No words today, just beautiful chimps.
No Words
Rayne
Bananas for Kongs!
Today all three groups got food puzzles as daytime enrichment. The puzzles were Kongs filled with oats and mashed bananas and they were a hit to say the least.
Annie
Cy
Rayne
Willy B
BONUS: Mave looking good and relaxed in the green house
Friday Eve
Today was a very low-key day at the chimp house where everyone seemed to be very much OK with doing their thing, even if it was absolutely nothing.
Missy on the top platform of the green house
Missy grooming a resting Jody
Burrito, wooden toy in hand and wearing a slinky as a sock
Cy and his version of random patty cake through the glass
Rayne with her favorite enrichment: Raisin Boards!!
Terry winding up for a display
A Willy B thread
Rayne’s Coconut Party
Rayne turned 32 today! We’re so grateful to Tobin, Monica, and Paulette for sponsoring this day in her honor. At breakfast we served mangoes, which are a rare treat around here since we can’t store or prepare them in the kitchen due to Annie’s allergy. They were a huge hit. Later, the playrooms and greenhouses were filled with Rayne’s favorite enrichment and a forage of fruit smoothie, bok choy, grape tomatoes, and young coconuts with bamboo straws.
This group is notoriously difficult to photograph, as they prefer to stick to the upper levels of their playroom and greenhouse enclosures, but we managed to catch a tiny bit of the action. Here’s the birthday girl:
Cy:
Gordo:
Terry (that coconut really sticks in your teeth!):
Dora, who after having her first sip of coconut, had to tell me and the group next door all about it:
As the party wound down, Rayne gathered some smoothie and coconut, went up to the highest nest platform in the playroom (her favorite spot), and made a nice nest.
Happy Birthday, Rayne!
More Love for Rayne
Rayne has charmed many supporters since arriving at the sanctuary last June, including Monica Best, who is another person who is sponsoring today’s day of sanctuary in honor of Rayne’s birthday! Thank you, Monica!
There is no doubt that Rayne is someone to be admired. We knew that Rayne was a strong individual, considered the female leader of her group (with Cy being the male leader) by those who cared for her at Wildlife Waystation. When she first arrived, she was a little slow to show her silly side, but once she settled into her new home and decided she could trust us, Rayne really warmed up to all of her caregivers. She greets us with friendly breathy pants and will play great games of chase throughout the building. She likes boxes, scarves, slinkys and smoothies, all of which she is enjoying in abundance today.
Today is the first birthday Rayne is celebrating at Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest. We think she makes 32 look pretty great.
A yummy group favorite!
Today’s blog is brought to you by a very tasty lunch menu: leeks and sweet potatoes.
Rayne and her leek
Cy enjoying some sweet potatoes
Lucky patiently waiting for her leek from Caregiver Sam
Negra saving the best for last: Leeks
Sunday Energy
Today felt colder than it was last week, but that didn’t stop Burrito from running out onto Young’s Hill as soon as they had access! During the warmer weather Burrito is usually ready to start running around the hill when his group gets access in the mornings. Today he had that same energy and sprinted out and stuck to the snow path that leads to one of the structures. I didn’t have the camera with me at the time to take any photos, but later in the day Chad was playing chase with Burrito so I followed them. Burrito kept making his way out onto the hill after running around the Greenhouse. Right now the human paths around the Greenhouse are icy in some spots so we are slower (at least I am) on our end of the chase. That doesn’t stop Burrito though! It just means he has to wait a little longer for me to catch up.
Burrito wasn’t the only one in a playful mood today. Mave was all for some playful stomps and mini games of chase. I wasn’t able to get a photo of her from today, but this one is from a couple weeks ago.
It can sometimes be hard to get a photo of Burrito in this spot because he usually wants to play chase. This morning I was able to get a couple quick photos before he was running through the front rooms!
Burrito on Young’s Hill.
Photos from what some others were up to today.
Negra took some of her lunch back up to her nest to enjoy it. I need to start taking notes because this is an excellent idea.
Dora in the Greenhouse once the sun came out this afternoon.
Photos of Rayne in the Greenhouse from this morning until afternoon nap time.
Cy was resting next to Rayne.
Willy B after breakfast.
