Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary for primates.

Cle Elum

50 Shades of Hay

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A friend of me recently told me that they find observing cattle to be emotionally grounding. For sure, a serenely grazing cow radiates peace.

It’s difficult to tell when cattle are truly happy since they express their emotions in a way that seems alien to most humans. Still, there is a notable contrast between a calm bovine and an excited or anxious one. We who work with these creatures learn to differentiate between these various behavioral states and use this wisdom to safely provide optimal care.

In a more spiritual sense, I also love to watch the Moo Crew peacefully munch on a bale of grass hay, browse through the willows along the creek, or mow down an overgrown pasture like a band of professional landscapers. They bring me joy.

Today, we’re sharing the Jerseys and their zen-like bliss with you all. Please feel free to hop in your Gator, grab a bale of your own, and join in.

Health Care for the Bovines

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With the exception of the occasional snow flurries, we’re welcoming the arrival of spring here at the sanctuary.

For the small herd of rescued Jersey cattle that resides here, the onset of spring corresponds with green pastures for grazing and warm sunshine for sunbathing. They’re already nibbling at the carpet of new growth that has emerged from the muddy winter paddock and we’ve begun to catch them delving into the creek to eat the vegetation. Soon, we’ll open the path to the summer pastures so they can roam the hillsides on either side of the chimpanzee enclosures, grazing and napping the long days away until next winter.

The cattle grazing in the winter paddock… note that Meredith, as usual, is just a little out of step with the others!

The cattle may require less attention than the chimps, but they’re not entirely independent. In fact, they require a bit of maintenance, especially in the spring and fall. Each year, there are a few things that need to happen before the cattle can go on summer vacation.

First, we need to make sure the pasture grass is ready for cattle. Domestic cattle aren’t native here and turning the herd out to pasture too soon can damage the vegetation and terrain (and can also be harm their sensitive guts).

We also need to check the pasture fences and make sure nothing was damaged during the winter storms and freezes.

Then, we have to wean them off of the supplemental hay that we provision through the colder months.

Finally, we prefer to have their annual veterinary exams completed while they’re still hanging out in the winter paddock.

We’re gradually working our way down that checklist. Even though the pastures aren’t quite ready yet and we’re still giving the bovines a bale of hay each morning, we were able to do their annual exams last week.

To facilitate these procedures, we closed the cattle in the Bud Box and then did a quick exam on each individual before letting them back out into the larger paddock. Dr. Erin led the exams as J.B. and I took notes and provided a little extra muscle (although even the two of us are relatively useless when the rowdy patient weighs over a thousand pounds).

The routine exams consisted of full body check-ups, hoof inspections, annual vaccinations, and follow-up diagnostics related to any minor health issues that caregivers had previously documented (e.g. Meredith’s brief “ain’t doin’ right” in January). As usual, Dr. Erin worked quickly; even the tamest of domestic cattle don’t particularly enjoy being confined and restrained for very long, which can cause them to grow fractious in a hurry.

Fortunately, we successfully completed the essential tasks and the cattle resumed their normal routine almost immediately. In addition to our meticulous documentation of the exam procedures and findings, we also managed to take some quick snapshots to share with you all.

Nutmeg assists Dr. Erin
Honey waits patiently in the chute
Dr. Erin rewards Honey with some scratches
Dr. Erin cleans Nutmeg’s ears as we hold him steady with a halter

We’re happy to report that everyone looked great and seems to be in prime physical condition. (Nutmeg, especially, is the epitome of health and oozes masculine confidence. If you’re not yet convinced, check out some of our past blogs about him. You’ll be in awe of this majestic lad.)

Betsy
Honey

Now, the cattle only need their annual hoof trims and a little more growth in the pastures before they can resume their summer landscaping duties!

An Honest April Fool’s Day

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It was so, so hard to retrain myself today. After all, it’s the first day of the fourth month of this year, making it → A P R I L  F O O L ‘ S  D A Y ←, the best day of the year for light-hearted shenanigans.

