Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

Mave

Quality Time

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The past couple mornings we have found Mave’s group spending a lot of quality time with one another before breakfast. For chimps, especially Terry’s group, it’s important to strengthen bonds. A great way to make a friendship stronger is by grooming. Recently, this group has been having their ups and downs like most chimp groups do, but when we have a few calm mornings or afternoons, watching them play or groom feels very nice to see. It is crazy to think that it has been almost a year since this group was officially put together. What they have accomplished as a group is truly something to celebrate!

There is more social work to be done in the next years to come for them, but let’s give them a round of applause for what they have accomplished so far!

Here are some bonus photos of Foxie’s group!

Foxie with one of her dolls:

Annie in the raceway:

Jamie in the portrait studio:

I love Jamie’s side-eye:

New Spring

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Spring is known as a time for new beginnings. Though there aren’t any new beginnings, per se, there are some new things that have been seen around the Chimp House. Be sure to watch the video!

Also, here are some photos from today!

Gordo in the Riverview Greenhouse

Missy during a forage on Young’s Hill

Jamie and Burrito on Young’s Hill

Annie eating her bounty from the forage (note the pin headband in her pelvic pocket)

Annie and Missy watching as a raven collects the scraps left on Young’s Hill

Mave’s Menace

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Something spooked Mave in the Oakwood Greenhouse yesterday. Can you guess what it was?

Here are some bonus photos from today! Today’s was absolutely gorgeous with the weather in the 50s! So Negra’s group had a nice lunch forage on Young’s Hill!

Annie!

Jody!

And Queen Negra!

And Nutmeg for good measure!

Mave is Reunited!

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As Anna mentioned yesterday, Mave had to take a trip to the clinic on Wednesday. While she took yesterday to herself to rest, she was ready to get back to her group today! Thankfully, Dr. Erin gave her the all clear and we were able to reunite her.

We started out by giving Mave a breakfast date with Honey B to gauge Mave’s energy level. They were so excited to see each other, although Honey B really just wanted to inspect Mave’s entire body. After the breakfast date, Mave and Honey B were reunited with the rest of the group. The arousal level was high because of how excited they were to see her, so of course, some drama ensued. But the group carried on as normal, as you will see in today’s video!

Mave has done amazing at walking away if her group members are grooming her wound too much. Keep up the good work, Mave! I think she is just so happy to be back with her friends, especially Dora! She’s been busy in the Greenhouses all afternoon absorbing some sunshine (despite the fresh snow) and grooming with others. We’re so happy the 9 are back together.

 

Mave on the Mend

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Earlier this week there was a fight in Cy’s group and Mave sustained an injury to her sexual swelling. It was a deep enough wound that Dr. Zamzow made the decision to organize a medical procedure in the clinic yesterday so she could thoroughly clean out the wound and help it heal. This was also a bonus opportunity to give Mave a thorough physical and dental cleaning, including an abdominal ultrasound, since Mave had previously had a large ovarian cyst removed before moving to the sanctuary.

Sofia doing the dental cleaning, Mekenzie, CRNA monitoring the anesthesia machine, and sonographer Mariah and Dr. Zamzow performing Mave’s abdominal ultrasound for her physical:

This morning nurse Honey B gave Mave’s toes a thorough inspection.

Mave relaxing in her recovery room:

Bonus! Jody and her cherry tomatoes:

 

 

Man! I Feel like a Woman!

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Today is International Women’s Day! I feel so blessed to work in such a female dominated field, it is truly empowering. Not only is our field dominated by women, but so is our chimp house, sorry Chad and JB :).

In the wild, males are usually the most dominate, however in captivity you can find females leading a group or allowing a male to think he the one in control, when really the female(s) are really calling the shots ;).  Let’s meet the real individuals that run the show in this chimp house!

Obviously, Jamie rules this Sanctuary:

Negra, our true queen:

Jody, our forager:

The adventurer Missy:

Foxie, the prankster:

The ever so kind Annie:

Mora, besties for life:

Miss popular Mave:

The friend to everyone, Dora (but mostly Mave):

Rayne, the calming presence:

Lucky, the sweetest of sweet:

Honey B, the master of mischief:

The care staff ladies aren’t so bad either!

Dora! Dora! Dora!

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My apologies for today’s blog! Two Tuesdays a month, after cleaning is done, we have a staff meeting to discuss various topics about the sanctuary. Today’s meeting ran a little long. In fact, it lasted right up to the time it was to serve the chimps’ dinner, kind of putting me into a bind in terms of getting photos for the blog.

I was, however, able to get some last minute photos of darling Dora enjoying her evening popsicles. On days their daily food puzzle is scheduled to be given out during the day instead of the evening, we give out popsicles made of either Gatorade or water flavoring with some berries before they begin to nest in for the night. Dora is not one to ever pass up her evening enrichment, especially her popsicles.

Bonus Photos!

Honey B enjoying her avocado at dinner.

And Mave taking it easy earlier today!