rescue
Lessons from chimpanzees
When I am feeling down, I think about the Cle Elum Seven chimpanzees at CSNW and everything they have been through in their lives.
I am amazed and humbled that Jody, after decades of living in a small cage in a medical laboratory, after having seven babies taken from her, can still enjoy relaxing in the February sun, holding her feet:
and Foxie, who endured research protocols, five babies being taken from her, and periods of social isolation, can greet each day with the desire to play with her caregivers and her chimpanzee friends
and Missy and Annie, who spent years without each other, can decide to sleep in together, napping in the side-by-side nests they created in the playroom
When I think about my chimpanzee friends and their lives, I realize I have little to complain about. And, if I can remember to live for today as they do, each day should include relaxation, happiness, play and companionship.
Playing Chase with Missy, Pt. II
A few weeks ago I was describing how we play chase with the chimps outside. Here’s a 1st-person video to give you a better feel for it (you’ll feel like you’re watching COPS!). As you can see, it’s impossible to keep up with Missy.
Missy and Jamie at it again
Saying Goodnight
Did you ever watch The Waltons? This was the show about the family living in the Blue Ridge Mountains during the Great Depression. At the end of each show, the family members would say goodnight to each other from different parts of the house. “Goodnight John Boy!” “Goodnight Grandpa!” “Goodnight Mary Ellen!” If you remember this, now you have a good idea what its like in the chimp house at the end of the day (and you know how exciting my Friday nights were as a kid).
After dinner is over, the chimps all head their separate ways to build nests throughout the building. Some sleep in the catwalks, some sleep in the loft, some stay in the front rooms where they had dinner. But when the lights are turned off, they begin to vocalize to each other. This is called a “nest grunt” (or so I’ve read – I don’t remember learning the name for this in school so I googled it!). Some are more breathy, some are more like hoots, but all are fairly quiet (its bedtime, after all). What’s really neat is that we humans can start things off – if I don’t hear the chimps say goodnight, I will let out a little “hoohuhhoohuh” and all of the chimps will respond.
Another Playful Day
The chimps have been playing all day today. While we were cleaning the playroom, Foxie and Jamie played “ghost under the sheet” and tickled each other:
Later, when the chimps went outside, there was a lot of jumping:
…and wrestling:
…and some foot-biting:
Finally, Foxie hung upside down from the roof with a troll head in her mouth:
Foxie and Burrito play
Foxie continues to entertain us on a daily basis with her playfulness. Yesterday morning Burrito was her playmate. Foxie is holding a Madame Alexander doll that Cindy brought (like the British Boy) and Burrito has a scrub brush and a plastic wrench. He gets clocked in the face with the scrub brush at one point, but doesn’t seem to mind.