Unfortunately, it’s not easy to come up with feasible pranks around here. We can’t play dramatic jokes on the chimps because so much of their daily routine is done just the way they like it and mixing things up can cause a lot of confusion. We also take safety very seriously, so surprising each other with unexpected circumstances can be risky, too. On top of all that, we’re just too darn busy to go around the sanctuary playing practical jokes on each other and cleaning up the resulting messes.

That leaves one plausible alternative: trying to fool all of you.

I considered writing a fake blog post that would be somewhat absurd but almost believable. The champions of this art form are the writers at The Onion who have made satirical hoaxes into their own brand of journalism. They miss their target occasionally, but most of their stuff is on point. The Onion has been in the game for a long time, giving their staff time to cover all sorts of topics, from politics to science. If you want to read some of their animal-themed articles, I recommend:

“Jane Goodall Announces She’s All About Lizards Now”

“Scientists Successfully Teach Gorilla It Will Die Someday”

“Zookeepers Confirm Pandas Not Mating Because They’re Scared of Messing Up Friendship”

Over the past couple of days, I mulled over some Onion-esque headlines that I could share today in an attempt to prank our blog followers. The actual, verified news in 2021 has been weird enough, giving me some inspiration. For example, I could have posted that:

  • We traded the cattle for a herd of goats because… you know.. goats.
  • J.B. made Burrito’s “Hey Girl” portrait into an NFT and sold it for $18.1 million
  • Missy and Annie are leaving the sanctuary to go on that cross-country road trip they’ve always talked about
  • Honey B is dropping her first studio album, titled Soap Bucket, under the pseudonym “Money B”
  • The crew divided Young’s Hill into ten smaller enclosures so the chimps can follow social distancing guidelines

The worst idea of them all was one so diabolical that I almost feel guilty for even thinking it up. I genuinely considered telling you all that today’s blog post would be the final one… EVER.

It was nearly perfect, as far as pranks go. Crucially, it’s actually quite believable. Apart from routine caregiving, the expansion has been the main priority for us lately. This growth necessitates fundraising for the new greenhouses, coordinating with contractors, painting and furnishing the new playrooms, and getting the records in order for the six chimpanzees we hope to welcome this summer. We are truly looking for ways to streamline our day-to-day operations to compensate for all the new tasks we’ve added to our schedules, and there’s now a precedent for spending less time on the blog. (In case you missed it, we recently had to post abbreviated blog entries for a few weeks while we participated in virtual training sessions.) My plan was to drop this sad news on all of you and then correct it before we resumed blogging tomorrow. Gotcha!

After discussing my idea with Diana and J.B., I was convinced that this joke could easily go too far. So many people use our social media as their primary window into the lives of the chimpanzees and cattle, whom they love from afar. Despite the tempting lure of April Fool’s glory, I just couldn’t break any of your hearts like that.

In light of all this, you’ll be surprised to know that the rest of this blog post is completely serious. There isn’t a single joke in here. Nothin’ but facts. Unaltered truth, fact-checked by yours truly. Exceptionally honest, through and through.

Besides April Fool’s Day, today was noteworthy for one main reason.

The contractors have finished their work in the new playrooms and these spaces are almost ready for chimps. There are now functioning hydraulic doors from the existing enclosures into each playroom. Notably, the crew had to modify some of the caging in the Mezzanine, resulting in a new “cubby”. Honey B, Mave and Willy B have been taking turns using the odd little space as breakfast nook and nesting cave, among other things. Poor Willy initially seemed nervous to touch the floor in this tiny little space, despite the fact that it’s the same material as the floors in his other indoor enclosures. He brought a plastic stool to sit on instead, limiting himself to a couple feet of head-room.

With the welding complete and doors working, J.B. was able to touch up the paint and Chad has begun hanging firehose “vines” for the chimps to climb on. Mave and Honey B supervised from the downstairs window and the new cubby, respectively. We plan to clean the new playrooms this weekend and then give some of the chimps access to them very, very soon. Stay tuned for updates!

Here are some additional photos of the new playrooms (including one of the vista from the upstairs windows).

