Honey B is incredibly funny. She loves big brown paper, like, A LOT! Today we put out a bunch of paper for Honey B to roll around in. Paper was also a theme yesterday for Mave and Honey B. They were wrestling, Honey B was flipping upside down, and they had the best play faces. I hope you all are having a happy Wednesday! Please enjoy this video 🙂
Mave
Eat, Play, Love
Burrito is really such a snow fiend. His first order of business for us today was to give him his pre-breakfast snow. When he gained access to the Greenhouse and Young’s Hill, he seemed unsure if he wanted to venture outside to collect his own snow.
He then thought of the most perfect plan. He can sit in the Greenhouse, and just have his human caregivers deliver him his post-breakfast snow. That way he had access to the outdoors, but the pesky wind would be blocked by the winter paneling, and he could enjoy.
Really though! He really loves snow.
Jamie, being the Boss, also wanted to partake on the snow harvesting the humans were doing for Burrito.
As usual, Negra decided to stay inside, nice and warm, under a blanket in the Playroom.
On the other side of the Chimp House, Honey B and Mave have been in super silly moods lately. They engaged in an intense play session with tons of laughing.
Willy B was not a fan of all the noise they were causing as he was trying to take his pre-lunch nap.
Luckily for him, Honey B and Mave stopped playing and began grooming.
It’s days like today when all the chimpanzees are happy, that my day feels complete and I have a constant smile on my face.
Fall in Love with Mave
Today, we present the Fall in Love with Mave video (link above)! As you know by now, becoming a Pal to one the of the chimpanzees or bovines at Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest is one of the best ways to support their ongoing care. In the spirit of the day, we hope there are a few people out there who’d like to be Mave’s valentine by signing up to be her Pal.
Speaking of Valentine’s Day, the chimpanzee celebrated the day as they do most holidays – by stuffing themselves with delicious food. Today began with a special breakfast prepared by volunteer Patti, consisting of healthy waffles topped with peanut butter. Negra, as you can imagine, was thrilled. The new guys, on the other hand, weren’t sure what to make of this unusual Valentine’s day tradition. Honey B even returned her waffles to the waitstaff by pushing them back through the caging, but after trying them she excitedly asked us to pick them all up and hand them back to her. It’s a good reminder to always taste your food before sending it back to the kitchen.
Later in the day we set out forages of fresh fruits and veggies along with shots of fruit smoothie.
Negra (with Jody in the background):
Jody:
Foxie:
Missy:
Burrito:
Honey B:
Happy Valentine’s Day!
The One with all the Sun
You guys! I don’t want to jinx anything… But the sun is out, you can feel the warmth, and there were some really happy chimps! Fingers crossed this means spring is coming early. Please enjoy all these photos of the chimps basking in the sun.
Neggie took a small stroll:
Missy and Annie were sprinting all around the Hill, all day:
Burrito really enjoyed walking around with all the ladies:
I was able to capture a group action shot of almost everyone scattering onto the Hill in the morning when it first opened:
Jamie building her nest:
And modifying her blankets:
Mave grooming herself:
Honey B :
If your heart wasn’t melting before, it will be:
Honey B was just being so silly and funny. So funny that I would actually laugh out loud. She would be eating breakfast than suddenly roll around on a barrel and burst into a full sprint out into the Chute! She put her fanny pack on and press it up to the enclosure to have you look at it. She than would take it off and offer for her caregivers to wear it. Honey B just seemed to be in a really good mood. I thought I might share 🙂
Rainy Days and Poses
As I drove up to the sanctuary this morning, grey clouds had already gathered overhead and begun drizzling rain. When I began opening up the Chimp House, I could hear the Bronx cheers of Burrito trying to get my attention from the front rooms. The rain was starting to wash away his snowy treats that had accumulated from the previous day and he NEEDED as many snowy treats, posthaste!
After delivering Burrito his snow, I walked around to say good morning to the other chimpanzees. Most of them were still in bed, including the Boss! This is how I knew today was going to be one of those quiet days.
When I opened up Young’s Hill to the Group of 7, only Jamie and Missy were brave enough to venture out in the rain. Burrito didn’t even want to go out into the Greenhouse to watch his friends embark on their adventure. (His feelings changed later on in the day and spent the most of his day in the Greenhouse.)
It was similar on the other side of the Chimp House. Even with access to the Chute, Mave and Willy B felt it better to watch the rain from inside instead of getting a closer look from the outside.
Honey B was the only one who wanted to go out in the Chute to watch the rainfall.
This didn’t last long, however, as she felt it was too cold to stay out long. She followed suite with most of the other chimpanzees, and decided to just rest in the warm building.
All-in-all, it was a really quiet day here.
Also, I just have to share this photo I snapped earlier today. I’ve been trying to think of titles for this shot, and asked caregiver Anthony and volunteer Krissy for help. “Mave the Thinker.” “Chimp-Person of the Year.” “Mave-azine Cover Shot.” “Maybe she’s born with it. Maybe it’s Mave-belline.” “Dear Mave: An Advice Column.” “The Most Interesting Mave in the World.”
Any other suggestions?
Sanctuary and Enrichment
As many of you all know, there are many different ways to enrich a chimp’s life. And here at Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest we have many different forms. We provide toys that the chimps like, blankets for nesting, food puzzles, and forages. We try really hard to find the chimps favorite items such as boots/books for Jamie, dolls for Foxie, wooden blocks for Burrito, Slinkies for Willy B, and etc. We also try to have their favorite produce, but also make sure they have a variety so they do not get bored of what they eat! Most importantly, we provide an outdoor area for the chimps to go outside. To see the chimps run freely and see no bars above their heads is Sanctuary to me and I hope them too.
As you will see in the video Anthony moved a giant mirror from the Greenhouse to the Mezzanine. We knew Willy B, Honey B, and Mave liked looking at themselves through our phones and cameras, not unlike us, it is natural for us to look at ourselves while we pass a mirror. Just as we thought the three loved it! It even makes a great displaying tool! Honey B spent a lot of time looking into it, climbing on it, and swinging it around. The other section in the video is of the seven chimps walking around the perimeter outside on Saturday. Jamie and Burrito lead the walk, Missy sprints to catch up, eventually Foxie joins at the last leg of the walk, and it ends with Jamie and Foxie chasing each other down the Hill. I quietly finish the walk with Burrito. I was reflecting on that walk and I am so thankful to see the chimps exploring their outdoor area and looking so carefree. Whenever I see Burrito walking around the Hill it warms my heart that he has healed so well and all the girls will walk around with him.
Snow in the winter is another great way to enrich the chimps! Last night it dumped snow, when I went to open Young’s Hill for the seven this morning the chimps ran out to grab snow.
Negra:
Burrito:
Little Foxie:
Annie:
Snowy and Groomy Weather
Our apologies again! We are still having trouble loading the video from the chimpanzee’s New Year celebration the other day due to an internet outage. (I’m currently posting this blog via my personal hotspot from my phone.) I personally blame the current snowy weather.
In the meantime, please enjoy these photos taken around the sanctuary.
Burrito had a playdate with both Jamie and Jody on this snowy day. He decided to spend most of his time inside grooming with Jody:
Of course, that was only when he wasn’t busy asking his caregivers for snowy treats:
Jamie, on the other hand, decided this snowy weather was the perfect weather to wrap herself up in blankets with her current favorite cowboy boot:
On the other side of the Chimp House, Honey B and Mave found today’s snowy conditions to also be perfect for grooming:
Thank you all for being so patient as we try to find a way to share the New Year Celebration video! We hope that tomorrow is the day the internet will be a top strength to share it with all of you.