Despite the increased workload due to our self-imposed quarantine restrictions, the sanctuary has been a kind of oasis lately. If you have to ride out a pandemic, you could do worse than to be stuck with these goofballs.
northwest
Strange Times
Outside of the sanctuary, there’s a lot going on right now.
Most of you are probably well aware of the uncertainty and trepidation surrounding COVID-19, and we have been altering our operations to ensure that this pandemic has no effect on the chimpanzees. If you’re wondering exactly how we are adjusting, I recommend reading this letter to our community that Diana sent out yesterday.
Obviously, we are doing our best to minimize the potential for pathogen transmission into the sanctuary while maximizing social distancing. Unlike many Washington state employers, however, we can’t just completely close down the office and have everybody work from home. Our staff needs to continue providing the chimpanzees with healthy meals, engaging activities, secure enclosures and clean surroundings, albeit now with a much smaller team of personnel than we are accustomed to. That’s okay, though. Our core team is pretty good at this caregiving stuff, and we don’t think the chimps have noticed that there are unprecedented measures being taken across the globe in response to a new and unusual coronavirus.
Today, I took some time after lunch to observe the chimpanzees as they foraged, relaxed, socialized and exercised. I also casually took some photographs to share with you all.
I always find that watching them go about their day is grounding and encouraging, and I am proud that we can continue to offer them a peaceful sanctuary home even in the strangest of times. Stay mindful, everyone.
Life in the Time of Coronavirus
Many of you are likely wondering about the risk of the COVID-19 coronavirus to the chimps. This is something we are taking seriously, given our proximity to the known areas of community transmission in and around Seattle. While we don’t know precisely how this virus would affect a chimpanzee, we are determined not to find out. Staff and volunteers are following strict hygiene and disinfection protocols and wearing gloves and masks whenever they are in and around the facility, not just when they are in the chimpanzee areas. Planning meetings usually held in person are now being held by phone. And after consulting with our Direct Care Committee, a committee of our Board of Directors made up of veterinarians and primatologists (including a veterinarian that specializes in infectious disease and global pandemics), we decided to suspend all volunteer shifts for people who live and/or work in the greater Seattle area for the time being. Other restrictions will be put in place as needed as we follow the progression of this virus.
While the humans must adapt to a new way of working, it’s business as usual for the chimps.
This morning, Foxie immediately wanted to play a game with her trolls in the “foot box” (a contraption we built to allow for x-rays of the chimps’ hands and feet).
Lunch was a casual affair. The chimps love to sit in the fire hose swings at mealtime. While the caregivers are willing to squat down to the chimps’ level to serve them food, the chimps prefer to come up to our height and will often move barrels and benches up to the caging to make this possible. I doubt this is out of any concern for our ageing knees but rather to be positioned right at eye level when trying to get our attention for more food.
Burrito took a number of walks around the hill today. At one point, he and Jamie started running, which I took as an invitation to play. However, I soon realized that they had spotted a herd of 13 deer near the top of the hill and they were attempting to chase them off into the woods. Mission accomplished.
The two groups at CSNW spent most of the day in relative harmony, but early in the afternoon Willy B got some ants in his pants and decided to display in the Chute. Screams and threat barks were exchanged but before long everyone was more interested in dinner.
The chimps all have their own individual habits when bedding down for the night – where they sleep, how they create their nests, etc. Honey B likes to make a comfortable bed on the heated floor and then pull the covers halfway up.
Sleep tight, Honey B.
Cleaning Up
Honey B, like many other sanctuary chimpanzees, enjoys cleaning. Last week, we did a “deep clean” of one of her indoor enclosures and spent time scrubbing the track to the door that leads to the upstairs play area. Honey B watched us intently and later decided that the door track needed just a bit more work.
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!
Flying Foxie and other assorted tales
The Seven got off to an early start on Young’s Hill this morning, taking advantage of a short break in the near-constant rain we’ve been having this winter. Jamie took some of her breakfast to go, perhaps leading Missy to regret not saving any of her own.
Negra and Foxie waited for their neighbors to appear in the chute.
Missy and Burrito completed the first of many patrols.
Honey B, Willy B, and Mave continue to be enthralled with their new mirror. Honey B gazed at her reflection for a while this morning and later watched herself chew gum.
She managed to look dignified in all of the photos I took today, but the rest of the time she was making all of her human and chimpanzee friends laugh with her antics.
Willy B has been spending his time in front of the mirror investigating some teeth that appear to have gone missing.
As I mentioned in a previous post, the chimps have started to develop a new routine, the highlight of which is the pre-dinner display. Most of the chimps engage one another through the windows between the playroom and chute but Foxie has developed her own signature move, which involves pant hooting in front of the Howdy Door and then launching into a running double kick. After each kick, she listens intently for a response from the three on the other side of the wall. If she hears them, she screams and runs to her group mates for reassurance; if there’s no response, she launches another assault on the door.
While Foxie can work herself up into a frenzy this way, her friends don’t take her too seriously, as evidenced by Annie’s nonchalance.
Until Tomorrow
Today was unseasonably warm. The girls took off shortly after breakfast for the first of many patrols.
Burrito, on the other hand, cursed the mild weather and set out to eat every last patch of snow before it was too late.
Recently, the Washington State Department of Transportation released an image from their camera on Sherman Pass that some say looks like Sasquatch. If I didn’t know any better, I might think it was Burrito in search of more snow.
One of highlights of each day for the chimps is the moment the two groups are “reunited” at a distance. During the colder months, the outdoor enclosures are closed off at night so they can only call back and forth to each other through the walls. But each morning they meet again, and the displaying and flirting can be intense.
Here, you can see Mave and Willy B entering the chute while the Cle Elum Seven emerge from the greenhouse onto Young’s Hill with the remains of their lunch.
Burrito, Jody, Jamie, and Missy:
Burrito, Jody, Foxie, Jamie, and Missy:
Foxie and Jamie (look how gray Foxie is getting!):
Negra and Foxie:
Eventually both groups begin to resume their normal activities, checking on each other from time to time until they eventually go to bed for the night. Tomorrow, we’ll go through the whole routine again.
