Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

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Sanctuary

Spring Dreaming

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Winter has hit us pretty hard over the past month or so, and while the chimpanzees aren’t complaining (snow is a delicacy!), the humans are ready to move on. Spring is one of everyone’s favorite times of year at the sanctuary – the air is warm, the grass is soft and sweet, and life is good. Can you feel it? Here’s to looking forward (by looking back):

Ice Queens

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Our heaps and mounds of snow have largely turned to heaps and mounds of ice with our recent windows of blue sky and sun, but we still have many spots of powder and icy crystals. With the humans’ persistent belief that each snow storm will be the last, we decided the chimps’ should continue to eat as much snow as possible since it’s going to be spring any day now. Fortunately, the chimps’ seem to agree.

Annie:

Foxie:

Here for the Party

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Today we had a tea party. Everyday there is a different themed enrichment day just to make sure we are shaking things up! As you can see on our March daytime enrichment calendar there is always something new or fun going on. For really popular themes we might do them more than once because the chimps really enjoy it!

Though the party was for everyone to enjoy, Jamie thought it was her tea party. As you can see Missy came to join Jamie and Jamie discretely pulled the tea party away:


Burrito foraged for tea, lettuce, and big nuts:

We stuck a few nuts in the window for an added challenge for Jamie:

The sun came out and the chimps spent some time in the Greenhouse!

Jamie in the cargo net:

Negra:

Missy:

Jody:

This photo is blurry, but you can see Missy and Burrito wrestling on the top platform in the Green House:

Later, I found Annie and Missy napping and grooming:


In the afternoon it was pretty quiet in the Chimp House. So, I went to check on the chimps. I found Jamie laying in a nest incorporated with boots and a big barrel. She was cleaning a troll toy and enjoying some peace and quiet so I snapped a photo and quickly left.

Different tastes

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We humans sometimes have to rethink the traditional way we look at food when we are considering it for the chimpanzees. The chimps might see something we cut off and compost as more of a snacking challenge.
A great example of this is the pineapple top.

So just because it might seem slightly weird and fibrous to a caregiver, doesn’t mean it’s not delicious to a chimpanzee.

Chimpanzees enjoy alfalfa cubes

And fruit peels

Cattails and corn cobs

Fresh picked weeds

Green grass

Pine needles

And that tough part on the top of a leek.