Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

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Back to Work

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I’m happy to report that our team of contractors have picked up where things left off last fall with regard to construction on the Bray. We don’t have a firm completion date yet but it should be fairly soon! While they complete their fence work, we’re taking the opportunity to build upon Ryan’s Lookout, the structure that will allow Cy’s group to supervise all the comings and goings at the sanctuary.

So far we’ve added three crow’s nests with fire hose vines strung between them and the main tower. Our poor bamboo took a hit during the arctic blast last Christmas. The existing culms may not grow new leaves this year but we’ll have to wait and see. The good thing is that it should be ready to send up new shoots in June.

The weather has been typically spring-like lately, meaning it is winter one day and summer the next. Last Thursday it snowed on us while working outside in the afternoon; by the end of the week it should hit 80 degrees. This means that some days the greenhouse panels are necessary, while on other days we have to run the fan to cool things off. The last few days have been perfect and the chimps are happy to bask in the warmth from their perch on the tree structures.

As always, Cy has been busy keeping up with the latest celebrity news when not managing his sometimes unruly family.

This photo didn’t turn out very well, but I thought I’d share anyway…I was just barely able to catch Lucky giving her friend Dora a hug to celebrate the arrival of the lunch cart.

On a final note, the sanctuary recently purchased a new (to us) farm vehicle. Surprisingly, Jamie is a bit intimated by it and still prefers to race the Gator. But Benny, who is licensed and required by law (so he says) to inspect all farm machinery, has given it his full approval. Benny lives at the sanctuary with me and Diana and our two other rescue dogs, and because of old injuries he can’t walk as fast or as far as his pack mates. Now he can leave them in the dust. He said the staff can use it too.

Heart Week

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Cardiovascular disease is a major cause of illness and mortality in captive chimpanzees. As many of you know, we’ve been treating Burrito since 2012 for hypertensive heart disease. What you may not know is that Cy also suffers from cardiovascular disease – in his case, dilated cardiomyopathy. To better manage his symptoms and slow the progression of the disease, Dr. Erin arranged for a cardiac exam from Dr. Lynne Nelson, lead cardiologist at Washington State University’s veterinary hospital. Dr. Nelson has been a great friend to the sanctuary for many years and has helped oversee Burrito’s care.

Dr. Nelson’s expertise was also called upon this week to assess Lucky. While Lucky has appeared to be in good health overall, her pre-transport exam from Wildlife Waystation suggested the possibility of an enlarged heart. We knew that further diagnostics would be required once she and her friends settled into their new home and social group.

And then there’s Terry. Terry has not shown any signs of cardiovascular disease, but he was due for a re-check of his fractured canine tooth, and any time a chimpanzee is anesthetized in the clinic, we want to obtain as much information as we can to help manage their care. Dr. Erin thoughtfully scheduled Terry’s re-check at a time when he could also receive a thorough evaluation from Dr. Nelson.

Three chimps in three days. Heart Week, you might call it. Or Hell Week, if you are a member of the staff responsible for getting the chimps into the right enclosures at the right times so that we could make this all work. We are incredibly grateful to all of the staff and volunteers for all the effort that went into making these exams possible while keeping the rest of the chimp house humming along like usual.

Before I share more of the week’s events, I’m sure you want to know what we found. Lucky has a healthy heart for her age, thankfully. Ultrasound revealed a few things that we’ll want to keep an eye on, but she does not suffer from any significant cardiovascular disease. Cy’s echocardiogram showed some improvements from his last exam—likely from the medications he has been on—but also some disease progression. Dr. Nelson was able to recommend changes to his medication regimen that should help. Terry’s exam showed good news on both fronts—his fractured tooth is healing nicely and his heart is healthy for his age, though he shows some mild cardiac changes that warrant monitoring every few years. Thankfully, he doesn’t have any signs of heart failure and requires no medication at this time.

It’s not fun for us to have to bring the chimps into the clinic, but it is at times necessary. One of the ways that we can reduce the trauma associated with exams under anesthesia is to work with the chimps so that they will take an injection by hand, rather than by dart. Our positive reinforcement training team, and the work of others before us at the Waystation, made it so that all three chimps willingly presented their arms and legs for their anesthetic injections. According to Jenna, who has been training with Lucky, Lucky was downright nonchalant about being poked. The Valium-spiked sip of juice probably helped a little, too.

As is often the case here, Dr. Erin, Sofia, and Dr. Nelson were aided by a number of other medical professionals who came to volunteer their time and talents. Mekensie Kmack, CRNA, who has helped many times before, oversaw Lucky’s anesthesia. New to the team this time was Marneye Driesen, who assisted with the echocardiogram.

