Sanctuary

Afternoon Photos

July 25, 2021 by Sam Jones

Today was the first day The Lucky Six were out of quarantine! They have been in quarantine since they have arrived and during that time we took turns working with them each day. So it was nice to be able to pop over from time to time today and say hi! You will notice a lot of my photos are of them, as I was taking advantage of this. Sometimes it’s hard to get photos in the first half of the day since we are busy cleaning. This afternoon I spent some time walking around between the three different groups to see what photos I could get. Not only did I get some photos this afternoon, but a relaxing grooming session with Jamie and a play session with Dora!

Sweet Dora drinking from the extra tub of water we set up in their enclosure.

Gordo relaxing in one of their Playrooms.

Rayne was all about finding good resting spots today.

Lucky watching me from above.

Cy flipping through one of his magazines.

Cy taking a little break from looking at his magazines.

Jamie waiting to have a grooming session with my boots.

Foxie and her doll resting in the Greenhouse.

Honey B with her makeshift table and chair.

The Elusive Gordo – A Contrast in Characters

July 24, 2021 by Diana

Jamie is a chimpanzee who does not hide anything. She’s not shy. This was evident even the first time we met her at Buckshire before her group of seven came to Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest.

She doesn’t hold back when she has an opinion about something. She can be challenging (she’s the only chimpanzee at the sanctuary who throws feces, for example), but we all appreciate that she is not only able to express herself, but feels quite comfortable letting the humans know if she wants something or is displeased with us. When she likes something she REALLY likes it, and it’s a joy finding those things (like boot books), and being able to enrich her life in very specific-to-her ways.

Here’s a photo I took of the boss today:

Gordo, on the other hand, has been very aloof so far.

He arrived just one month ago from Wildlife Waystation, and we are still getting to know him and the other five in his group. We were told that he takes some time to warm up to new people, and so far he’s definitely the least interactive with the caregivers.

The other two males in his group, Terry and Cy, are usually front and center and wanting to play chase. Upon seeing the caregivers, Lucky will present her belly for rubs, Dora likes gentle games where she touches the back of our hands with her outstretched fingers, and Rayne is showing herself to be a fun-loving friend.

Gordo is very interested in food, so when serving meals has been the main opportunity to interact with him. He will take food from us without hesitation, but it’s normally a very one-way transactional interaction.

I feel no shame in admitting that I have been on a mission to win over Gordo. I make eye contact with him (eye contact with chimps is a good thing, though that’s not the case with some other primate species) and attempt to instigate games of chase whenever I can. Most captive chimpanzees, particularly males, really like to play chase.

Often, Gordo is against a wall in one of the new playrooms or in a doorway, observing at a distance. The photo below isn’t very good, but it shows Gordo in one of his spots with one leg crossed over the other – this, along with the full splay, is a classic Gordo pose.

I’ve noticed that he’s also been hanging out in the corner of the far greenhouse. Whenever I pass by, I stop to talk to him for a bit. Often I don’t get much of a response.

I was beginning to wonder if I was perhaps coming on too strong, when, last Saturday, Gordo did grant me a game of chase. It was wonderful. And brief.

Today, Kelsi and I were being goofy with the whole group, and Gordo joined in the fun! I don’t know if you can tell how elated Kelsi was in these photos, but let’s just say she’ll be riding this high for awhile.

When he was done playing with Kelsi, I caught his eye and went out to the greenhouse hallway. To my great surprise, he walked towards me. On purpose! And I didn’t have food!

It was a great moment to kick off my weekend.

Thank you, Gordito.

Quiet Moments?

July 23, 2021 by J.B.

Kelsi and I were just talking about how difficult it is to come up with a new blog title each day now that we have published over 5,600 of them. Often times we are left starting blankly at the screen long after the workday ends, with all but the title completed. Quiet Moments…hmmm, have I used that one before? Photos of the Day? Happenings? I don’t know, but it’s getting awfully dark outside…

Of course, some of our staff have been seduced into the dark world of pun titles. Anthony and Chad are too far gone now to be saved. Sadly, they are intent on bringing Sam down with them, though I still have hope for her.

In any event, here are some photos of quiet moments and happenings that I took today.

Missy:

Annie:

Burrito:

Jamie:

Special spots

July 22, 2021 by Anna

This afternoon I found Jody relaxing in one of her favorite summer spots, the bottom platform of Greenhouse 1. I have seen her in this pose (with her arm up on the next platform above) more than I can count.

Jody loves to use the upper deck of the greenhouse as her personal table. We’ve captured the moment many times throughout the years:

Just as you probably have a preferred side of my couch or a designated spot at the dinner table, the chimps all seem to have favorite places they spend their time. Their preferences change with weather, season and time of day.

Honey B in one of her commonly found spots in the chute.

