Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

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Sanctuary

Growth

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I know I have mentioned this many times, but being able to witness Mave and Dora’s group grow into this integrated family that has provided them more social opportunities and friendships, plus the ability to work through interpersonal relationships has absolutely been one of the highlights of my career! It is really easy to forget how stressful the introduction process was, especially since they have grown so much and worked so hard to become this group of nine! However, I can still remember the feelings of uncertainty and stress about whether the integration would actually work. It almost feels silly to think about about how stressed we all were. I just remember thinking that Mave, Willy B, and Honey B needed more friends, especially the social butterfly Mave. That was the motivation- more friends and more opportunities.

Now a year and some months later, Dora’s group is flourishing! As predicted, eventually, Mave loved making new friends and Willy B finally has some male friends to hangout with. But the real surprise, the real social butterfly is Honey B. Honey B always seems to be in the middle of a grooming train, mall walking with friends, or playing with a friend like Dora! It goes to show that in sanctuary providing more opportunities and choices really does make their lives all the better.

Bonus photos!

Jenna took this photo and was kind enough to share it with me! A sweet photo Honey B, Mave, and Dora all nesting together:

Recently, Negra has been keeping a doll in her pelvic pocket:

Jamie in the portrait studio:

Foxie right next to Jamie:

Foxie rubbing her toes together:

 

Big Day on the Bray

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Today was a big stepping stone for all the residents at Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest. We felt that all the chimps on both sides of the building were ready to be out in their respective outdoor areas at the same time. For those who may not be familiar, Foxie’s group has a two acre outdoor habitat called Young’s Hill and Rayne’s group has a newly built outdoor habitat called The Bray. These areas are two separate spaces where the chimps can go outside as they please all day and when they look up there are no bars above their heads. We had been alternating access until Rayne’s group seemed comfortable outside and had a good understanding of the double electric fence. Until today!! In unknown situations we often plan in case something turns into an emergency, but we really just anticipate that there may be a lot of yelling back and forth or displaying and we just hoped for the most anticlimactic scenario, which luckily for us, it was sooo anticlimactic. Both groups were so calm and seemed to act like they have been doing this all along. What were we so worried about?! However, just because it was calm didn’t mean they didn’t interact or notice each other!

Gordo seemed to be mesmerized by Foxie, obviously, look at her! He was a little pilo and couldn’t take his eyes off her. And that cute little Foxie was just confidently strutting her stuff around Young’s Hill. Foxie was so brave, not a hair standing on end, she was even going for a perimeter walk on her own for a bit which Gordo seemed to be kind of following her from the Bray. We weren’t sure Willy B was even paying attention enough to notice Jamie’s group had access to Young’s Hill, but maybe 7 to 10 minutes later he spotted Jamie and was mesmerized, just like Gordo! Willy B was even venturing out onto the grass to get a better look, but Jamie was playing it cool and pretending she didn’t notice. Honestly, it was great to see both groups out foraging and not reacting to each other! Obviously, every day will be different with different reactions, but this was a great way to start!

Gordo watching the neighbors, specifically Foxie from afar:

Willy B realizing Jamie is on Young’s Hill:

Jamie foraging on Young’s Hill and pretending not to notice Willy B:

Terry and Rayne foraging on the Bray and spying on Jamie’s group:

Rayne:

Terry on Esher for a better view:

Cy could not be bothered, he was just enjoying the forage:

I will leave you with Bubba <3:

Two Years with the Lucky Six

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Can you believe it? Today we celebrated the 2nd anniversary of the arrival of the Lucky Six—Cy, Lucky, Terry, Dora, Rayne, and Gordo—from the Wildlife Waystation. As you probably know, the Lucky Six are now part of a group of nine, along with Willy B, Honey B, and Mave, and together they enjoyed a party complete with young coconuts and Gatorade ice blocks.

The day was also sponsored by Rose Mankowski in memory of her mother:

My Mom, Irene Mayes, would’ve turned 96 today – June 26, 2023 – but she died in August 5th, 2022. Irene loved primates, especially chimpanzees, since she was a little girl. Happy Heavenly Birthday, Mom.

Thank you, Rose, for honoring your mom in this way.

Today’s festivities took place in the playroom, greenhouse, and on the Bray. The chimps screamed in excitement as they watched us put out the forage and treats. As the party began, both Rayne and Terry grabbed what they could on their way out the door and made a beeline straight for the Bray, where a giant Gatorade ice block awaited them.

Within minutes they were joined by Gordo, Lucky, and Cy, who also brought their treats outside.

While Lucky did get to enjoy the ice block, she actually seemed to delight in the turnips as well. For a chimp, there’s nothing better than liking food that the others aren’t as interested in.

Ever the explorer, Rayne set out for the other climbing structures on the Bray and ate her way across the habitat.

Terry also went for a walk through the habitat and was rewarded for his efforts with a second coconut.

While the others were outside, Honey B, Mave, and Dora cleaned up the forage inside and in the chute.

Willy B was very happy to have gotten a coconut for himself. There was just one problem…how the heck do you open these things?

Do you bite them?

Smash them?

Not long after the party began, a thunderstorm rolled in, with one particularly loud clap of thunder catching Gordo by surprise.

The rest of the gang took their loot back inside and we closed off the habitat for their safety.

Earlier in the day, the chimps on Jamie’s side had their own party to celebrate their neighbor’s arrival. While they don’t live with the Lucky Six, the presence of another group next door amounts to an ever-evolving soap opera to which they are all glued—and that’s worth celebrating, too.

