Last weekend we welcomed our new bovine friends to the sanctuary. They’ve been staying in a smaller corral while we fixed up their home and this afternoon we let them go out and explore their new pasture. After being a little tentative at first, they kicked up their heels and got acquainted with their surroundings.
Sanctuary
Magnificent Missy!
Missy was made to use her muscles! She is full of potential energy. One spark from a friend can send her into a flurry of chase, tightrope walking, foot grabbing or bouncy play. This morning I caught her just before she launched into a gallop. The calm before the storm.
Jody’s face
Jody’s face is permanent wonder. It’s hope and expectation and awe, and it’s a reminder to us all to always be on the lookout for good things right around the bend.
The never-ending pumpkin
The day after Jamieween I happened upon everyone but Jamie surrounding the remains of the great Jamieween pumpkin. (If you’re new to the blog, Jamieween is what we call Halloween here at the sanctuary as it’s also the day we celebrate boss lady, Jamie’s, honorary birthday). It’s amazing how far one ginormous pumpkin can go. And even more amazing that the chimpanzees crowded around said ginormous pumpkin giving each other turns at sticking their heads in for ginormous bites of it with relatively few kerfuffles. Though as you will see, a certain rather small chimpanzee woman seemed to be pulling every trick in the chimpanzee communication book to wind up with the pumpkin a lot more often than everyone else. Maybe the most amazing thing is “How much pumpkin can one tiny chimpanzee hold?”
And if you’re wondering where the boss was in all of this, she was actually sitting calmly and watching from afar. See, the ironic (and now much anticipated) thing about Jamieween is that Jamie isn’t always super interested in her Jamieween pumpkin because she seems to have deemed other treats a higher priority. But that makes Jody (who for the last three (?) years running has made it her mission to heist the pumpkin as fast as she can, and eventually six other chimpanzees, extremely happy.
Foxie wound up with it first and as you can see from her smile (note bottom teeth only!) she is over the moon about it:
Foxie did a lot of whimpering and asking permission from her good friend, Jody, to keep the pumpkin for awhile which seemed to pay off as Jody was extra patient waiting her turn:
as Foxie ate…
and ate…
and ate…
But Jody eventually could wait no longer and dove right in:
Notice Annie in the background waiting to make her move. She was getting pretty impatient, but finally saw her chance.
Once Annie got ahold of the pumpkin she climbed to the top of the greenhouse with it which Jody wasn’t entirely pleased about. Missy swung up to check things out and with much pleading from Annie (as Missy is more dominant than she is) she kindly allowed Annie to keep it. In the end, everyone got to share in the prize and Queen Negra wound up claiming the last chunk for herself.
Bonus photos of the day!
Negra enjoying breakfast in bed this morning:
Watching all those other foolish chimpanzees racing off onto the hill where it’s cold and there’s no breakfast:
Jamie supervising one of the gentleman painting her home and giving her nod of approval:
And dearest Foxie napping this afternoon:
When Jamie Makes her Bed
As many of you know, Jamie is a very intricate nest builder. Her nests are often woven in the caging, tied to objects, and she is even known to build a fort or two. Jamie also must have her boots incorporated in her nest. Sometimes her boots are weaved into the nest and sometimes the boots have to be even closer to her like in her pelvic pocket. All these examples can be seen in the video or the photos!
Jamie’s finished work:
However, Jamie had to also watch the volunteers clean and lay on her barrel:
Jamie’s other nest today had her tool play set tied to it:
New Kids on the Block
The chimpanzees have been joined by four new bovine sanctuary residents!
Betsy, Honey, Meredith (Honey’s daughter), and Nutmeg (Betsy’s son) arrived last night.
They came from Farm Sanctuary’s Northern California Shelter, which is closing down. Most of the cattle were moved to Farm Sanctuary’s main location in upstate New York, but there were some that they didn’t want to have to travel that distance. With our additional land purchases in the last few years, we happened to be looking to rescue farmed animals to graze the property surrounding the chimpanzee area just at the right time.
Originally, we thought a fifth cow, Whitaker, would be joining them, but he found a different sanctuary home with a good friend of his and didn’t have to make as long of a trip.
The four new residents at CSNW are very close to one another:
Nutmeg, the only steer (boy) of the group, was born at Farm Sanctuary and has grown up with people who love him and give him scratches, so Anna jumped right into that role today:
They are settling in and getting used to their surroundings with all of the new views (Betsy below):
The corral they are in for the weekend is not directly adjacent to the chimpanzees’ space, but the chimps can see the cattle if they climb up on the the structures, which is just what they did this morning first thing.
Missy:
Foxie:
Jamie:
Four adventurers – Missy, Foxie, Jamie and Annie – all climbed the Esher structure for a view and then seemed to confer with one another:
The way the light was hitting the chimpanzees makes it almost look like they are chimpanzee cut-outs, but I assure you, the photos above are actual chimpanzees on the structure.
No doubt there will be many more days of chimpanzees checking out cattle and vice versa, which will be enrichment for everyone!
We humans are thrilled to have the new residents and will be sharing more about them as they get a chance to further explore their surroundings.
In memory of John Noble and Tom Casias
Leslie Noble and Tommy Casias are getting married today! They’ve done so much to support the chimpanzees in memory of their fathers, John Noble and Tom Casias, including sponsoring today in their honor as part of this special day. Leslie and Tommy shared this beautiful message about their gift:
“To our dads: You both had great compassion for all animals and we want nothing more than to preserve that connection. And through this conservation, it’s a great way to keep that compassion alive through us and our love for animals as well.”
Leslie and Tommy, thank you so much for making a difference in the chimpanzees’ lives as you honor your dads and all they mean to you on such a wonderful day of celebration! We’re touched to be able honor John and Tom with you and thank you for continuing their inspiring legacy of compassion. All of us here at the sanctuary send you our heartfelt congratulations and wish you all the best for a life full of love, joy, hope and adventure, just as you and your dads have helped provide the chimpanzees.
Annie and Missy, the best of friends:
