage, only to panic and threat bark at us when we actually make contact. Some of her anxiety in this area seems to have subsided over the years, but still, we are always a little amazed (and a lot honored) when she allows us to touch her.
Curiously Sweet
Annie has changed in many ways since arriving at the sanctuary eight years ago. As the chimpanzee who occupies the lowest position in the hierarchy, Annie has plenty of reasons to be cautious. When she first moved here from the lab, she was anxious, shy, and prone to panic attacks. Nowadays, we see a much more confident and outgoing Annie.
But one thing that hasn’t changed is that Annie remains possibly the sweetest chimp you’ll ever meet. Chimpanzees are not known for being gentle. Any chimp caregiver will tell you that they’ve been poked, spit on, or worse by the chimps they take care of countless times. That’s all normal chimp behavior – particularly among captive chimps who have limited power over their environment – and we see those behaviors every day from the Cle Elum Seven. All except for Annie, that is, who doesn’t seem to have an aggressive bone in her body.
Footloose and fancy-free
The skies are blue, the sun is shining, and Foxie doesn’t have a care in the world.
The Two Sides of Burrito
Burrito is not the most popular guy on the block. That may shock those of you who are human beings, because humans are completely unable to resist his many charms. But if you were a chimpanzee living with Burrito, he’d probably be a thorn in your side.
Burrito is a unique (and completely endearing, says this human) mix of macho and vulnerable. At times, he is a whirling dervish, composed entirely of testosterone and muscle. In the next moment, he is all confused little boy, cowering in a corner while the ladies put him back in his place. As a male chimpanzee who grew up in an unnatural and impoverished environment, he is a slave to instinct but lacks finesse. He is the teenage boy who does something incredibly misguided, and when asked why, cannot provide an explanation. He is more action than thought.
But most of the time, Burrito is like a puppy. He is affectionate and goofy and a little needy. He just wants love and attention and praise and food and someone to play with. Because he’s slightly intimidated by the other chimpanzees, he usually turns to his human friends to fulfill these needs. It is a burden that we take on because someone must, but it is rough. So rough.
Easter Revisited
Yesterday, Keri shared some photos from the chimpanzees’ Easter party. We didn’t get a ton of video footage of the party, but I thought I’d share a few clips. Enjoy!
