outdoors

Profiles in Courage

April 2, 2021 by J.B.

Annie had a big day today. When her walking partners scattered in different directions halfway through their trek around the hill, she found herself alone at the bottom of the Twister. Rather than turn around to head home, she decided to head to the top of the tallest structure on the highest point of Young’s Hill. Yes, she’s climbed it before, but getting back down seems to have induced a certain amount of panic in the past. This time, she was as cool as a cucumber.

OK, climbing down is still a bit daunting.

But she’s got it under control.

On the other side, Willy B was engaged in courageous act of a different kind – more modest in scale (and about 22 feet closer to the ground) but no less heroic. For some chimps, just going outside requires a level of bravery that most of us could only aspire to.

This got me thinking about when the Cle Elum Seven first set foot on Young’s Hill back in 2011, and how Annie couldn’t have done it without help from her best friend, Missy. It’s inspiring to see how brave and independent she’s become and I have no doubt that Willy B will one day be following in Annie’s footsteps.

Training Fun

May 29, 2020 by J.B.

Getting chimpanzees to participate in their own medical care is incredibly important for their physical and psychological health. But some chimps, like Foxie, are reluctant to take part. After three decades in laboratories, who could blame her? But with patience, and lots of positive reinforcement, the chimps do learn to trust us. Sometimes, you just have to bend the rules and have a little fun.

Willy B spent some quality time in the courtyard today. I watched as he walked about eight feet across the grass to retrieve a cherry from the ground. He used a small plastic chair almost like a walker so that he had a grip on something familiar. Once he was safely back on the boardwalk, he pant-hooted and then climbed back up to the platform to relax. He even laid down in the shade out there for a while. He’s getting to the point where he only goes back inside for lunch…what a difference a month makes.

And guess who reached out to grab some cabbage from the boardwalk? This is how Willy B started – we’ll see if Mave follows the same course.

Small steps

May 1, 2020 by J.B.

One of the ongoing and typically lengthy discussions at our weekly staff meetings involves coming up with ways to encourage Honey B, Willy B, and Mave to go outside. Would a forage in the courtyard help motivate them or lead to frustration? Does the presence of staff reassure them or do we make them nervous? How can we modify the chute or the courtyard to put them more at ease? While we are willing to try anything and everything within reason, we also know from experience with the Seven that it often just takes time.

I’m excited to share that Willy B’s time may have arrived because this morning he took a few small steps outside.

Sorry – no good photos of the occasion! But squint really hard and you can see Willy B making his first step onto the boardwalk outside as the photographer hides around the corner.

During his first few attempts, he clung with one hand to the inside of the chute, leaning out as far as he could without losing his connection to something safe and familiar. Once back in the chute, he would psych himself up for another go while tapping his knuckles on the floor, all while keeping his eyes on the prize – a handful of grapes, scattered just outside the door. Eventually, when he had retrieved all of the grapes within reach, he released his grip on the caging and sat squarely outside of chute on the boardwalk. It was then that he stopped reaching for grapes altogether and just sat for a moment to look around. Over the course of about 30 minutes he did this again and again, until he decided that he’d had enough for one day and returned to the building. Sometimes we make progress in small steps.

You wouldn’t know it now, but many of the Cle Elum Seven were just as terrified to go onto Young’s Hill when they first had the chance. Missy and Jamie took to it almost immediately, but Annie, Burrito, Foxie, Jody, and Negra were extremely hesitant (click the links for blog posts we wrote at the time). It took time – in some cases months or years – and plenty of encouragement from friends for them to overcome their fears.

Here’s Jamie, back in 2011, throwing her arm around her pal Foxie to encourage her to walk further outside.

And here’s Foxie again, this time with a little extra motivation…

We hope that Willy B will step further and further outside each day. Who knows, maybe one day he can be the one to throw a reassuring arm around Mave or to lure Honey B through the grass by carrying her favorite scooter or fanny pack. And just as it was for the Seven, the once-terrifying great outdoors can finally start to feel like home.

The Joys of Spring

May 11, 2018 by J.B.

Long, lazy walks around Young’s Hill.

Endless amounts of fresh, sweet grass and dandelions.

Drifting off to sleep to a chorus of songbirds.

A small miracle

October 13, 2017 by J.B.

Nearly ten years ago, we met these chimpanzees in the windowless basement of a laboratory where they had lived for decades, often alone. Each walk around Young’s Hill still feels like a small miracle.

Simple pleasures

May 19, 2017 by J.B.

The other night I watched Negra eat dandelions as the sun began to set over Young’s Hill. I wish it could be spring forever.

Christmas in April

April 8, 2016 by J.B.

Last year, we waited until October to plant the chimps’ potted Christmas tree. Since Jody has been steadily devouring that one, I thought we’d get this one planted sooner. Missy was the first to check it out, but only because Anna decorated it with apple slices.