Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

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dora

Unseen Bits

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As caregivers, we collect photos and videos on our phones constantly throughout the week. However, not everything makes it to the blog. Often when we get to our designated blog day, the chimps do something that inspires an idea or specific theme so we end up saving the content for later, or if we are nice, we share it with a co-worker if they are in need. The only thing about saving it for later is that it can get lost on our camera roll. Luckily for all of you, I have found some of the best unseen clips from the vault (aka my phone) and made a video to share! It would be a tragedy if these videos did not get shared with all of you!

Photos from the vault!

Terry grooming Honey B. It was such a tender and sweet moment between the two of them:

Rayne intensely grooming Mave:

Rayne striking a pose on the firehose:

A bonus photo!

This morning as we all arrive to the sanctuary it was very chill, but the morning fog looked so beautiful:

Jamie seemed to enjoy the fog and crisp air because she was so excited to go for a walk this morning. She came sprinting out of the raceway!

Identifying Dora

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Today is part 3 of my blogs about identifying the Lucky 6. Be sure to check out Identifying Cy and Gordo if you missed parts 1 and 2. It’s time to highlight Dora. She is the smallest member of her group, has a brown-ish freckly complexion with large protruding eyes and long lashes. She also has a straight back, is missing half a finger on her left hand and makes a distinct bobble head movement when she’s happy. After you watch the above video, what features might you use to identify Dora?

Conflict on the Bray: the Day Everyone Went Outside

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We’ve been talking about it for a few days now – the conflict that led Mave, Dora, and Honey B to go onto the Bray habitat.

So, here’s your birds-eye view of most of the excitement! This is a video best suited for a bigger screen like your computer monitor or television.

I saw the middle to the end of the conflict in person. It was quite loud. It’s quite nice to be able to watch it without sound.

Even while I was watching in person, I had this thought that both groups seemed more similar to free-living chimpanzees than I had ever witnessed before. It was scary, to be honest, because we didn’t know what was going to happen, but the maneuvering was also fascinating.

Maybe, just maybe, it will help some of the chimps explore more, like it seems to have with Lucky!

Testing, Testing 1-2-3

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It has been a little while since we have talked about enrichment for Rayne’s group. If you happen to have been wondering, yes. They are still destructive in comparison to Jamie’s group. We have been taking it slow to see what works and what doesn’t. The problem with that is that it is what it is; slow. Though more and more things are added to their growing repertoire of enrichment, some in that group have a burning desire to eat plastic, stuffing from stuffed animals, and some other things. Just because they are destructive, does that mean we should stop trying? If you’re hardheaded and stubborn like myself, then you know the answer is “no.”

It has been a slow process of introducing them to new things, but things are still moving along. We recently attempted to introduce them to firehose cubes. Before Mave, Honey B, and Willy B integrated into the Lucky Six, firehose cubes were on the list of food puzzles they received. Since the cubes are pretty durable, we decided that was going to be the next step. The first trial run was overall a success! There was some minimal damage when caregivers were able to retrieve the next morning, but nothing that would stop the second trial run.

Though six of the group of nine have not experienced firehose cubes before, they had some to show them the ropes.

Mave working her way through a firehose cube as Dora looks on

Willy B reunited with one of his favorite food puzzles

For others, it came naturally. For instance:

Rayne, the queen of all natural intuition, didn’t even hesitate to grab one and rummage through it

(Cy is to the right perusing through a magazine and Lucky is in the back)

 

Hopefully (fingers crossed) you all will be seeing some more photos of firehose cubes with Rayne’s group.

Here are some bonus photos from today:

Mave being silly with a sock

A photo montage of Missy before and during a lunch forage today

Jamie during today’s lunch forage

(Always has to keep an eye on what everybody else is doing)

Negra looking like the queen that she is

Burrito returning from a “walk” (read run) around Young’s Hill

Calm Before The Storm

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Hopefully by now you were able to read yesterday’s blog about Willy B’s Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde routine that happens in the afternoons. If not, you should go read it to get a little backstory of today’s blog.

Though this afternoon routine usually consists a chaotic scene of blurs zipping across the enclosures accompanied with ear splitting screams, the moments right before Willy B’s ruckus hour are filled with laughter. In today’s video, this is usually what is happening moments before Willy B decides to get a rise out of people. In fact, you can see him gearing for that specific time referenced in yesterday’s blog at the end of the video.

Here are some bonus photos from today!

The first morning patrol of the day!

Jamie

Burrito

Missy

Speaking of Missy, every so often she gives us some reminders that she is indeed Honey B’s mother.

Here she is thwarting my attempts to close off her playroom to clean.

As you can see, she has zero intent of moving

And lastly, some photos from a couple weeks ago that I forgot to use in the blog!

Burrito and his nighttime peanut butter magazine!

Foxie & Her Disney Princesses

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As we have mentioned the past few days, it’s HOT, but we are almost through our excessive heat advisory! Foxie’s way to beat the heat is to eat cucumbers and play with her new Disney dolls. This morning we gave Foxie a few new dolls that were belated birthday gifts! Foxie’s eyes lit up when she saw the princesses, especially Mirabel from Encanto! Later, we handed her a Bruno doll she has never had before. Foxie was very curious about it!

Foxie’s girl gang:

Bruno- (sadly Bruno eventually lost his head…):

Foxie crunching into her cucumber:

I think we should do some bonus photos!

Sweet Lucky. A world without Lucky would be a travesty:

Jamie:

Dora resting before breakfast:

Honey B eating chow series:

Gordo 🙂

 

National Relaxation Day

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Today is National Relaxation Day! According to the Economic Times, National Relaxation Day is observed to “encourage individuals to slow down and unwind.” Though chimpanzee life can be very chaotic and dramatic, they all find some time throughout the day to let their hair down and relax. It’s all about balance, right?

In homage to National Relaxation Day, please enjoy some photos of the chimpanzees in relaxation mode!

Honey B taking a quick nap after her play session with Lucky.

Foxie taking a rest after breakfast.

Gordo taking a breather after returning from the Bray.

Burrito taking a break in his Greenhouse (though I am convinced he was playing because seconds later he had caregivers playing chase).

Dora enjoying the shaded part of the Chute.

And as you might have guessed, right next to her is Mave.

Willy B taking advantage of the large fan in the front room area on a hot day.

And of course, the Queen of Relaxation, Queen Negra.

We hope you are able to find some time to get your relaxation in today!