Some of our procedures, such as abdominal radiographs, are performed outside of the clinic while the chimps are in recovery (but still anesthetized) to minimize time under anesthesia.

It’s important to keep the chimps warm during recovery – these socks are not just for fashion.

The same team assembled again the next day to examine Cy’s heart and perform routine diagnostics and cleanings.

We’ve found that there’s no use hiding what is happening from the other chimps. Once someone is out of the clinic, they are laid in the recovery room while their friends look on through windows or neighboring enclosures. This reassures them and provides a comforting presence when the chimps wake up from anesthesia.

Cy was groggy, as is to be expected, but he perked right up as soon as Kelsi put on one of his favorite movies, Must Love Dogs.

It was unfortunate that Terry had to return to the clinic so soon after having his fractured tooth repaired, but it was important to get x-rays of the tooth and underlying bone to ensure that he had healed properly. Dr. Whitemarsh, DMD, was on hand again to help.

Sonographers Korey Krause and Tanya Herbert, also new to the team, performed an abdominal exam while Michelle DiMaggio, LVT, monitored anesthesia and otherwise assisted Dr. Erin.

As I write this, Lucky and Cy have been reunited with the group. Terry, who had his procedure this morning, will remain apart for the night while he recovers. Hopefully the others let him get some rest.

As usual, the information we collect to help the chimps in our care will also be shared with the Great Ape Heart Project, so that we can help other captive apes suffering from cardiovascular disease.

Many thanks to Dr. Erin, the staff, and the amazing team of medical professionals that came to care for Lucky, Cy, and Terry this week. Thanks as well to all of our donors that make this level of care possible. If you’re interested in the veterinary care we provide at Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest, why not register for our upcoming Virtual Visit on Saturday, April 15th at 2pm? To learn more, click here.

Easter Forages!

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Today’s forecast called for rain but it held off long enough to sneak in a quick breakfast forage for the Seven. Carrots, beets, Swiss chard, and potatoes were scattered across the hill.

Burrito (with Missy and Annie in the background):

Negra:

Foxie (with Annie in the background):

Jamie:

Missy:

Jamie, enjoying one of the purple potatoes she gathered outside:

Missy:

At lunch, the chimps enjoyed hard-boiled eggs with their veggies.

Jamie:

Missy:

Annie:

I shifted the Seven this morning so I didn’t get quite as many photos of the forage on the other side of the building, but we managed to snap a few.

Willy B:

Terry:

Cy:

An Afternoon Assortment

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It’s a typical afternoon here at CSNW. Gordo was just yelling at Willy B, which led Willy B to intimidate Terry, which caused Terry to yell at Willy B, which led Honey B to yell at Gordo. And now they are all grooming together with Cy. I can hear the breathy panting and teeth clacking from the foyer. All’s well that ends well, I guess.

Gordo:

Things have been fairly quiet on the other side of the building, save for a few minor spats. I just took a walk with some of the gang to the top of Young’s Hill. Missy seems to think something is amiss with this giant tree root that we left behind as enrichment.

But she’s not willing to get close enough to find out what that might be. It’s too early for snakes, but better safe than sorry.

This afternoon I was putting together a new scale, which we can use to weigh chimps while they are on the cot as they are entering the clinic for an exam or procedure. A chorus of raspberries from the other side of the door suggested that it was a bit rude to keep this new piece of equipment a secret.

When I opened the door, all nine of Cy’s family were sitting in the medical room and the room adjacent to it, waiting to see what all the commotion was about. This group is often alarmed by new, large pieces of equipment but the scale appeared to be more of a curiosity that anything. After a quick look, they all went about their business.

Our old feral friend Barn Kitty recently returned from his travels throughout the canyon with a new and improved attitude. He’s mellower and generally less intent on hurting us, which is nice. In the past, his MO was to follow us around and use his tiny kitten voice to ask for food, only to hiss and swat at us when we tried to give it to him. I’m not sure what prompted such a change but it is most welcome, for however long it lasts.

I’ll leave you with this photo of our farm hand, Benny, assisting Kelsi with her cattle care chores. To be perfectly honest, he’s really not that helpful. I think he’s in it just for the Gator rides.

A Man for All Seasons

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I’ve gotten used to the fact that Burrito now goes on more walks (or runs, actually) than Jamie, but I still can’t get over how comfortable he’s become in inclement weather. Earlier this week we had snow off and on throughout the morning, and when Burrito told me to meet him outside for a run around the hill I was sure he would be disappointed when he got out there. But he was undeterred.

