Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary for primates.

Missy

The one with Jody, Jamie, & Missy

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These chimps were having so much fun this afternoon! Foxie was spinning, throwing dolls, and running around with Caregiver Katelyn. Missy was wanting to be tickled by caregivers and ripping up boots. Unfortunately, I couldn’t really get any photos. Tomorrow there will be a video of Missy, but rest a sure I have lots of photos to share!

I love this one of Jo with a troll doll not too far:

Annie laid back:

And this morning we found Annie wearing two sweatbands! TWO!

After Jamie and I looked at #cowboyboots on Instagram, she decided to relax on a barrel in the Playroom:

Jody enjoying her apples out on the Hill this morning:

Summer lounging

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No matter how relaxed Annie and Missy are, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a time when they aren’t ready to burst into play. Or at least lapse into play, dependent on the level of relaxation happening:

Missy looks like she’s playing it cool here, and she is, of course, but her wheels are also spinning about what silliness she can get into with Annie:

So she donned a sock and the play biting began:

Annie’s head as foot rest:

Bonus Jamie nose and toes. She’s sound asleep on top of her barrel. She’s even sighing in her sleep as the summer breeze drifts through the chimp house:

Missy & Jo

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We have talked about this before, but Missy is a great friend to all. She understands that etiquette of play with each of her friends. Every game is different for the chimp. Missy can get anyone to play with her, even the most unlikely playmates aka Negra and Jody. Don’t get me wrong those chimps can play, we have all seen it! I would say it is even pretty normal to see Negra playing with Missy. However, it is fairly uncommon to see Missy and Jody playing. That is why today you are all in for a treat! J.B. got some great shots of Jody really letting go and having fun with Missy. Jody can be described from time to time as a serious chimp or the den mother and those are all true. Still, even serious humans or non-humans have to cut loose at some point.

It was a hot one today! I thought I would share an extra photo of Burrito shoveling watermelon shaved ice in his mouth today because, well, why not?!

The Unknown

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The chimpanzees have been remarkably nonchalant about the giant wing that was added on to their building this spring. Curious at times for sure, but for the most part just going about their days as usual. With the exception of Annie.

Ever since that day last year when we moved the trailer away from the barn doors in preparation for construction to begin, Annie has spent time at those doors peering in, as she is in this photo (she’s the one standing up), or just sitting next to the doors, listening:

The other chimpanzees have been tuned in when something really interesting and new happens, like at the end of January when the hydraulic door on the other side of the barn doors was operated for the first time:

Today though, it was Missy who was spending quite a bit of time hanging out near that doorway to the unknown.

I mean, don’t get me wrong, she did not spend the whole day camped out there. She had other things to do:

I’d love to know what Missy is thinking, what all of the chimpanzees are thinking, about what awaits them on the other side of that door.

Missy has no idea that next month she will be able to look through that door and see the face of her 30 year-old daughter, Honey B. We have the same question as everyone else – will they feel a connection to one another?

They spent less than 24 hours together when Honey B was born to Missy at the Laboratory for Experimental and Surgery in Primates (LEMSIP), so it would be extraordinary if they recognized each other by sight. Chimpanzees’ sense of smell is just about as lousy as ours, so that’s not going to help them know each other. It really is like a human mom and baby who were separated at birth. Maybe there will be some kind of connection that even they don’t understand; or maybe it will be the same as Missy with Mave and Willy B – strangers (as far as we know) meeting for the first time.

There are a lot of unknowns.

What is certain is that the chimpanzees are ever more curious about what is going to happen on the other side of that door. Tonight when I went in to the playroom to spot clean I discovered that someone had used a willow branch as a tool to reach a lock on that door.

Soon, chimpanzees, soon.

The One the Only Missy

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Missy spends most of her time with her chimp friends – in other words, she’s a chimp’s chimp. She is that cool girl that everyone wants to be friends with. She is confident, a friend to all, and she is not afraid to try new things (most of the time). So you could see why it would be a big deal if Missy wanted to play, you would drop everything! I find myself occasionally grooming, tickling, and playing chase with Missy usually after lunch when everyone is napping. As we play you all have to remember Missy is a loyal friend. She helps Jamie keep order in the chimp house, even if it’s not in her best interest. Our games usually end once Jamie notices or the chimps start waking up. Recently, Missy has been popping up randomly to groom or sit together, not at our normal meet up time. Like, this morning we groomed in the Greenhouse and Missy offered a kiss, a KISS! A moment I will cherish forever.