Upside down Jamie on her barrel. The best spot to casually monitor the humans from Playroom 1.

Gordo has already decided he enjoys the doorways that go out to the greenhouses.

Jamie’s Day

July 21, 2021 by Kelsi

Let’s be honest, everyday is Jamie’s day. But today, Jamie had no problem stopping us from whatever we were doing to help her. Don’t tell Jamie, but we love doing this. It’s the best when Jamie gestures for something in particular and you know exactly what she wants. It’s a great feeling to be able to give her exactly what she had in mind. For example, when she gestures for a specific boot or book. She will nod her head for the one she wants and then once you hand it to her she makes the low groan of excitement. That is the best. So all day felt like Jamie’s day because she had a belly full of raspberries, walks around Young’s Hill, naps, groomed with friends, and most importantly Jamie got to tell us exactly what she wanted all day.

Jamie is her amazing nest. Jamie was modifying blankets to help weave her blankets through the caging, there were book pages included in her nest, and a cardboard box. Not to mention she has a boot close to her while she reads a magazine. I think tucked under her chin is a boot page from one of her many boot books.

I can’t take credit for this photo because Chad took it yesterday, but it needs to be shared. Jamie deep asleep on a boot.

So on Friday Gordo seemed to be coming out of his shell a little bit. I thought this also needed to be shared. Gordo in a BOX!

We have some more birthdays coming up soon so keep check up on our wish list! Also, check out our new Wildlife ToyBox wish list too!

Happy Birthday, Gordito!

July 19, 2021 by Sofia Castro-Loza

For some, birthdays are just another day, but here at the sanctuary we go all out to make sure birthdays are a big hit for everyone. Today we are celebrating that one of the Lucky Six, Gordo, turns 33 years old. This is his first birthday party celebration while living in the sanctuary and we had to make sure that it met all of his expectations. Gordito, because honestly he is not hefty at all and it sounds a bit more gentle has slowly come out of his shell and has shown to be a very sweet chimp, and has also proven that his name matches his personality in the sense that he is a VERY food motivated guy. For meals he will get his serving of food and then come back to ask for more as if he had gotten nothing, but nice try buddy we are trained to keep count!

Today’s party included a forage in the playrooms of oatmeal cups topped with grapes and shaved coconuts, banana leaves for browse and a tropical feel, and whole mangoes for lunch. I don’t know who was more excited about mangoes being on the lunch menu, the chimps or me. They always remind me of being back home and picking them from the huge tree in my grandmas backyard, or sitting under said tree with my cousins always with an eye out to not get hit in the head with a falling mango if the wind picked up. Anyways, here are some photos of the party!

Smoothie/juice bars have nothing on our caregivers ability to make snacks look amazingly appetizing

Once the chimps got access into the party area Gordo was the first one in and went straight towards the oatmeal cups

Gordo getting his lunch mango from Caregiver Anthony

Cy showing how a mango should be left after being properly eaten

Lucky enjoying her oatmeal cup

Dora with her oatmeal cup

And just in time for Gordo’s birthday, you now have the opportunity to become his Chimpanzee Pal (or a Pal to any of the 16 chimpanzees who call the sanctuary home)! Each of the “Lucky Six” are now available to sponsor through our Chimpanzee Pal program, so if you’d like to learn more just click here – OR – if you’re inspired to become a Bovine Buddy in time for Betsy’s birthday tomorrow, click here!

For the myriad of ways in which you each choose to support our chimpanzee and bovine families, it means the world to us and we could not be more grateful to you!

Morning Greetings

July 18, 2021 by Sam Jones

Even though today is Sunday, it’s my “Monday” and I always look forward to coming back from my weekend and seeing the chimps again. We are so lucky as caregivers to be able to greet and be greeted by these amazing individuals. I love seeing how they all spend their mornings and what we can find them up to.

Some mornings are full of greetings and today was one of those days. Jamie was in a playful mood and wanted to play chase! We ran back and forth a couple times and then it was on to a short game of chase with Burrito. As everyone knows, he is ALWAYS ready to play. Negra was still lounging in her nest in the Greenhouse, but sweet Jody was waiting to greet me. As I moved along, Honey B was ready for a long game of chase! She wanted to play chase from the ground floor up to their Mezzanine. The Mezzanine is located above their front rooms and involves us climbing a ladder to get to the top level. Since I had to take the long route, Honey B would patiently wait until I got to the top and then would run back down.

As I was walking around the outside of building, Terry was excitedly waiting to say hi from a distance. Cy gave me a quick greeting from above, but went back to reading his morning magazine.

Each morning before we let the chimps onto Young’s Hill we walk around outside of the fence line to make sure everything still looks intact. Not only are we greeted by the chimps in the morning, but sometimes the cattle as well! I found them along my walk this morning and here are some photos.

Honey