Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest
Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary
Missy and Annie covered nearly every inch of Young’s Hill today during a spirited game of chase.
After being chased across the field, Annie took to the climbing structure, and Missy followed.
Another dash across the field.
And then another climbing structure.
Annie tried to get away to the shaky bridge but Missy got her by the foot.
But then it all ended in classic Missy style as she crashed end-over-end onto the bridge…with a smile.
The sky is blue and all the leaves are, well, on the ground, but the sun is warmish and the wind is certainly not freezing today. In fact, if I didn’t know better I might be convinced that the worst that winter had to offer was on it’s way out and Spring was just around the corner! Sadly, I realize that this is not the case but that’s not going to ruin such a delightfully warm day in the middle of this otherwise frozen wasteland for me. And while it’s just a little too blustery for the chimpanzees’ taste I can tell that the spirit of Spring is affecting them as well since everyone (including the boss) is full of fun and play today!
It’s days like today, when it’s pouring down rain relentlessly upon our heads, that being a chimpanzee caregiver can become even more challenging than it already is. Just imagine trying to keep otherwise generally active chimpanzees entertained when the weather isn’t cooperating!
As you can see here, the weather definitely didn’t feel like cooperating today. This is what Young’s Hill looks like this afternoon:
While many of the chimpanzees have taken advantage of the weather to engage in some indoor shenanigans others, like Jamie, are not having any of it. Here you can see Foxie & Negra playing while Jamie looks on:
Some days weather is just too much to overcome. I think, perhaps, Jamie’s having one of those days.
Missy and Foxie were having a pretty good time in the greenhouse while the humans were cleaning the playroom today. I took so many photos that I decided to try something new – see the full visual story of their play session in the small photos below.
If there’s one chimpanzee who plays the role of peacemaker in the group, it’s Foxie. It seems to be her personal ambition to make sure everyone is getting along. During conflicts, she often runs around and tries to calm everyone down. You could say she’s a bit of a chimp whisperer.
So it’s not surprising that she’s a preferred play partner for a lot of the chimps. If Jamie or Burrito are looking for some fun, it’s almost always Foxie who they’ll seek out. (Burrito has the problem of being a little intimidated by almost everyone else in the group, and Jamie has the problem of almost everyone else in the group being a little intimidated by her.)
Diana got some footage of Foxie working her magic with Burrito and Negra (who doesn’t play very much with anyone due to being somewhat of an old lady) this weekend while the chimps were waiting for the humans to finish cleaning the playroom.
On an unrelated note, thanks so much to everyone who came out for Sippin’ for the Seven last night. You can see photos from the event here. And bidding for our online auction is open until Tuesday, so be sure to check out the items and get your bids in!
As the weather turns from summer’s heat to winter’s chill the chimpanzees are adjusting their habits accordingly. The panels for the greenhouse walls have all been returned and the chimpanzees are finding the most pleasant spots to spend their time. The windows in the catwalk of the playroom are, of course, a reliable favorite. Recently the top wooden platform of the climbing structure in the greenhouse appears to have developed into a popular (and, most likely, the warmest) hang out during the day. While cleaning in the playroom today I realized the catwalk afforded a vantage point of this coveted spot that is pretty well hidden from view otherwise.
Here are the chimpanzees enjoying the warmth of the greenhouse at their leisure.
Missy & Jody playing together:
Jody catches me taking pictures:
Missy & Negra playing AND catching me with the camera:
The chimps are most active on Young’s Hill right after breakfast. With a full night’s sleep and a belly full of food, they are often looking to burn off a little energy. This morning, there were plenty of balance beam exercises…
Foxie:
Jamie:
Missy:
Some tight rope walking…
Missy:
Some daredevil acrobatics…
Missy:
And to top it all off, a perfect dismount from the shaky bridge…
Missy:
Even the spectators enjoyed themselves…
Jody:
But no one was happier than the star of the show…
Missy:
