Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

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northwest

Two Ways to Spend a Rainy Day

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See how Cy and Dora spent a rainy Friday morning.

Speaking of Cy…this morning there was a large blanket under a door that I needed to close at breakfast time. Hydraulic doors can be closed securely with blankets in the way but then the blankets tend to get wet when we clean the floors. So we usually ask the chimps to help move the blankets out of the way, with mixed results. My first request was to Gordo, which I should have known would get me nowhere. Nothing but a blank stare from that guy. Then I asked Terry and Dora, but they were preoccupied at that moment, if you know what I mean. I could have gone to Lucky or Rayne next but at that point I knew who I had to call. Even though he was at the far end of the room, with a word Cy calmly walked the length of the front rooms and pulled the blankets out of the doorway for me. What a guy.

The Road More Traveled

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Young’s Hill is not a very densely vegetated enclosure. Nevertheless, the chimps have developed a network of trails throughout its two acres.

You’d hardly think it necessary in such a wide open space. Perhaps it’s the dampness of the grass in spring or the potential dangers that lurk beneath in late summer. Leaving the trail often means walking bipedally, which is not a comfortable mode of long-distance travel for chimpanzees.

Most of the trails are single tracks, which is partly why you often see the chimps traveling in a long line.

Every once and a while, a trail veers around an “obstacle” such as this alfalfa plant, which had the gall to establish itself along one of the chimps well-traveled routes. In this case, the chimps follow two different detours. I can almost guarantee you that while some chimps go left and others go right, each individual chooses the same left or right detour every time. Creatures of habit, these chimps.

Jamie follows the trails religiously. In fact, she probably established most of the trails long ago through her disciplined daily patrols.

The chimps aren’t the only ones who prefer a well worn path. We humans do, obviously, but so do cows. This trail winds down a slope from just above Young’s Hill and the cows rarely stray from it when crossing between pastures. Switchbacks like this do serve a purpose, in that they reduce a trail’s grade. I often wonder if this particular squiggle was the most efficient way down the slope or if it began somewhat randomly and took on a life of its own.

The deer have created their own network of trails throughout the sanctuary’s 90 acres. One of their paths follows an old irrigation canal along the sanctuary’s western boundary.

Our dogs also like to follow these paths. It could be due to the scents left behind by the deer, but I think there’s more to it than that.

These trails begin for practical reasons – they are safer and less strenuous routes for cows traversing a slope, shortcuts for deer when leaving the relative safety of the woods to feast on pears from the sanctuary’s orchard, and territorial boundaries for chimpanzees. But eventually the trails themselves become the reason for traveling the route. They practically beg to be followed. Robert Frost notwithstanding, we tend to take the road more traveled.

Jamie’s the Coolest!

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Throughout the day we have moments where we are like, “Jamie is the coolest”. I think I write a blog every year about how much I admire her. She just isn’t afraid to be herself. She says what she wants, does what she wants, and means it whether you like her answer or not! I think we all have to admit that is pretty freakin’ cool. What I love about Jamie is that she has so many layers. She is scary, she can tend to be bossy, but she is also silly and funny. This afternoon as I was trying to find blog material and I found Jamie demanding something very specific. I couldn’t find the exact thing she was looking for until I found her new star cowboy boots. On the other side of the building JB and a helpful volunteer are putting a roof on green house two and three, so she got a bit distracted and went to the window to watch. I went around the building to the window where she was looking out. She let me take these amazing pictures of her and then she ran out onto the Hill very playfully. Her intentions were not to walk but to get a better look at the project going on, Willy B in the chute, and of course to demand me to give her whatever grapes were still left!

This was the lineup for Jamie, including Chad’s cleaning boots that I was sporting for her.

These were the boots she was looking for!

View from the top of the green house. This was the project Jamie was managing from the window.

Jamie, isn’t she amazing!

Little Benny’s Big Debut

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Diana and I recently adopted a dog named Benny and he came to live with us, along with our dog Abbey and our cat Loulou, at the sanctuary. As soon as he was acclimated to his new home and family, we brought him to meet the rowdy neighbors up the driveway. Not all of the chimps like dogs, particularly when the dogs are loud and reactive, so we have been careful not to bring some our dogs around too often in the past. But Jamie seemed to understand that Benny is harmless and would even make a good moderate-pace running partner. Now we just have to find some tiny cowboy boots for dogs!

By the way…and I mention this not just because Bob Barker, through his charitable foundation, is a supporter of CSNW…but the more observant among you might wonder why Benny isn’t neutered. He just needed to recover from an illness before it could be scheduled.

Let the Countdown Begin!

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Eleven more sleeps until Jamieween. Though this blog isn’t really about Jamie, the Jamieween countdown has begun! As many of you may know or even agree, Jamieween is known as a staff and volunteer favorite for chimp celebrations! Not only do we get to celebrate Jamie and all her amazing-ness, but there is always an amusing pumpkin heist too! Not to mention Halloween is some of the staff’s favorite holiday. The gifts for Jamieween have been rolling in and we could not be more grateful. This is just a handful of items for Jamie’s haunting celebration! Personally, I can’t wait for Jamie to get her anatomy apron.

I don’t have much content for today because it was rather uneventful and eerily quiet today. So quiet that I had to check and make sure there were chimps in the building! But I do have lots of photos of Cy and Rayne.

I mean come on! How handsome is he?

Rayne and Cy sharing a bench.

Rayne is the absolute best! She is the type of person that when you see her she instantly warms your heart.

Rayne enjoying some rose hips.

I have a few extra photos to share with you all, as well.

Same bench, same sitting position, can you tell these two are related?

Honey B enjoying a leek in the green house.

All To Herself

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The chimps were raring to go this morning. You could see it on Missy’s face.

They set off up the hill. Notably absent was the group’s leader, who was momentarily distracted.

No matter. Jody would lead the way.

Missy was close behind.

Annie, Burrito, and Foxie brought up the rear.

A few minutes into the walk, Jamie caught up to the group. The gang was all together now, with Negra selflessly staying behind as usual to keep the nests warm.

But one member of the group would not finish the patrol with the others. On morning walks, Foxie often slips away unnoticed to enjoy the quiet solitude of the towers at the top of the hill.

For while she enjoys the camaraderie of a patrol, she seems to relish those brief moments when she has the world all to herself.