There’s one item that’s part of any self-respecting Pacific Northwest chimpanzee’s diet.
Jamie
Not Your Typical Monday
Today was not your typical Chimp House day. I had to do some door maintenance, which meant the chimps could only have access to certain areas at a time. Let’s just say that they (Jamie) were not the happiest about their schedule being off. Jamie kept herself busy surveying mostly me but also anyone else who stepped out of line, I mean isn’t that her job! However, we have amazing volunteers here at Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest who busted their behinds to clean the enclosures fast so the chimps could go back to their normal routine! And don’t worry we also made sure these chimps were preoccupied with lots of enrichment! Once the chimps received access to all of their enclosures they spent their snowy day nesting and grooming, especially Jamie – she was wiped!
The lovely Negra:
Jamie insisted on getting her magazine back from the playroom to pick up where she left off:
Someone left some steamy footprints:
Burrito quietly played with a scarf in the corner of Front Room 4:
The Good Life
There is something about watching all the chimps run out the raceway and onto Young’s Hill in the morning that just fills your heart with joy. I mean how could it not! It is nice to know they get to look forward to things in their life whether they are big or small.
Missy:
Negra:
Burrito is a little excited to be outside with everyone:
Foxie running down the Hill:
Jody (middle) and Burrito (back) catching up to Foxie (front):
Annie:
Jamie:
Burrito:
Commander Jamie
When your boss orders you to stop cleaning and start playing, you make time!
Morning Exercise
When Anna opened the door to Young’s Hill this morning, the chimpanzees couldn’t get out there fast enough. It’s a crisp, sunny morning – the perfect weather for exploring outside with your friends.
Foxie, Annie (kissing Foxie’s hand), and Missy:
Negra, who usually prefers the warmth of her nest, got out and found a little snow to eat:
Annie soaked up the sun:
Missy:
Jody took in the view from her favorite spot:
Foxie’s priority was to lick as much frost as she could get her tongue on:
Burrito:
Jamie (with Annie in foreground):
A Subtle Hint from Jamie
Last week, you may recall that I had a difficult time choosing a subject for a blog post. Well, here’s an explanation of one of the reasons why.
The enrichment theme for that day was “reading day” and Jamie took that to heart.
She seemed particularly enamored with a Dwell magazine. I even saw her gather up the magazine when she was moving from the front rooms to the playroom.
We see the chimpanzees carry blankets from one space to another and their favorite things (dolls for Foxie, boots for Jamie, wooden or plastic objects for Burrito), but it was the first time I’ve seen a chimpanzee so deliberately take a magazine that wasn’t smeared with peanut butter into a new space.
I didn’t get a sense that it was any particular page that she was interested in, as she carefully and thoroughly looked through the entire magazine:
Included in the reading day was a large catalog full of all sorts of products. When I went into the playroom in the evening to spot clean one last time, I found the catalog on the catwalk opened to this page:
Did boot-loving Jamie purposely leave the catalog for me to find, hinting at a future gift idea?
Annie
I have been watching a change with Annie. As many of you may know, Annie is not one of the highest ranking chimps in the group. However, it seems like she knows how to play her cards. She knows exactly when to steal food, something that could get her in trouble with the other chimps. She has to be brave, play it smart, and wait for the perfect moment. Burrito can sometimes get a little too excited, and carried away. She hasn’t been afraid to call him out lately either! Annie has even been more people oriented recently as well. Maybe even a little flirty with some of our male volunteers! She is normally known to spend a lot of time with her chimp friends like Missy, so this new interest in people is very fun to watch. If you’re lucky enough to be the one getting to hangout with her it just makes your heart happy. She is getting bolder all the time, and I think you can see the confidence on her face.
Missy:
Jody wadging her chow bag:
Jamie found a few good magazines and cuddled up into her nest:
Jamie holding her blanket in her pelvic pocket:
