Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

Jamie

Home

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When I look at pictures like these, I wonder what is going through the chimpanzee’s mind.

I wonder if Annie knows that her days full of anxiety are a thing of the past. I wonder if she knows the rest of her days at the sanctuary will be filled with moments when she can feel peaceful.

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Does Missy know that she will never be confined to a space the size of a bathroom stall again? Does she know that for the rest of her days, she is free to run like the wind, climb as high as she can, and tightrope walk whenever she feels the need?

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Does Negra know that Young’s Hill will be open for her to come and go as she pleases each and every day (as long as it is safe for the chimps to have access to the outdoor space)? And does she know, that for the rest of her days, whenever she looks up, she will be able to see the sky overhead?

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Does Foxie know that her beloved dolls will never be taken from her (well, other than for cleaning)? Does she know that she will always have her companions as long as she wants them?

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Does Jamie know this will always be her home to patrol and protect? And does she know that she will always be the one to call the shots?

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Do they know their days used as test subjects in the lab and as entertainers are a thing of the past? Do they know they are now in their forever home, surrounded by a community of people (all around the world) who will continue to love and support them for the rest of their lives?

I can only hope each day they wake up knowing that the day is theirs to choose to do what they wish, whether it be running and leaping, resting, grooming, playing or gazing out of the windows to the valley below. I hope they wake up with a sense of hope and wonder for what the day may bring. And I hope that at the end of each day, they can close their eyes, knowing they are safe in the comfort of their forever sanctuary home.

Thank you to everyone who makes it possible for them to know their sanctuary home!

Resting Serious Face

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Jamie can be a difficult person to read. For some reason, her face is less emotionally expressive than those of the other chimps.

Over the last 8 years, we’ve studied her face intently and gotten to know the subtleties of what little expression she reveals. It’s serious business around here, because Jamie’s mood can make or break your day. And though I can’t tell you what it is exactly that differentiates one seemingly solemn expression from another, there is something noticeably different when she is in a good mood. The seriousness is still there, but it’s like she has temporarily forgotten about all the responsibilities she has as the group’s powerful but insecure leader and the Machiavellian struggles that she engages in with her family and the humans that care for her on a daily basis. It’s the same face, but the weight has been momentarily lifted.

Once and a while, though, she relieves us of the need for such detailed analysis and tells us in no uncertain terms that she is happy.

The face might be serious, but the troll scarf says otherwise.

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So much light

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If you are new to the blog, something we write about often is the chimpanzees’ enrichment. One of the biggest challenges we face with captive chimpanzees (and all animals really) is keeping their intelligent and active minds busy. In the wild chimpanzees are busy patrolling large territories, foraging for food and navigating the dynamics of large families. So even the best captive situation cannot provide the mental stimulation chimps receive in their natural wild lives.

We have two calendars in the chimp house, one for daytime enrichment and one for evening enrichment. Daily enrichment is given a theme such as “blue things,” “troll scarves,” or “beach day” and is really to help us caregivers think outside the box a bit and keep things interesting for the chimps by presenting their enrichment in different ways each day. Evening enrichment is provided each evening after dinner and consists of some kind of food puzzle which keeps the chimps engaged in an activity as we close up the chimp house for the night.

Today’s enrichment theme was “giant pile” day meaning we deposited all of the chimps’ toys, activities and blankets into a giant mountain of a pile in the playroom after cleaning. Jamie was thrilled and promptly took over the entire pile (much to Negra’s chagrin who was sitting above her on the catwalk, looking disgusted with the humans’ “bright idea,” waiting for the opportunity to steal some blankets away for her nest).

But the boss lady had no shame in making the coziest nest ever (with 30 blankets) and loved being able to check everything of interest all within arm’s reach. She spent some quality time relaxing with her beloved boot, reading her new books, and occasionally glancing outside the barn doors to this beautifully peaceful spring day.

As I gaze at these photos Jamie allowed me to take I can’t help but think of the past she, and all the chimps, came from and the contrast of their lives now. What must it feel like for them to be at peace? To be surrounded by comfort, love and respect? To spend their time doing what feels best to each of them? The look of well-being and contentment and the light in Jamie’s eyes speaks volumes. And it makes my heart sing for her.

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Extras

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It’s pretty easy to rack up 100 plus pictures of the chimpanzees throughout the course of a day. What’s not always easy is going through all of them, figuring out which ones to save and which ones to delete. Deleting the ones that are blurry or not quite in focus is pretty much a no-brainer. But, there are often times though, when I look through multiple pictures of the same chimp, doing the same exact thing and I just can’t decide which ones to keep. Each of those pictures has a slightly different angle or the lighting is just a little bit different or a different part of the face is in focus. And then, sometimes I just end up with great photos of the chimps, but they do not go along with the blog that I am writing.

So, today, I wanted to share with you some of my favorites of each of the chimps from the past few weeks that we haven’t shared on the blog yet.

Annie

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Burrito

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Foxie

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Jamie

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Jody

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Missy

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Negra

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A perfect morning

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When the chimpanzees gained access to their 2 acre outdoor enclosure this morning, you could really feel their joy and excitement. The sun and light breeze together were a complimentary pair!

Annie chased Missy bipedally (trying to avoid touching the wet grass as much as possible).
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She finally climbed onto a log to escape the morning dew.
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Missy performed a few aerial stunts.
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And then settled down to snack on the fresh green grass.
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Foxie explored with two of her dolls.
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And Jody and Burrito decided to relax and take in the view.
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Jamie recruited J.B. into going for a perimeter walk.
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The walk eventually evolved into a perimeter jog.
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I must admit, I searched a while for a quote or poem about the loveliness of Spring to accompany this post, but I couldn’t quite find the right one. I suppose springtime at the sanctuary is best described in photos.

Green makes everything more vibrant

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Spring, a season symbolic of renewal, growth and new beginnings. Now that spring has “officially” begun, the chimps’ daily routine revolves more on finding fresh green grass and new plants to eat, watching birds and inspecting any movement in the grass.

Plus, it’s the season when pictures of the chimps out on the hill look so much more vibrant!

Burrito took time to sit and eat the new grass.
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Annie (left) took in her surroundings, while Burrito (right) continued eating grass.
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Annie
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Missy (left) stopped by her friend Annie (right) before sprinting off again.
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Here’s a couple of photos of Missy dismounting from one of the structures on the hill, with the help of the fire hose.
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Jody
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Jamie (in front) led the way around Young’s Hill, as she usually does. Burrito (middle) and Foxie (last) backed her up.
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Plus, Foxie brought a friend for support.
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Unfortunately, I did not have the camera when Negra was out this morning. But, you can see plenty of pictures of her enjoying her time on the hill these past few days by clicking here.

And, have you heard the great news?? There is so much excitement in the air!