Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

Foxie

Fingers and toes

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We all know the eyes speak volumes. (Burrito sustained a minor scratch during an argument, but nothing to be concerned about).

But I am endlessly fascinated by the chimpanzees’ fingers and toes and the non-verbal communication they convey. So like ours, yet so different. And once you get to know the chimps, their individual personalities, thoughts and moods are reflected in their physical gestures just like ours. Jamie uses emphatic hand gestures when she wants to impress the urgency or importance of something, Annie claps her feet together when she’s happy, and Negra impudently claps her hands when the humans aren’t moving fast enough. They are always expressing themselves, we just have to pay attention.

Burrito bites his knuckles when he’s feeling shy and playful:

Foxie rubs her toes together when she’s particularly happy:

To Each Her Own

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One of the most important things we offer to the chimpanzees here at the sanctuary is the freedom of choice. We provide the ingredients for a happy, healthy life, and the chimps take what they want and leave what they don’t.

Blankets are one of those ingredients. We put out so many blankets each day that there are plenty for everyone who wants them. Surprisingly, though, not everyone does.

Most of the chimps use the blankets we offer to build big, soft nests. The process of building the nest is just as important as the end result. They painstakingly wrap each blanket around their bodies or spread them out underneath them in just the right configuration. Sometimes they weave the blankets through or around other objects or structures.

This morning Jamie and Foxie were each “nesting” in their own way just a few feet from each other in the playroom, and the difference in their styles was apparent. They do have one thing in common: they like to have their favorite things nearby.

Foxie and a troll doll:

Jamie and a boot:

But that’s where the similarities end. Jamie likes to gather as many blankets as she can and twist and wrap them into a big, cushy circle.

Foxie, though, prefers the heated floor.

As much as it might make our own bones ache a little to see her lying on the bare floor, we appreciate that everyone has their own idea of comfort. Foxie makes her own choices, and we’ll always celebrate her in all her quirky glory.

Who is that?!

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If you’ve been following the blog for awhile you’ve probably seen us frequently writing about various aspects of safety and security. Things like the fact that we never enter an area that the chimpanzees have access to, the importance of clearly identifying each chimpanzee and which areas they do have access to all, as part of our safety checks before we enter an area we need to clean. (Diana mentioned chimp ID in a recent blog post as part of the training our Level II and III volunteers and interns go through.)

Of course the chimps don’t give two hoots (no pun intended) if we can identify them when we need to or not. We often have to twist and turn and climb and crawl and contort into all manner of positions in an attempt to positively identify each person. Many times all we might be able to see is an ear, a finger – or maybe a bum and some toes – so it can be a challenge to gain a better view.

For example, any ideas who this is?

As a disclaimer and if you’re new to the blog you are going to see the chimps behind caging in some of the following photos and it may appear they are limited to a small cage. The chimps tend to seek out small, cozy corners to nest in (don’t most of us?) and are often up against the caging so we can’t always get close enough to get a photo or to get one safely. And the reality is, the chimpanzees are captive beings, no matter how much space and light we provide through the designs of their enclosure, it is just that, an enclosure. While none of us like to see the chimps behind caging, it’s a reality for their safety as well as ours. And keep in mind they have 1800 square feet of open enclosure with stairs, a catwalk, bridges, ledges, fire hoses, a green house with tiered platforms and their beloved 2-acre outdoor enclosure, Young’s Hill.

We never identify a chimpanzee based on what items they may or may not have with them, but they definitely give us some clues. Any ideas who the following people are?:

The chimp house was SO quiet and peaceful and the only sound in the greenhouse was the rain falling on the roof. It’s not super common to have everyone sound asleep at the same time so I tried not to disturb anyone with my photo taking. But as quiet as I tried to be, nothing, and I mean nothing, gets by chimpanzees so it wasn’t long before a couple people began waking up to see what I was doing (I would tell you who is in the next three photos, but I don’t want to give away the above photos!):

Foxie was sound asleep on the floor of the front rooms, but despite my tactic of lying on my belly and crawling to sneak up to her, well, you see how that went.

Time For Cake

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Most meals for the Cle Elum Seven include fresh fruits and vegetables, along with primate chow biscuits. Nuts and seeds are also given to the chimps each day. And on occasion, we prepare special treats for the chimps and today was one of those special occasion days. We served the cake that was made for Dr. Elliott Sumers birthday. Cake ingredients included grated butternut squash, homemade applesauce, chow “dust”, and raisins, then topped with more applesauce, coconut flakes, and banana chips.

To say that the chimpanzees enjoyed the cake would be an understatement!

Jamie

They loved it so much they couldn’t stop licking the plates even after the cake was gone!

Missy

Negra

Jody even brought her plate with her when she ventured outside onto Young’s Hill.

Burrito was pretty excited about the almond milk too!

Tonight, we are also trying a new evening enrichment for the chimps, which we’re calling “grab bags”. It is inspired by a children’s birthday party I went to recently, when each child received a small bag filled with an assortment of goodies and toys; each bag different from the others. Included in tonight’s grab bags, are things like socks with nuts and seeds hidden inside, crumpled up paper with peanut butter smeared on it, kongs tied inside bandanas, etc. We hope they like them!

And here are a few pictures of Annie and Foxie looking beautiful as ever today.

Annie

Foxie

Happy Birthday, Dr. Elliott Sumers!

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Anne Sumers sponsored this day of sanctuary in honor of her husband, Dr. Elliott Sumers, to celebrate his birthday! Anne shared this special message about today:

“Dr. Elliott Sumers is very fond of all the chimpanzees at the Sanctuary, and enjoys reading about the enrichment activities of Annie, Burrito, Jamie, Jody, and all the others as they enjoy the outdoors, playing with each other, and food treats. It makes Elliott very happy that the chimps have such a loving, good place for them to live, and that they have each other!”

Anne, thank you so much for your generous and compassionate gift for the chimpanzees and for wanting to share your husband’s special day with them.

We made a cake in Elliott’s honor yesterday for the chimpanzees. It’s probably not the kind of cake most humans would enjoy, but we’re betting the chimps like it!

elliott cake

 

Dr. Sumers, all of the primates here wish you a wild rumpus chimpanzee kind of celebration! Thank you for helping to fill the chimps’ lives with the joy, comfort, and family they are thriving in. Happiest of birthdays to you!

 

Jamie and Foxie:

Annie and Missy:

Annie Missy best friends

Negra play-biting Missy’s toes:

Jody in forage heaven:

Jody close-up forage queen

Burrito in a blanket!

Together:

Foxie and Jamie:

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