Change can be hard for George, but it’s a little easier now that he has a family. Watch as he relies on his new friends for comfort while navigating a positive but unexpected change in the routine.
With a Little Help From My Friends
family
The Whole Family
I got it into my head today to take photos of EVERYONE for the blog. I’m still not sure that was a good idea, but it turned out to be fun walking around and seeing what every single individual was up to at various points during the day.
The stand-out revelation from this experience was that Negra was the most active of the whole bunch (well, besides Burrito of course). So, I won’t bury that lead and will share the photos I got of her first:
I probably could just end the blog post there, because it’s a little tale unto itself, but I was already hip-and-brain-deep in this idea of getting photos of everyone, so here we go…
Annie with her fab hair:
Burrito, who invited multiple people to run up the hill with him today:
Foxie contemplating a stem of something:
Jamie, contemplating poking the camera:
Missy contemplating joining Burrito outside:
Missy very up-close in the loft (I had to get a tall ladder for this one):
Photos on the other side of the building were challenging, but I persevered.
I had the most challenge with Cy because he was either in an awkward high-up perch or sandwiched between his adoring chimp fans:
I did finally get this photo of him grooming Willy B. Even when doors are open between rooms, the chimps will choose to groom through the mesh. I don’t know why they do it, but I always find it charming:
Adorable Dora:
Honey B, shown here in the Chute, followed me around in my photographing journey:
Gordo was another tough chap to photograph today. This is a favorite spot of his in the Lupine Playroom. He can see a lot of other spaces in this corner (did you know there was a study that showed chimpanzees and gorillas in captive settings like corners?):
Pensive-looking Lucky in the Marmot Mountain Playroom:
although most of the time she was this close to the camera:
Mave taking a break from grooming on the catwalk of the Marmot Mountain Playroom:
Rayne doing some serious lounging in the warm Riverview Greenhouse:
Terry being perfectly Terry, with a mouthful of a paper wadge and water:
Willy B keeping an eye on me:
Not wanting to ignore the other important members of the family, I asked J.B. to take some candids of the bovines:
Betsy in motion:
Meredith in between bites of hay:
Nutmeg in all his glory (did you know that the cattle add extra hair for winter? They are delightfully furry right now):
A boop from Honey:
J.B. also snapped this photo of some deer he and Jake passed on their way down from the upper pasture:
I hope you enjoyed our efforts today to bring everyone to you!
Jody’s Family Legacy
Since I started working at CSNW in February I, unfortunately, did not get a chance to know Jody very well. I did get put through some hazing by her when I first was learning to serve meals to the group, she would occasionally try to poke me or she would have to spit some of her smoothie on me if I put too much in her mouth at one time. I always found her reprimands to be very gentle in contrast to another chimp I worked with in the past, Jody’s son Levi!
Like Jody, and a lot of chimps when they first arrive to sanctuary, when Levi arrived he was a little more rough around the edges. It was tough to even get a good look at him in person because he was well known for his penchant for throwing feces and he has impeccable aim. When I began working with him, a few years after he first arrived, I discovered how much Levi really loves to play chase and tickle with people and I convinced a coworker who worked with him in his early days at the sanctuary, to come along. When we arrived at Levi’s play yard he immediately came out to greet us and my coworker said to me “that’s him?” because she had never really been able to sit with him or have any positive interaction with him but now they have a relationship with a lot of positive interaction.
In the last couple weeks I have heard so many stories about Jody and how she used to haze people and would spit relentlessly on her caregivers but that she really came to accept and trust the people who cared for her. This really speaks to the difference sanctuary makes in the lives of the chimpanzees we care for and the capacity they really have to forgive humans for the things they’ve experienced in the past.
While Jody is no longer here with us physically anymore, she will never be truly gone. She lives on through her chimp family at CSNW, in our memories of her and in stories shared by those who knew and love her. But she also lives on in her children, like Levi, who not only carrys on her genes but remind us of her quirks and personality, and like Jody are getting to live out their lives in their chimp families in sanctuary.
Visiting Hours
Health care workers know that emotional support from friends and family can play an important role in the healing process. So while Negra might be on restricted activity for a few days, she still gets regular visits from her family.
Then again, who needs family when you’ve got a constant stream of peanuts, peanut butter, cabbage, and pineapple coconut juice…
Family
Despite all they’ve been through,
or perhaps because of it,
these seven chimpanzees have become a family.
After decades of isolation
and prolonged periods of fear and uncertainty,
they have found someone to love,
someone to trust,
someone to comfort them in times of need.
If we see ourselves in them,
then perhaps it’s time we accept
that they are our family, too.
On Patrol
No matter how long you work at a sanctuary or how well you know the chimps, there are still moments that take your breath away. Jody, Foxie, Jamie, and Burrito spent decades living in isolation in barren laboratory cages. Today, they are free to patrol their territory as a family.
