Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary for primates.

primate rescue

Courage, little by little

by 22 Comments

Willy B has gotten a lot more confident in the courtyard. He usually just marches right out there like he’s been doing it for years. He does, however, still stick to the boardwalk and usually keeps to the parts of the platform by the posts.

So today we decided to scatter pieces of food (instead of one whole piece of fruit) all over both tiers of the platform.

The photos that J.B. took today are in sequence and tell the story of Willy B’s exploration for the day. You can see he gathered the food and then ate it in his comfortable spots near the post, but still, he went to the middle of the platforms. We’ll continue to push his comfort zone in different ways so that he gets used to being on the grass too. Little by little.

The last photo in the sequence shows what a great view there is at the top of that structure. I wonder how he feels when he’s up there.

Honey B’s Paper Escapade

by 14 Comments

Honey B’s excitement over paper is just one of the many things that endear us to her. If you’d like to buy more paper for more escapades, I just added some to our Amazon wish list.

I had to add in a little update at the end of the video about Willy B, of course. He’s getting more and more comfortable in that Courtyard!

 

Sometimes its the simple things

by

Honey B is a smart, funny, curious chimpanzee. One of things we have discovered that she loves most is rolling around in paper – it is something so simple that never fails to make her happy. Willy B couldn’t resist her playfulness today (see video above).

As an update to Mave, Willy B, and Honey B’s lack of outdoor habitat adventures, I tried a few different things today to try to encourage them to venture into their outdoor courtyard. 1) I placed some nuts and seeds along the wooden walkway, some within reach of a chimpanzee sitting at the end of the chute. 2) I had the door open to the courtyard when they went into the chute, rather than opening it up once they were in the chute, and 3) I did my best to act super casual (this may not be my forte) and moved away from the chute and even around the corner.

I’m sorry to say that no one ventured out, even with these measures, but when I was out of his sight, Willy B did work up the courage to reach out and very quickly grab a few nuts, which must have felt like a big victory to him.

Even little steps are steps.

Picnic on the Hill

by

For us chimpanzee caregivers, climbing on the wooden towers and platforms of Young’s Hill is almost as fun as watching the chimps do it themselves. Elevation, exercise and nature- That’s my style of social distancing.
 
Maybe I shouldn’t assume that the rest of the team enjoys it as much as I do. However, there is certainly something liberating about standing high above the Chimp House and looking over the surrounding farmland at the evergreen-covered hillsides of Upper Kittitas County. From this epic vantage, I get the same perspectives as the red-tailed hawks that circle over the valley and the bald eagles that watch over the Yakima River below. As Chad and I recently discussed while doing chores around the sanctuary (because we’re nerds who talk about animal welfare issues), several animal care guidelines now acknowledge that having surroundings that are aesthetically enriching can positively influence individual well-being. I wholeheartedly agree, and I’m proud that this sanctuary gives chimpanzees the opportunity to have such a dynamic sensory experience. It’s impossible to quantify the enrichment value of warm breezes, bright sunshine and green grass (what is enrichment, anyway?), but it would be naive to think that the chimpanzees don’t appreciate having these experiences in their lives.
With all that being said, the Hill isn’t just for looks. It is also incredibly useful for allowing the chimpanzees to spread out, survey the landscape, and exercise. Because of this, we often do “forages” on Young’s Hill (like yesterday’s, for example). Today’s was a special one, though, because the official enrichment theme was “Picnic Day.” The chimpanzees received an eclectic mix of checkered blankets and plastic drinking vessels alongside their usual provisions and toys. Of course, the most enjoyable part of the picnic experience seemed to be the food itself. First, Katelyn chopped up baby iceberg lettuce, red bell peppers, fresh cucumbers and vine tomatoes. Then, Chad and I walked around the Hill, placing and hiding small caches of food on each structure and landmark. The chimpanzees then had all afternoon to search for hidden food and take in the breathtaking scenery.
I had prepared a video to show you all how it went, but this rural internet is abysmal right now; according to the current upload speed, it will be hours before it is ready to watch. Instead, I will have to show you some photographs of Negra that Chad captured today.
Negra eats sunflower seeds during this morning’s post-breakfast indoor “picnic” (or, as I like to call it, Second Breakfast). Negra is a hobbit.
Neggie also foraged for lettuce and chow while participating in the afternoon’s outdoor activities. She did sit in the cabin, however (presumably to block the wind).
I’m not making any guarantees, but I will try to get the other video out sometime in the next week or two! 🙂
P.S. For those of you reading and following along, please continue to use caution, practice thorough social distancing, and take care of each other by taking care of yourselves! I’m wishing all the best for you and yours.

