…is the friendship between these two chimpanzees. Both in their ’40s and showing no signs of slowing down.
friends
Taking In The View, Together
What could possibly be better than taking in a view like this on such a beautiful fall day?
…sharing the view with your best friend (Annie on the left, Missy on the right).
These two chimpanzees are the best of friends. They’re constantly playing together and are often in close proximity to one another. They also build blanket nests side-by-side. It’s no wonder, they would also choose to share some quiet time together.
Friendship
Primatologist Robert Yerkes once said, “One chimpanzee is no chimpanzee.” Spend a single morning watching the Cle Elum Seven and you will know exactly what he meant.
Foxie & Friends and seriously good news
Did you know that Dora the Explorer has friends? Foxie knows, and she seems particularly fond of Kate, a red-haired friend who has a “flair for the dramatic and the heart of an artist” according to Fisher Price…
This must be that flair for the dramatic:
Speaking of dramatic, did you hear about the sanctuary’s seriously good news? If you are on the e-news list, you should have received this email last night, which linked to this story in the Ellensburg Daily Record.
We have a lot of work and fundraising yet to do, but the $50,000 matching grant from the Chimpanzee Sanctuary Fund is the first big step in bringing new friends for Foxie and the rest of the Cle Elum Seven – actual chimpanzee friends! Read more in the announcement if you didn’t get a copy in your inbox.
Thanks to donors in the last several hours, we are now over halfway to a $5,000 match from an anonymous couple and Karen and Don Young to be raised prior to HOOT! – if you haven’t donated, there’s still time to have your donation matched!
In other news, I promised to update everyone on the bumper ball. It exceeded almost everyone’s expectations by surviving a few months, but, sadly, it is no longer. Sherry Rogers certainly won the bet on its longevity! Part of the fun for the chimpanzees was trying to destroy it, for sure. We have one more waiting in the wings that we hope to introduce if we can inflate it to its fullest.
Troll Scarf Tug-o-War
It’s already being heralded as the match of the century – Jamie vs Foxie in an epic Troll Scarf Tug-o-War battle! Turn up your sound for the full effect.
At the center of everything
If you were to diagram the relationships between the chimps at CSNW, Foxie would be the one point at the center that connects everyone together.
She is by far the best friend that Jody has. The two like to take morning walks around Young’s Hill together and play gentle tickling and wrestling games while lying on their backs. When Jody is upset, Foxie is there to comfort her.
She is one of Missy’s favorite play partners, and one of the few that can keep up with Missy’s breakneck pace.
And while she got off to a rocky start with Annie, the two have come to understand each other better in the last couple of years and these days it’s not uncommon for them to play together or spend time with each other surveying the valley below Young’s Hill.
Foxie is one of the only chimps that can get Jamie to let down her guard and play. If it weren’t for Foxie, Jamie would never get a break from being bossy. And that, frankly, wouldn’t be good for anyone.
To be Negra’s friend, you have to learn to go at her speed. Foxie can groom quietly with Negra, but she also gets Negra to let loose once and a while. She does this by inviting her to play with big, exaggerated play gestures, knowing that she has to be clear with Negra and ensure that Negra still wants to play along at every step of the way. This gentle and understanding approach has really helped Negra come out of her shell.
And I don’t know where Burrito would be without his 90-lb bodyguard. Whenever Burrito gets himself into trouble, she is there, trolls in hand, and ready to place herself in harm’s way to defend him.
Primatologists often refer to a primate’s political skills as “Machiavellian intelligence.” Chimps with a high level of Machiavellian intelligence are able to work social relationships to their advantage. They form alliances and exchange favors in an effort to climb the social ladder. If I didn’t know her better, I might think that Foxie is a Machiavellian genius, the way that she has won everyone over. But I don’t think she has a cynical or manipulative bone in her body. She just likes everyone and wants everybody to get along. And they, in turn, like her. How could you not?
Nature documentaries tend to focus on the alpha males, and in many human societies, we deify the powerful. But behind all the brash, dominant types hogging the spotlight, there’s usually someone like Foxie holding everything together.
If anyone deserves our admiration, it’s her.
Annie and Missy Best Friends
Supporter Annie Norris has a best friend named Missy and was excited to learn that Annie and Missy of the Cle Elum Seven are also best friends. She said it was okay for us to share this little page she made of the BFFs. I took it a step further and dug up some other photos of the chimp best friends. Do you know any Annie & Missy best friends?