Meanwhile, the contractors will begin securing the steel caging to the outdoor greenhouses. It may be difficult to visualize these new areas just yet, but you can trust us when we say that they’re going to be amazing multi-use habitats for Honey B, Mave and Willy B and six new chimpanzees. We already have a foundation and frame in place for these structures, so we’re confident that these spacious greenhouse enclosures will be ready before the summer!

P.S. I’m offering special internet bonus points to anyone who can find the marmot hidden somewhere in this post.

Say It Ain’t Snow

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Today’s weather was wild.

The morning began just as yesterday ended: with golden sunshine and unseasonably high temperatures. The cattle, despite their provisioned hay, were basking in the sun and nibbling on the fresh grass that is just starting to take over the pasture.

Betsy

The only indicator of trouble was a distant wall of clouds sweeping down the valley from the northwest. By noon, however, the skies over the sanctuary grew misty and the breeze picked up. Now, as I sit here hammering out this blog post in the foyer of the Chimp House, snowflakes swirl past the windows and gusts of wind howl overhead. Like a boxer lifting themselves back to their feet after a brutal knockdown, this winter let us know that it isn’t ready to quit just yet.

Looking up the valley towards the Central Cascades

Fortunately, we caregivers had checked the forecast and expected the sunny morning to give way to a blustery afternoon. As soon as we opened up the building, served the morning medications and confirmed that the outdoor areas were secure, we scattered the chimpanzees’ breakfast on Young’s Hill as an outdoor forage, taking advantage of the day’s most agreeable weather. The colorful spread included tangerines, pears, and some pineapple tops (the larger chunks of which went into their daily smoothie).

Missy
Jamie
Jody
Annie
Missy
Foxie

Since only one group of chimps can safely access the Hill at any given moment, Annie, Burrito, Foxie, Jamie, Jody, Missy and Negra went out first. When everyone had gathered up the scattered food, Jamie did her usual patrol of the enclosure’s perimeter and Burrito went inside to goof around with the other chimps and us caregivers.

Burrito

Meanwhile Honey B, Mave and Willy B enjoyed the same breakfast indoors and got the opportunity to use the Courtyard later, just before lunch. Per usual, only Willy B chose to venture out into the open space; the females chose to hang out in the chute and watch the caregivers do chores inside. Honey B was even kind enough to sit still while I took a portrait of her. In exchange, I showed her some chimp photos that I still had on my memory card, including the ones of her. If Honey B was impressed, she hid it well. Honey B

Apart from the volatile weather, today was busy but uneventful. Sometimes it seems like the chimps prefer their days to move that way, with a full itinerary but without anything too unexpected. The right balance of variety and routine is crucial.

Jamie walking the perimeter

Meredith

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Those of you who follow CSNW on Instagram may have noticed that we regularly feature images of the four rescued Jersey cattle who graze the pastures around the sanctuary. Since these herbivorous creatures are so different from their chimpanzee neighbors, focusing on the cattle can be a welcome change of pace for the sanctuary staff and social media followers alike.

In the recent “Bovine Break” post from a couple days ago, we shared a photograph of the four Jersey cattle resting together in their winter paddock. They have formed a tightly-knit herd and are rarely seen apart, which is justified given their history and family bonds. Still, they each have their own colorful personality and quirky tendencies, and the image highlighted one of these characteristic traits.

While Betsy, Honey and Nutmeg were all aligned so they could view the hills and forests to the north of the sanctuary, Meredith was turned completely around and facing the other direction, chewing her cud without any indication that she wanted to conform with the others. We always joke that she has idiosyncratic tendencies, but it was nice to capture it visually for all to see. Standing while the others lay down, laying down while the others stand, facing the opposite direction, lagging behind the group… such is Meredith’s nature.

I used her peculiarity to my advantage when I went out to photograph the cattle this afternoon. The other three acted inconvenienced and trotted away, but Merry quietly waddled alongside me at her own pace. She’s not always in an affectionate mood, but she occasionally paused to suspiciously sniff my muck boots and gently lick my hands. We stopped at the paddock gate where she stood and watched the others (who had nonchalantly strolled through together). Eventually, I left them to their own endeavors. Apart from the satisfaction of capturing some nice portraits, I was also content to share a peaceful moment with this odd individual.

