Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

Jamie

Rituals

by

It’s 6pm. We’ve given the chimps their dinner, spot cleaned the playroom, passed out fresh blankets for nesting, and finished our long closing checklist to make the sure the chimps are safe, comfortable, and secure overnight. Each of the chimps is either finishing their after dinner food puzzle or settling into their nests for the evening. It’s time to call it a day. But we can’t leave until the boss gives us the OK and that can get complicated when your boss is a 37-year-old chimpanzee with a cowboy boot obsession.

Sure, it’s possible to just close the door and leave, but we’d be walking away from one very frustrated and potentially angry chimpanzee. Because when she goes to bed, she needs to take certain boots with her, and it’s our job to figure out which ones she is after.

Tonight, it took three staff members to model all her current favorites. We danced, did the moonwalk, and pirouetted for her. One particular pair grabbed her interest, and as I held them up near the caging, she began to groom them.

web_Jamie_inspect_boots_FR3_jb_IMG_7272

The grooming turned into tickling as I did my best attempt at chimp laughter (chimp laughter is akin to hyperventilating and can have similar consequences if humans do it too long or too enthusiastically).

web_Jamie_tickle_boots_FR3_jb_IMG_7275

You can tell when Jamie is finally satisfied. She lets our a low moan of approval and echos the nest grunts from her family as they bed down throughout the playroom. She begins to build her own nest by surrounding herself with blankets and weaving them into the caging.

web_Jamie_nest_with_boots_outside_caging_FR3_jb_IMG_7279

Then, and only then, are we allowed to leave. But not with the boots – those stay with the boss.

Enjoying ice on a hot day

by

Volunteer caregiver Sandra came up with the idea to fill small water balloons with water (with a few blueberries) and then freeze them as enrichment for the chimpanzees. After they were frozen, we removed the balloon portion, leaving behind balls of ice with frozen berries inside. Ice provides a lot of enrichment for the chimps. And ice with frozen blueberries inside seems to be even more enjoyable when temperatures exceed 100 degrees like they did today.

I can’t decide which part I love more; Jamie’s use of a tool or Foxie rubbing her toes together…which is your favorite?

Happy Birthday, Diane!

by

This day of sanctuary was sponsored by Diane Koosed who shared this lovely note: “Celebrating my birthday by feeling a bit connected to CSNW!”

Diane, thank you so much for your generous gift to the chimpanzees on your own special day! We are continually amazed at all of the connections these seven special beings draw not only to their lives, but to all our lives. Thank you for helping to ensure that all their days are filled with hope, love, home and sanctuary. May your day be filled with the same in return. From all of us here at CSNW, we wish you the happiest of birthdays!

Jamie:

Jamie eating corn 5

An afternoon in the greenhouse

by

Grooming is an important part of chimpanzee culture and whether in the wild or captivity, chimpanzees spend a lot of their time engaged in this behavior. If you think about it, so do we humans! Chimpanzees will groom each other or themselves to remove dirt and debris, attend to wounds, during times of relaxation, and most importantly to build and maintain bonds with one another. Grooming is key to social interactions and is often used by chimpanzees to gain support and remain in good standing not only in the community, but with higher ranking chimps.

The chimp house was very quiet this afternoon before lunch so I went to check on everyone and found several people grooming Jamie, as she basked in her role as the boss lady. (Clockwise: Jamie, Burrito, Foxie and Jody):

web_burrito_foxie_jody_groom_jamie_gh_kd_IMG_2989

Jamie being groomed by Burrito in background:

web_jamie_thru_bamboo_burrito_groom_background_kd_IMG_2992

Jody appointed herself the paparazzi police and immediately positioned herself next to me, at the ready to poke the camera should I continue to take photos of the boss. Though she eventually decided it was more fun to play a game of tickle (a rare Jody happening!):

web_jody_face_closeup_thru_caging_kd_IMG_2997

Lunch service arrived and after a lot of excitement everyone headed up to the top of the greenhouse. (L to R) Foxie, Annie, Jamie, Negra (barely visible in between the blue chairs) and Jody:

web_foxie_annie_jamie_jody_lunch_gh_kd_IMG_3017

Each of the chimpanzees has their way of attempting to gain the server’s attention, especially when they see something they really want (or want more of). Because Jamie is the most dominant in the hierarchy we typically offer things to her first. And she has no problem gesturing if she wants us to serve something other than what’s being offered at the moment for something she prefers on the tray. She will also let us know if there is a particular piece, or color, of fruit or vegetable she wants. For example, she will ask for red peppers over green if she sees them in the bowl and she refuses carrots that aren’t peeled. She will even gesture for us to return any offending carrots to the kitchen for peeling.

Foxie blows incessantly loud raspberries, Negra claps and sometimes clacks her teeth on the caging, Annie blows raspberries and stomps her feet, Missy shakes her head vigorously, and Jody just positions herself in front of the server. If someone is being served something she wants more of, she will just move in front of them or reach across to take it from the less dominant chimps. (This is all part of a normal chimp hierarchical society.) And then there’s Burrito who shakes, rattles and rolls, with a soundtrack of raspberries for pretty much everything on the menu. Just so we don’t forget he’s there…

Annie above and Burrito below (hair standing on end with excitement):

web_annie_burrito_bang_cagng_lunch_kd_IMG_3025

Missy pulls up a chair for her lunch:

web_missy_pull_up_chair_lunch_annie_burrito_kd_IMG_3033

On the other side of the caging was their server today, Whitney, one of our volunteer caregivers extraordinaire, getting a workout. Chimpanzees make for a rowdy lunch crowd.

web_whitney_serve_lunch_thru_raceway_kd_IMG_3041

Burrito:

web_burrito_pilo_walk_toward_camera_kd_IMG_3026

Foxie decided to eat her lunch with me and made her way back to me with each serving to sit in the sun as I took photos next to her.

