Ellen said it best yesterday, “We celebrated our forever valentines”. Cy loved the mail box this caregivers made for him, full of his favorite thing, but especially his paper hearts of him and Stanley Tucci. Please enjoy this video of Cy, Terry, Willy B, Gordo, Honey B, Mave, Lucky, Rayne, and Dora enjoying all their special treats yesterday!
Rayne
A Week at CSNW
It’s been a busy week in the chimp house here preparing for Valentines Day tomorrow but not so busy that we didn’t have time to collect an assortment of videos to share with all of you!
Quiet Bonds of Friendship
If you think of chimp friendships like high school cliques – some are obvious showstoppers, while others fly under the radar. Mave and Dora? They’re the best friends everyone knows about. Missy and Annie? They’re obviously BFFs who can’t get enough of each other. But there’s this quieter duo that’s my personal favorite to watch: Rayne and Lucky.
We don’t see them take part in exuberant play or spending copious amounts of time grooming each other but when it’s quiet and things are winding down you’ll find these two napping together during the day, exchanging unwanted food items between each other at meals and building nests side by side at night.
Sure, there’s a pecking order – Rayne pulls rank on Lucky now and then, just like Missy does with Annie. But what makes their bond so special is when they’re at their most vulnerable, when it’s time to let their guard down and sleep, they choose each other. And in the complex social world of chimps, that’s worth more than all the playtime in the world.
Check out the blog video here
I already shared these photos for Rayne’s birthday, but they are worth re-posting:
Rayne & Lucky foraging together
Lucky & Rayne napping together today while caregivers were cleaning their rooms:
Hammock Adventures
J.B. and Ryan, our part time grounds and maintenance employee, recently hung up a hammock for the chimpanzees of Cy’s group to try out! We wanted to gauge the interest of the chimpanzees in hammocks before purchasing more, as well as be sure the fabric hammocks were sturdy enough for our sometimes destructive friends in the group of 9. Thankfully, so far the hammock has withstood the chimpanzee test. Check out the video to see the new hammock in action!
Happy 35th Birthday, Rayne!
Today we celebrated a special milestone – Rayne’s 35th birthday! Taking advantage of the perfect weather (cloudless skies and mild temperatures), we turned lunch into an forage out on the Bray. The birthday girl and her friends enjoyed warm soup made by caregiver Ellen and some extra-special smoothies while basking in the winter sunshine.
Anyone who knows Rayne knows that she’s the glue that holds our sanctuary family together. Her presence at CSNW is nothing short of a gift – she’s the kind of friend everyone wishes they had. When Cy needs a loyal companion, Rayne’s right there. When Willy B has one of his tough days and cant resist acting out, she responds with remarkable patience and understanding. And then there’s her food-trading ritual with Lucky, where they’ve worked out their own little system of swapping food items they don’t want during meals.
The sanctuary wouldn’t be the same without her steadfast, calm and confident presence. Here’s to you, Rayne – thirty-five years young and still making our days brighter!
I would also like to extend a special thank you to Paulette Wrisley for sponsoring the day for Rayne!
Lucky & Rayne on the hunt for snacks:
Rayne was a big fan of the soup that was specially made for her:
Rayne, enjoying her snacks:
Enrichment Wins
We are always trying to think up new ways to enrich the chimpanzees’ daily lives. Sometimes this is in the form of new toys, or a large number of one beloved item (like the Jolly Balls Krissy got for Burrito for his birthday!), or something as simple as new presentations of existing enrichment (like adding raffia to ice eggs to allow us to hang them and encourage the chimpanzees to explore and utilize their space).
Burrito reaches for watermelon placed on a tree branch.
Oftentimes, we have an idea of who might enjoy new enrichment items the most. Burrito is always a good guess, as he loves to have fun! Last year, we purchased some heavy duty rubber bouncy balls for the chimpanzees. I immediately thought Burrito would enjoy them most. However, someone else surprised me, and has taken the most interest in these new toys. Watch the video to see who it is!
As a bonus, enjoy this photo of Rayne in one of the Wildlife Toy Box sturdy boxes gifted to us by a generous donor last year. This was exactly how I had hoped the box would be used, so I was thrilled to see Rayne relaxing in it!
Rayne and Snow
On November 17th, 2024, we had our first snowfall! (I’ve been waiting for my opportunity to share this sweet video with you and today is the day!)
Rayne was very excited to get outside, but was unsure of the snow on the decking of the chute. She made it to the end of the chute without touching her feet to the snow, but then she had a decision to make. Will she brave the cold snow on her warm feet to do a little exploring? You probably already know the answer. That Raynie is quite the explorer!