A Tale of Two Barrels

by

Yesterday, Diana wrote the blog about a routine only Jamie would have. As a dominant and strong-willed chimp who is usually an active participant in social drama, Jamie has a tendency to express herself by displaying in the Playroom.

The chute and Playroom are within sight of each other, allowing the chimps to interact with their neighbors (at a distance).

Today, Jamie kept up her steady pace by unleashing yet another raucous display on the residents of the sanctuary. She certainly had everyone’s attention.

To complement yesterday’s video, I tried my best to capture some still images of Jamie in action.

The Jamie Method:

Step 1: Acquire a noise-making object. A dirty barrels is perfect.
Step 2: Drum on the barrel and throw it across the room with force.
Step 3: Use the barrel as a pedestal to watch the neighbors react. Always have a Missy for backup.

Immediately afterwards, Burrito used the same barrel to observe the neighboring chimps. He had a much more friendly demeanor.

The Bubba Method:

Step 1: Greet the neighbors by bobbing your head and panting
Step 2: Sway back and forth to show off your muscles and all your super cool wooden toys
Step 3: Calmly go to a window that lets you quizzically stare at Mave and Willy B until they go back inside
Step 4: Always have a group of vigilant female chimps for backup

In the following hours, the seven original residents in Jamie and Burrito’s group sprawled out on the upper deck of the wooden structure in the Greenhouse.

Jamie groomed Jody while everyone else took a nap.

Perhaps they had forgotten that their neighbors had an identical barrel on the other side of the building, but they were soon reminded. The seven chimps were suddenly awoken by a chorus of hooting and drumming. The source of all this noise was Willy B. As a large and dominant male, Willy is tactful in his use of displays. He doesn’t overdo it like some brasher males I have met, but he certainly makes sure that his performances are explosive, timely and poignant. Mave and Honey B have a knack for getting out of his way whenever he begins to drum. Willy B may have won this battle of displays.

The Willy B Method:

Step 1: Drag the barrel to a doorway that is just a few inches smaller than that barrel
Step 2: Slam the barrel against the window
Step 3: Keep drumming.
Step 4: Drum some more.
Step 5: Top it all off with a loud scream.
Step 6: finish the day with a blanket nest on your favorite indoor bench

Willy’s display drew Jamie out onto Young’s Hill. From her vantage near the Greenhouse, Jamie could watch the chute for further activity.

 

Jody on a Mission

by

Today was The Big Melt, or at least One Big Melt (more snow is on the way according to the forecast). The roof was dripping all day and the patches of snow on the ground seemed to grow smaller with each passing minute.

For Jamie’s group of seven, that meant time on Young’s Hill.

I was going to write out a whole narrative to go along with these sequential photos below, but I thought I’d let you all enjoy them on their own and write the narrative yourselves.

It starts with a determined Jody (as seen at the top of the hill behind the yellow bamboo in the photo at the top of this page).

Missy background, Jody foreground (hiding behind the structure)
a blurry, still determined Jody in the foreground with Missy behind her
Jody with the ice, Missy facing her

Missy in the foreground after Jody had passed, Annie in the background

I don’t know for sure, but I would bet that Jody did not share any of her ice ;).

Later in the day, we opened up the doors from the chute to the fenced-in courtyard for Willy B’s group of three. Mave approached confidently, but turned back around before getting to the end of the chute. Honey B insisted on grooming all of the humans who seemed to be standing around for no reason, and Willy B went to the top of the chute, looked down, and then went back inside to play chase with Kelsi.

So, today was not the day for the three to bravely explore their outdoor habitat, but we will keep offering them the chance.

Fall in Love with Honey B

by

A few years ago we made ‘Fall in Love with” videos for all of the chimpanzees. Like right now, these videos were part of a February fundraiser highlighting the Chimpanzee Pal program. The videos are at the bottom of each of the chimpanzees‘ webpages.

The new three needed their own videos too!

So, I present to you: Fall in Love with Honey B (see video above).

This will be first Valentine’s Day that Honey B, Willy B, and Mave will be celebrating at Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest. They have a few pals right now, but sure could use some more. Chimpanzee Pal (and Bovine Buddy) sponsorships help pay for the daily operation of the sanctuary and the care we provide.

Many people choose to break up their donation and give monthly, and that means we know that those funds will be reaching the sanctuary on a regular basis, helping ensure the monthly bills are paid. We have lots of plans for the future, but the day to day is just as important.

Every day of sanctuary is something new for curious Honey B, and we are so grateful to those who contribute to her care and the care of all ten of the chimpanzees and the four cattle. You make a difference!