Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

Enrichment

Chimps’ Choice- Spry gum!

by

I just looked in the cabinet and realized the chimps are out of Spry Gum! The chimps actually love to chew gum. Sometimes they just swallow it, but usually they will chew it and sometimes even play with it (check out this adorable video posted in 2010 of Negra enjoying a piece of gum). We don’t give the chimps sugar or artificial flavors so Spry is great because it contains Xylitol, a natural sweetener, which is great for your teeth and gums.

So, I would like to propose a challenge: the first 5 people to send this 5-flavor pack of Spry Gum from our Amazon Wishlist will get something extra special from me in return, along with the joy that you helped enrich the Cle Elum Seven, of course! What could be better?

The Queen of Relaxation

by

If Negra is the Queen of the Cle Elum Seven, Jody is the Queen of Nest Building and Relaxation.

Jody is hands down the best nest builder I know. She is definitely an artist about it, and will often use as many as 20-30 blankets. We put out tons of new straw and alfalfa hay in the greenhouse yesterday, so Jody forewent the blankets and made herself an amazing nest right on the ground.

Spending Earth Day on the Earth

by

Today was Earth Day and thankfully it was an absolutely beautiful, almost summery, day for it! It’s been around 75 degrees this afternoon and very little wind (which we get a lot of around here!) so I gave the chimps Young’s Hill as early in the day as possible. We didn’t have a full-fledged party, but it’s pretty surreal to think that after decades of bars and concrete, finally the chimps truly got to celebrate Earth Day on the grass and with no bars overhead.

Missy and Annie spent some time sitting on the grass in the shade

Foxie climbed up high to enjoy the view

Jamie and volunteer caregiver Stephanie went for a little walk around the perimeter of the hill

And Burrito climbed up a climbing structure he hasn’t explored yet

It must feel so good to have blue skies overhead with no bars!

Chimpanzees’ choice: enrichment or food?

by

Today is GORGEOUS! So gorgeous that we set out a party on Young’s Hill complete with new gifts from special friends and fun food. It was an early celebration of Love a Chimpanzee Day (April 23rd), a holiday invented by supporter Monica Best and a day that she sponsors each year.

Jamie passed the food and went right for her new red boots brought by Monica’s friend Sophy. After securing her new red boots, Jamie did manage to get a huge armful of bok choy (not pictured).

Jamie with new red boots

Jamie stand with new red boots

 

Guess what Burrito chose? That’s right – food! Here he is eating cabbage by the treat rock:

Burrito eating cabbage

 

Jody first went for the food (she’s eating watermelon in the photo below):

Jody eating on climbing structure

 

But later she grabbed some clown glasses and a new doll. The photo below is a little blurry because Jody was on the move!

jody with enrichment

 

There were three new Dora dolls on the hill, thanks to caregiver Jackie’s thrift store shopping. Foxie quickly gathered them all up:

Foxie with dora dolls

Foxie with dora dolls 2

 

And later spent some quality time with them:

Foxie in greenhouse with dora dolls

All in all, it was a delightful early celebration of Love a Chimpanzee Day. Thank you, Monica! And thank you to all supporters who sponsor days and otherwise support the sanctuary.

 

Today was a special day for me too! Jim, Audrey and Brian worked on the outreach & events stuff shed. Isn’t it beautiful?? I want to move in.

shed glistening in the sun

 

Celebrating Negra’s playful side

by

Sometimes I feel there is nothing more special than seeing Negra play. And there really couldn’t be a better combo than Negra and goofy Foxie.

(Be sure to watch this video to the very end. It’s hard to see through the caging, but well worth it once you do!)

Foxie’s expanding troll doll collection

by

Foxie has received a lot of new troll dolls in the past few days. She’s also been even more playful than her baseline playfulness, which is off the charts. Coincidence?

She was sitting in the window ledge watching Connie and me set up the playroom after cleaning today, so I decided to set her troll dolls out so she could take a look before coming back in the room. Annie joined her for a moment and I saw Annie with one of the troll dolls in her nest tonight.

Please excuse all of the mooning in the photo below

Foxie and Annie in window, troll dolls on bench