Jamie loves all her boots, but she definitely has some that are the center of her attention for awhile. I think of it like when I get a new song or album, I listen to it over and over until I’m sick of it—but I still like it and will want to listen to it again someday. Jamie’s songs on repeat right now are the boots she got from Bill last week. She can’t get enough of them! As soon as we try to wash them, she wants them back immediately, even if they are wet. And she’s asked JB to wear them around the hill, even when they are wet. Of course he is happy to oblige—anything to keep the boss in a good mood. I have a feeling these boots will be her favorite for awhile.
Jamie
Unintentional Enrichment
Enrichment comes in many forms—food enrichment, social enrichment, object enrichment, and structural enrichment—but sometimes the most enriching things are completely unintentional. Nearly two years ago, JB took out the extremely heavy drain covers we used to have and exchanged them for lightweight covers. They are much easier to handle for the humans, but also much more likely the chimps could get it. However, the covers are durable and pose no danger to the chimps, so the risk of them grabbing it versus practically breaking our backs every time we had to lift the heavy drain cover was worth it!
After JB put in the new covers, we took bets on when the chimps (particularly Jamie) would get it. I guessed about 20 minutes after they had access to the playroom. Diana guessed that night while the humans were away, and JB guessed within 48 hours. We were all wrong! Twenty-three months was the actual answer. We didn’t see how she got it, but when we came into the chimp area a few days ago, Jamie had removed the drain cover, finally.
After removing it, she proceeded to clean it with some scraps of paper. Annie was very interested in watching her—I’m sure they know it is something they aren’t really supposed to have. (Kind of like this time we played keep-away with a laundry basket).
You’ll notice in the video that there is quite a mess in the playroom—it was the day after the Lunar New Year party, so there was a lot to clean up. Once breakfast was brought out, Jamie dropped the drain cover and exited the playroom so we could enter to retrieve it and clean up the party. As far as I am aware she hasn’t bothered to get the drain cover since, but it certainly was enriching for her that morning.
All’s right with the world
Days and days of cold, gray skies and icy, freezing fogs have visited us here at Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest recently. However, that hasn’t deterred the chimpanzees from enjoying the privilege of Young’s Hill. Today was no exception; once finished with breakfast the chimpanzees ventured out into the frozen landscape to patrol, explore, and relish their freedom. I was lucky enough to capture an action sequence of Jamie climbing to the top of one of the wooden platforms in order to get a good view of her world. I hope you enjoy it!
Jamie approaches the pole to the wooden platform:
Jamie looks up to survey the pole before climbing:
And makes her way up, hand over hand:
Jamie dismounts and looks down to Missy (still sitting on the ground below):
Routines
The routine of each chimp house day that we’ve established with the chimpanzees allows them to know what to expect, and allows us to do the eight+ hours of work efficiently. But it’s not just the humans who have their routines. I’m always delighted to participate or witness a chimpanzee-created routine, like Jody’s morning greeting or Foxie’s after dinner, casual “give and take the troll” game.
Jamie’s routine of walking around Young’s Hill is probably one of the most written about aspects of our chimp-driven activities, but there’s one aspect of the walks that I really love because it seems to give Jamie so much pleasure. She doesn’t always do it, but more often than not, when Jamie takes me on a walk (which is really the way it goes), there’s a spot on the far side of the hill where she will veer away from the perimeter. She’ll walk on the log bridge over there or wander in the bamboo. I usually walk a little further and then wait. When she’s done with her lone exploration, she comes barreling out, heading directly toward me. She doesn’t do this in an aggressive manner, though it was somewhat intimidating the first time I witnessed this; and I’m glad, for her sake and mine, that she is secure behind two tall electric fences. She just really seems to find it great fun to come out of hiding and run quickly towards her walking companion, and then continue the rest of the way around the perimeter.
I got a few photos of this today. They’re not award-winning images, but hopefully with the story behind them, you’ll have a better sense of what they are about.