web_foxie_walk_toward_camera_closeup_profile_kd_IMG_3020

First course: tomatoes!

web_foxie_tomato_smile_kd_IMG_3004

Back again with the second course: green peppers!

web_foxie_green_pepper_mouth_walk_to_camera_kd_IMG_3007

And finishing up the meal with primate chow in to-go bags:

web_foxie_chow_bags_mouth_walk_toward_camera_kd_IMG_3037

Burrito, very pilo (hair on end), is often high arousal during mealtimes. Food is just very exciting if you’re Mr. B:

web_burrito_two_chow_bags_in_mouth_walk_kd_IMG_3034

Jamie headed back inside with her chow to make an lunch nest:

web_jamie_walk_toward_camera_lunch_gh_kd_IMG_3039

Jamie in repose

by

If you’ve been following the blog for awhile, you are probably aware that as boss, Jamie has a lot of responsibility and she doesn’t take this lightly. If there aren’t humans to supervise or fellow chimpanzee politics to stay abreast of, there are projects to complete, and of course, perimeters to walk. I doubt there is enough time in the day for Jamie to complete everything she might be interested in doing.

But even the boss needs a break sometimes. Once she was sure we humans were busy cleaning the chimp house this morning as we were supposed to, she decided to take advantage of the blissfully cooler day (cool breeze included) and have a rest after breakfast. A cozy nest with her favorite sheets, one of her boots as a pillow, and the dozing commenced.

web_jamie_sleep_boot_pillow_kd_IMG_2978

web_jamie_nest_boot_under_chin_kd_IMG_2977

After enjoying a couple of walks around the hill with her caregivers later in the day, she decided an afternoon nap was in order as well and built a nest in front of the barn doors which look out over the chimps’ garden. Warm sun, a cool breeze, a troll, and a boot pillow make for a well deserved rest for a hard working lady.

web_jamie_nest_boot_hold_troll_kd_IMG_2984

web_jamie_nest_pr_door_hug_boot_kd_IMG_2982

In memory of Kevin Clark

by

Today’s day of sanctuary was sponsored by Shelley Winfrey in memory of her brother, Kevin Clark. Shelley shared this message about today:

“For my  brother who passed away…he would have loved the chimps!”

Shelley, we are so touched that you would think of the chimpanzees in honoring the memory of your brother. What a special thing to do. It’s a lovely thing to know that his life has made a difference in theirs. We so appreciate you keeping the chimps in your heart and our thoughts are with you today as you remember Kevin and celebrate the live he lived.

Your pal, the handsome Mr. B. (looking at camera) with Jamie:

web_Jamie_Burrito_sit_together_close-up_raceway_doorY_kh_IMG_4195

You are the tomato of my eye

by

To say that Missy loves tomatoes is an understatement. When she sees them offered at a meal she shakes her head vigorously, hold out her hand and follows the server relentlessly. She has no problem inserting herself in front of anyone lower in the hierarchy to make sure she receives the maximum amount possible.

Missy, and all the chimpanzees, have been watching their garden grow with increasingly impatience. Missy is very focused on the cherry tomatoes planted right outside one of the playroom windows and they are just starting to ripen. And I know this because Missy wasted no time in letting me know. When she saw me today she immediately ran to the window by the tomatoes, swung back and forth from the caging in excitement, and occasionally looked over her shoulder at me and gestured toward the tomatoes.

web_missy_swing_caging_ask_tomato_kd_IMG_2856

Then when it seemed I was a little slow to catch her drift (humans!), she threw herself onto the caging and shook it with all her might:

web_missy_shake_garden_caging_all_fours_kd_IMG_2858

web_missy_shake_caging_garden_kd_IMG_2857

Here she throws me an outstretched arm to further plead her case:

web_missy_hang_caging_garden_kd_IMG_2865

The chimpanzees’ garden helps supplement the wonderful food donations we receive, but it also provides visual and edible enrichment for the chimpanzees. It’s a wonderful thing for them to look forward to and to be able to request something they see, freshly ripened and still warm from the sun. Thanks largely to volunteer caregiver, Denice, the chimps’ garden is really taking off. This year it’s full of onions, scallions, beets, cherry tomatoes, and carrots to name a few.

web_garden_kd_IMG_2875

But for Missy, her eye is on these little guys:

web_first_garden_tomatoes_kd_IMG_2860

web_missy_wait_tomato_from_garden_kd_IMG_2862

Of course, it didn’t take long for boss lady, Jamie, and everyone else to catch on so staff caregiver, Anna, served up a mid-afternoon garden snack. Here Anna serves Burrito a cherry tomato as Jamie looks on:

web_missy_jamie_anna_serve_garden_kd_IMG_2878

Burrito was very anxious for a green onion, but with Jamie lurking next to him, he was reluctant to take it before receiving the green light from her. So he sat very, very still, hair standing on end (pilo-erect) and waited patiently for her to pass by before taking it from Anna:

web_burrito_pilo_waiting_for_onion_kd_IMG_2873

Eventually, the boss gave her OK, but let him know she was watching. Here you can see her hovering over him as he munches his onion:

web_jamie_stand_over_burrito_garden_serving_kd_IMG_2874

Annie loves, loves, loves green onions:

web_annie_anna_serve_garden_kd_IMG_2866

Missy:

web_missy_anna_serve_garden_onion_kd_IMG_2872

Jamie keeping a very close eye on Anna, making sure she is serving things correctly during her training:

web_jamie_anna_serve_garden_tomato_kd_IMG_2868

web_jamie_anna_serve_garden_onion_kd_IMG_2870

I love that the chimpanzees have so many things to look forward to with each passing season.