Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest
Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary
After the lunch forage the other day, Jamie brought in her haul and casually ate at her leisure. Pretty leisurely too, I might add, with her arm just resting on the ladder. I think we can all relate… I know I love to just sit back, relax, and enjoy a snack. Usually that snack isn’t raw onions, but Jamie’s palate must be more refined than mine 😉
Nightbags, or night bags, are the post dinner treat for the chimpanzees here at Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest. Jamie, Jody, Missy, Annie, Negra, Foxie and Burrito all love these nut-filled bags and each has a preferred practice for how to get the most out of these small but delectable treats.
The sound of the chimpanzees crunching on nuts and seeds is, in my opinion, the sound of satisfaction and a job well done. No other noise is more evocative to me of hope, love, home, and sanctuary. But you don’t have to take my word for it. Listen for yourself and decide.
Last week we posted some photos of a silly play session between Foxie and Jamie. Here’s some video from that play session. Enjoy the play faces and breathy laughter!
Jody loves plants, of all varieties. In the wild, chimpanzees are known as “frugivores” meaning the majority of their diet is made up of fruit. But they also supplement with leaves, bark, pith, seeds, nuts, honey, ants, termites, and in some communities they will even hunt small mammals. Though Jody loves the fresh produce we offer, she also likes to supplement throughout the day with plants.
Sometimes she forages for native plants that grow wild on Young’s Hill:
or she also loves to munch on bamboo that we have planted in the greenhouse and on Young’s Hill:
and other times she likes to collect plants we put out as a forage. The other day she collected some pea tendrils from our garden:
Today she found a mouthful of cattails and took them inside to enjoy at her leisure:
(and she even found some leftover pea tendrils from the other day, too!)
One of my favorite blog posts is one that J.B. posted about the stages of Negra’s lips drooping. I think her heavy lips are one of her more endearing qualities, wouldn’t you agree?
It’s another scorcher of a day here at Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest. The chimpanzees have been taking it in stride though by lounging during the heat of the day with various enrichment in hand (or mouth).
Jody playing with a plastic toy while wearing a sock:
Jamie lounging with a toothbrush in her mouth:
Jamie with one of her newest favorite boots:
Foxie with her bestie:
Burrito lying around with a brush:
Negra even held on to a wooden toy:
Although Annie didn’t have a piece of enrichment with her as she lounged on the catwalk bridge, she certainly seemed to be enjoying the relaxation time:
And Missy decided to stay out of camera view as she snuggled up in her blanket nest.
Kicking back has never looked so cool.