Here’s an establishing photo to show what the landscape has looked like around the property for the last week or so. It’s not snow, it’s hoarfrost, the rather pretty cause of our power outage the other day. The cold temperature did not stop Jamie from walking around the hill twice today. These photos are from our second walk
Here’s Jamie leaving the perimeter:
and here she is bursting out of hiding:
Stability
We often mention on the blog the changes that we observe in the chimpanzees and how we’ve seen them grow over the past five and a half years. There’s no doubt that they are still coming into their own, after living the majority of their lives in lab cages and having no control over their choices and no ability to predict what could happen next.
One of the tragic things about captivity is that the chimps are entirely dependent on us caregivers—we provide food, blankets, enrichment, and we shift the doors between their enclosures. For this reason, it is very important to have a routine so that the chimpanzees can have expectations, and can make decisions based on what they know will happen next. This is what is truly the epitome of being in a sanctuary.
Through these choices, we really see the chimpanzees develop their idiosyncratic likes and dislikes, and we see them grow and change over time. Foxie used to only want to play with trolls, and then some time ago she expanded to nurturing Dora dolls (though she still loves trolls). Jamie has a extreme love for boots, but recently it’s been more fashion boots that she prefers over cowgirl boots (her old favorite). Missy loves socks and slinkys, Burrito loves to have wooden toys to bite on, Annie loves to rub water on her face, Jody likes edible flowers and soapy bubbles, and Negra likes peanuts and nesting.
Having choices has allowed the chimps to relax, enjoy the sunshine, friends, good food, and space to run—and that has made them so much healthier and stronger than they ever were in the lab. See for yourself, check out the before and after photos of each of the chimps on their story pages here.
Although we see so many wonderful changes in the chimpanzees due to all the choice they have now, there are some things that never change. I was looking back through some old blog posts from this time in 2008, before the chimpanzees arrived. Diana’s first impressions of the chimps were spot-on and still six years later, they enjoy the same things she predicted they would when they came to CSNW. She talked about Jamie and choices, Negra and nesting, and Missy and Annie’s close friendship and their desire to play, play, play. These are things that the chimpanzees love to do everyday, but unlike in the lab, they are able to fully appreciate and express their preferences.
Today, the enrichment theme was “grooming day.” Jamie had lots of enrichment to choose from. Boots, scarves, emery boards, scrub brushes, trolls, pillows, blankets, paper, and even a toothbrush. Out of all of that, she chose to make a big nest out of a tube of exam table paper. (Thanks, Carol!)
Negra cuddled in a giant nest:
Missy and Annie:
And just for fun, Missy’s enrichment item of choice on grooming day:
I so look forward to the changes that are to come and see how the Cle Elum Seven will continue to flourish in sanctuary , but I know I can still count on some stability in the foundation of what they each love, and will continue to enjoy more and more for the rest of their lives.
No such thing as an easy project in Jamie’s eyes
Jamie likes projects. If you’ve been following us for awhile, you’ve probably heard us say something along the lines of “she’s always keeping busy.” It’s so true! Her mind is always working out some puzzle, I think even when she’s napping she’s still getting a plan together about what to do when she gets up!
The other day she and I were going through her boots and she pointed toward this high-heeled zippered boot. I took it to the chute where I could give it to her, but she didn’t move. I came back over to where she was and she gestured like she just wanted to groom it. I wore it for her while she picked at it, and then I took it off and let her hold it against the caging and groom at her leisure.
Very quickly she started to unzip it. At any time I could have tried to give it to her through the chute, but I think she preferred to work on it the hard way—through the caging.
That’s what friends are for!
I don’t know what it is about Sundays this winter but it seems like much of the less pleasant weather has been saving itself for the weekends this season. While many of the days this winter have been mild and spring-like today, and many Sundays of recent memory, cannot be considered either of those! Whether it was the weather that contributed or something else entirely Jamie did not appear to wake up on the right side of the nest this morning. Luckily, she’s got an excellent friend in Foxie! Foxie was persistent and managed to turn Jamie’s frown upside down after a bit of effort. Check out the resulting play session.