Observing… and Being Observed

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Last week, an interesting creature visited the sanctuary. We caregivers paused to conduct some informal observations.

The visitor was a bobcat. Also known as “red lynx,” bobcats (Lynx rufus) are medium-sized felines native to southern Canada, the entire continental USA, and northern Mexico.

Unlike other species of lynx, bobcats are highly adaptable and can thrive in proximity to humans. Because of this behavioral flexibility, bobcat populations persist in suburban and agricultural environments and are one of the least threatened species of wild feline.

We often see the signs these creatures leave behind as they roam across the sanctuary’s wooded farmland (usually manifesting as tracks left behind in the snow or mud). Their prints complement those of the numerous wild animals who have adjusted to our presence: badgers, black bears, cougars, coyotes, deer, elk, marmots, mice, porcupines, skunks, squirrels, weasels, voles, and countless species of birds, reptiles and amphibians. Until last week, however, none of us had managed to take a photograph of a living bobcat on the sanctuary campus.

From the kitchen window, I first spotted the bobcat trudging through the pasture just north of the Chimp House. The powdery snow was a couple feet deep out there, but the cat was using its furry paws to stay afloat as if they were snowshoes. Anna and I were closing up the facility for the evening, but we immediately grabbed binoculars and a camera so that we could observe and photograph the creature from our “blind” in the building’s foyer.

The bobcat was clearly hunting for the various rodents that tunnel invisibly beneath the snow. At times, the creature sat on its haunches and listened intently before continuing forward. Eventually, the bobcat pounced on some scurrying prey (likely a vole) but emerged from the snow without its quarry. After that unsuccessful attempt, the cat meandered its way up the hill and disappeared into the woodland above.

Shockingly, the bobcat didn’t seem to notice us. The chimps, meanwhile, were too engrossed in their evening food puzzles to even look out the window. They’ve probably seen lots of wild animals that the humans don’t notice, although even they appear to be fascinated at times.

Of course, the caregivers aren’t the only ones who observe their neighbors around here. As always, the chimpanzees continue to observe the humans. Although they often focus on the caregivers who perform the usual tasks in their vicinity, the chimps also pay close attention to the ongoing expansion of the Chimp House.

Currently, Honey B, Mave and Willy B can watch the construction progress from the safety of their indoor enclosures (which are adjacent to the new playrooms). Honey B, in particular, is captivated by the three gentlemen who are installing the caging, windows, climbing structures and hydraulic doors in the new areas. She balances her observation time, alternating between staring intently at us and monitoring the welders and laborers on the other side.

We often think about how much time humans have spent observing and studying wildlife, including free-ranging and captive chimpanzees, but Honey B appears determined to even the score.

The Path to a New Day

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As the snow continued to come down this morning as staff arrived, we were prepared for another snowy day.

A view of the Twister from the top of Young’s Hill covered in snow.

We were anticipating a full day of snow as the forecast had predicted. Luckily enough, we caught a break! By early afternoon, the sun broke free of it’s clouded prison and started to warm the cold air outside.

The sun allowed staff the perfect opportunity to shovel pathways to the structures on Young’s Hill, to give the chimpanzees the option for easier access to the hill.

Though the option was presented to them, they all decided to stay indoors or in the Greenhouse.

Burrito was ready to play chase with staff and waited patiently for us to get done cleaning.
Negra was just ready for dinner.

Mave spent a lot of time playing with huge strips of paper.

Once she noticed me, she stopped playing and decided to play it cool as though nothing was happening.

We consider ourselves very fortunate our residents are currently in their nests and about to go to sleep during this cold snap. However, Primarily Primates located in Texas is in need of local, emergency help. They have lost power and are currently trying evacuate some of their residents while trying to care for those still in place. If you live in the San Antonio, TX area or know someone who is, who can safely deliver some of these much needed items, please do if you can. As caregivers of some amazing individuals, our thoughts and hearts go out to Primarily Primates’ caregivers and their amazing residents during this difficult time.