Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

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The Baby Bartender

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Sometimes we just don’t know how the chimps are going to react to new modifications introduced into their home. If you have been following for a while, you may remember a device that was installed onto the outside of the caging. This was supposed to be used to allowed the chimps to put an extremity such as a hand or foot inside of it so the humans can take an x-ray without the use of anesthesia or any other drug. If you read that blog from six years ago(!), then you may remember initially that box was used for another purpose; a storage area known as the doll/Troll/storage cubby.

There have been modifications that have occurred since then.The most recent and ongoing is the installation more firehose lines and handlebars to help assist Negra get around with her limited mobility. Just like last time, Foxie was the one who found a different use for the new modifications around her areas.

May I introduce: The Baby Bar!

Yesterday when I was working in the kitchen, I had passed by the door that leads into the chimp area and caught a glimpse of something out of the corner of my eye. It was Foxie as she is in the above photo! What I had not noticed initially was she was carrying around a few dolls!

It was just a fun thing to see her use her imagination like this with something new. I watched as she would replace one doll for another as they were lined up. This may not have been what was going through her mind, and I can almost guarantee it wasn’t, but I was saying the Foxie was playing Baby Bartender. Waiting for caregivers pass by so she could pick the right doll for them, like a bartender. “Oh! You had a rough day at work? Orange Blossom will cure what ails ya!” “Broken heart? Here! Try a red-haired Troll!”

Foxie: The Baby Bartender! Ready to take your order!

George Picnics with his New Family

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Outdoor forages are a great source of enrichment in the warmer months. George got to search for plenty of treats last summer when he was on his own, but today marked the first time that he got to have lunch outside with his new family since they were fully integrated. He was so excited!

Here are a few bonus photos of Foxie taking her dolls along for the ride during her group’s lunch forage:

 

 

 

 

Foxie and Her Dolls

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On our recent “Ask the Caregiver” blog, someone asked about Foxie’s dolls.  Lynne K asked, “Where does Foxie keep her dolls?  Are they rotated by keepers or does she have access to all/many of them?

Great question Lynne K!

Foxie has an entire bin dedicated to her dolls.  You’ll get a look at the bin in the video posted today.  How many dolls do you think are in that bin?  I know the answer, but you have to guess before I tell you!

Everyday, before closing up for the evening, a caregiver or volunteer prepares enrichment for the next day.  We have a selection of all sorts of fun things to include, such as toy hammers and small wooden toys, slinkies, bouncy rubber balls, socks, headbands, scarves, books and magazines, cups and bowls, boots, and DOLLS!  We try to include a little something for everyone, and that includes a nice selection of Foxie’s favorite dolls!  She has them for the day, then when we clean the following day, we remove them and all of the other enrichment items and give them a good cleaning.  Once they’re dry, they go back into her bin until the next time they’re chosen.

Foxie spends a lot of solo time with her dolls.  But you’ll also find her incorporating her dolls into play with her chimpanzee friends, and her caregivers!

Please enjoy today’s video of Foxie and me playing doll LAUNCH!  And don’t forget to guess how many dolls are in Foxie’s doll bin!  You won’t win anything if you guess correctly, except bragging rights.  Ha!

Foxie’s Favorite

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Today, Foxie and her twin baby doll friends went for a stroll around Young’s Hill.  It’s unusual to find Foxie out and about without at least one of her “babies”.

Since her recent birthday, Foxie has been toting around one or more of her brand new dolls everywhere she goes.  She takes them to meals, she naps with them, she plays games with them, and she goes on long walks with them.

Foxie LOVES her dolls!  She carries them in her mouth, on her back, or in her pelvic pocket.  She kisses them, tosses them, asks caregivers to babysit them, and she even disciplines them when needed.

Dolls are Foxie’s absolute favorite form of enrichment!

My favorite form of enrichment is a good book, especially a thriller!  I’m currently reading The Only One Left by Riley Sager.

What’s your favorite form of enrichment?

Speaking of enrichment…our wish lists are chock-full of enrichment items and other staples that can be donated to keep our chimps as happy and healthy as can be!  Thank you for checking it out!

Marmots and Dolls

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As I was putting the video together today, I went down a bit of a rabbit hole, or, more precisely, a marmot hole.

Did you know that marmots, which are rodents (technically large ground squirrels), are also called rock chucks and whistle pigs?

The territory of yellow-bellied marmots in Washington overlap with hoary marmots, with the yellow-bellied variety making their homes in the lower elevations of the state. They live an average of 15 years and generally hibernate for eight months, reproducing within weeks after emerging from hibernation and giving birth to a litter of 3-8 after a short 30-day gestation period. Their social structure is varied and complex, prompting some researchers to use social attribute models, frequently used when studying primates, to examine their social structures. I haven’t read every word of this, but if you are interested, take a look at this paper. Now I think someone should be studying the marmots we have on the property!

You’re welcome for that marmot lesson. If you are still with me…

After my marmot deep-dive, I was looking at photos of infant chimpanzees clinging to their moms, when somehow I came across this really interesting story about adult male chimpanzees “kidnapping” an injured first-born infant from her young mom (don’t worry, everything turns out okay).

This is why you are here, right?

Our fellow animals who we share this big blue marble with are so fascinating. I never get tired of watching the chimpanzees at the sanctuary, whether they are expressing an instinctual behavior like carrying (their version of) a baby on their back, or they are just chewing a leek.

Thanks for taking a deep-dive into Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest through this blog.

There’s more! If you didn’t receive the e-news last week, or if you need a reminder, here’s a couple of things to have on your radar:

First:
We are hosting a virtual visit this Wednesday for Love a Chimpanzee Day! You can learn more and sign up for as little as $5 on this donation page: https://giving.chimpsnw.org/page/LoveChimps25

Second:
You can help a NAPSA sanctuary of your choice win a really cool mirrored enrichment item from Wildlife Toybox! Make a donation to the North American Primate Sanctuary Alliance and nominate one of the following sanctuaries by writing their name in the message box on the donation form: Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest, Primates Incorporated, Black Beauty Ranch, Fauna Foundation, Project Chimps, Chimp Haven, Save the Chimps, or Center for Great Apes. If you donate $1,000 or more, you’ll be featured as a sponsor of NAPSA’s upcoming Workshop! The first named sanctuary to hit $2,500 will win a Looky Lou feeder.

Foxie’s New Dolls!

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If you know Foxie, then you know of her love for troll dolls! It’s always exciting when she gets new ones and we’re so grateful to Ellen G. for her winning bid in our Comfort and Joy Online Auction on these new dolls for our sweet Foxie! I’m personally obsessed with the fashion style for the one on the right. The spot on hair match with the fuzzy outfit? Classic.

Before putting them out in the greenhouse, Katelyn went to show them to Foxie and Jenna snagged a few photos!

A blurry, but excited, Foxie!

I came back to check on them later and they had disappeared. 🙂

Bonus Photos: This morning, Negra stole the spoon that her meds were given to her on and carried it around with her a little bit. Which made for a fun photo shoot! (Don’t worry- we got the spoon back 🙂 ).