When you’re not moving fast enough, Burrito will stand bipedally and clap to goad you on.

Eventually we just sat near the top of the hill, watching the snow drift down across the valley as it slowly accumulated atop the hair on his head and shoulders.

We took several walks in the mist this morning, along with Missy and Jamie. But when the mist turned to a light, steady rain I was sure they would all want to curl up in a nest indoors. Not Burrito. We hiked back up the hill together in the rain, and every once and a while he would turn backward as though he was ready to head home, only turn turn again and race further up the hill.

He thought it was hilarious.

 

Assistant To The Regional Manager

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Today it was my turn to shift on the new side of the building with Cy’s group. Shifting, in sanctuary parlance, refers to operating the chimpanzee doors that connect the various enclosures and ensuring that the chimps move between them so that we can conduct routine cleaning and maintenance. We typically structure our shifting routine around meals and forages, which helps to incentivize cooperation—the chimps enter a clean room to snack on sunflower seeds or lettuce and we close off the dirty room behind them. But it doesn’t take much to interrupt the routine. The chimps, possessing considerable intelligence and virtually unlimited free time, have the ability to decide whether we succeed or not. A single stubborn chimp or strategically placed toy can grind the whole morning to a halt.

I should point out that it’s not typically an adversarial endeavor. In fact, some of the chimps go out of their way to be helpful. For example, Honey B, while famous for her flagrant disregard for our cleaning routine in general, often plays Assistant to the Regional Manager while we’re shifting. As we start to move doors, she scans for any blankets or toys that might prevent them from fully closing and helpfully pulls them out of the way. She does this without even being asked. As I worked to close off Playroom 2 (Lupine) this morning, Honey B followed along with me and dutifully cleared each doorway. Of course, in doing so she stationed herself on the wrong side of the door, in a room I was trying to clear. So much for the routine. I remind her that the Assistant to the Regional Manager, regardless of her title, still has to eat breakfast with the other chimps.

The process of shifting inevitably leads chimpanzee caregivers to one of the most important lessons they will learn—never play mind games with a chimpanzee. It’s tempting to try to fool the chimps or lull them into complacency when they are disrupting the routine. You don’t want me to close that door? What if I walk away from the controls (…while my buddy Chad hides behind the fern, ready to close the door when you least expect it!)? It may work once if you’re lucky. And then that chimp will dedicate the rest of her life to thwarting your plans, just to spite you. That is not hyperbole.

Still, there are times when you must take advantage of an opportunity before it’s gone. At CSNW, we utilize several different kinds of chimp doors, and they all have their own distinct advantages and disadvantages. The newer wing contains mostly hydraulic doors, owing to a donation of equipment and material from the former Chimpanzee and Human Communication Institute as it was being demolished. One of the downsides to these particular doors is that they are fairly slow, which leads to an all too common scenario.

By the end of this morning’s routine, I had given up on cleaning Front Room 5, as my Assistant had staked a claim to it and did not look to be changing her mind anytime soon. I reopened Playroom 2 and prepared to move on with the day. As I was leaving the chimp area, I noticed that Front Room 5 was empty. Surely, Honey B must have been camped on the other side of the door, watching my every move. I checked the monitor—she was in the Greenhouse. And so were most of the other chimps! This was my chance! I radioed Chad to tell him of my change of plans and raced to the controls.

When the hydraulic pump kicks on, the chimps can hear that doors are being operated. Before I even touched the lever, I heard a rumbling from the playroom. As Door G inched downward, the rumbling grew louder. The door slowly but steadily made its way down the tracks and would soon be low enough that a chimp couldn’t possibly fit through. It was almost there!

And then, before I knew it, that tiny opening was filled with a whole lot of…

…TERRY! He stopped the door in its tracks and, like Indiana Jones, he had squeezed his way through without a moment to spare.

We encourage cooperation with the chimps, rather than competition, because it’s better for their well-being. But let’s be honest, it’s also because we will always lose.

Second Winter

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After enjoying a lengthy Fool’s Spring throughout the month of February, we awoke to find ourselves in the momentary grasp of Second Winter. While this may be viewed as a setback to folks like Burrito, who had been furiously lapping Young’s Hill in an attempt for a single-day record, Negra takes it all in stride. In fact, no one is better prepared for a change in the weather than Negra. Because no matter the conditions outside – hot or cold, sunny or cloudy, windy or still – it is always exactly the same inside her perfect nest.