Negra:

Burrito:

Jamie:

Foxie:

Missy:

Annie:

If You Give Burrito a Skateboard…

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We talk a lot on the blog about sweet and silly Burrito and all the antics he gets into! Whether it’s playing chase all day, taking us on runs around the hill, or running around with a slinky around his back foot- he often seems to have a bottomless reserve of energy.

Burrito on Negra’s Cabin during today’s lunch forage:

His silly personality and constant energy often makes me forget that he is technically considered geriatric. Burrito was born on January 6th, 1983 in a laboratory where he was used in hepatitis B vaccine research at just one year of age. He was then moved to the Buckshire Corporation where he was kept as a ‘house chimp’ before being leased out to an animal act. A year later, he returned to the laboratory.

His life has not been easy in any way, nor has it been the life he deserved to live in the wild with his family- yet we can rely on him to always make us smile. Even with something as small as a skateboard. Amazing, isn’t he?

Two quick reminders! We have been nominated for the 2023 Best In the PNW Contest. 🙂 Voting goes through the end of the month and you can vote once every day! Please take a moment and vote for us by clicking the link here, if you feel so inclined. CSNW is listed under Services -> Nonprofits.

We are also still working to reach our $30k fundraising goal for this month, as a generous donor pledged to match donations made in June up to $30k in honor of all the big June milestones! We are so close, but haven’t reached it yet- please consider making a donation today to help us reach this goal.

BONUS PHOTOS:

Gordo enjoying time on The Bray this morning:

Rayne also enjoying the morning sunshine on The Bray:

Jamie foraging for strawberries during today’s lunch forage:

Complexity

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There is no one quite like Jamie. Like us, she is a complex individual. She is incredibly smart and also known to be earnest, inflexible, a tad bit controlling, and strong-willed (which there is nothing wrong with). Jamie, on her own terms, can also be a jokester, silly, thoughtful, and sweet. All of these characteristics that describe Jamie vary day-to-day or even hour-by-hour. You never know what Jamie you are going to get. I am sure that is something we can all relate to.

Yesterday, Jamie was in an amazing mood. She was being so sweet to her caregivers- breathy panting and excited to greet people, grooming their boots, and giving what we call, “smooshy face” (pressing her face to the mesh and usually will offer a kiss if you extend the back of your wrist). It would be completely unrealistic for us to expect this kind of mood from her all the time, which is why it makes it all the more special when Jamie decides to bless us with her sweet “smooshy face”.

To be honest, I love every side of Jamie. Whether she is keeping us here until 10 o’clock at night on Young’s Hill, playing keep away with Foxie’s dolls, threatening to throw poop at her caregivers, throwing poop at her caregivers, or asking (maybe insisting) to put on her favorite boot to join her on a walk around the Hill, Jamie is pretty frickin’ cool!

This morning, as I let Jamie’s group out onto Young’s Hill, Jamie stayed back. I thought this was a little peculiar until she began to gesture to our small-raised garden bed. As far as I could tell, there wasn’t anything blooming yet. Right when I told her I didn’t see anything, Jamie gestured towards the black current bush, next to the garden. Ohhh, duh! Jamie is so observant, I didn’t even notice it had fruited yet! Though the berries were not quite ripe, I gave her a few.

At breakfast, the smoothies were pretty thick because of the chia seeds and blueberries. Since Jamie likes to hold her cup when drinking smoothies, she was having some difficulties getting it out. I offered her a spoon to use as a tool. When she was not using the spoon, she would hold it with her foot until she needed to use it again. I am not sure why, but it gave me a little chuckle and she seemed very thankful for the tool because we take smoothies very seriously around here.

Don’t forget to vote for us in The Seattle Times, 2023 Best in the PNW Contest! You can vote once every day through June 30th by clicking the link below. CSNW is listed under the Services and Nonprofit category.

Switching Things Up

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This morning, we decided to switch things up! In our “normal” schedule for sharing outdoor access, Jamie’s group goes out onto Young’s Hill from the time we show up to work until after lunch time (that is if Jamie allows us to close the Hill then). Once we have permission from Jamie and do a head count to ensure everyone is off Young’s Hill, we then allow Cy’s group access onto the Bray. This is a short term schedule until both Cy’s group gets more comfortable with the Bray and Jamie’s group gets more comfortable seeing the group of nine out there. However, the Hill and the Bray are two completely separate areas.

We wanted to experiment trying morning time Bray access for Cy’s group to see if a change in schedule would peak interest in other individuals who haven’t gone out yet. Though Mave, Dora, and Honey B didn’t go out, it was great enrichment for Jamie’s group! I am sure we will try this a few more times, as well as other ideas along the way. But really I think that they just need time. Once Cy’s group was off the Bray we did an early lunch forage for Jamie’s group, which everyone seemed to enjoy, especially Negra!

We have exciting news! We’ve been nominated in The Seattle Times, 2023 Best in the PNW Contest! Help us win this contest by voting today! You can vote once every day through June 30th by clicking here. CSNW is listed under the Services and Nonprofit category.

Negra did pretty well! She got a whole eggplant, sweet potato, and an endive and went straight back to the greenhouse to get cozy in her nest!

Foxie and her blue haired baby:

Burrito and Missy enjoying their forage together:

Missy and Foxie eating tomatoes:

Annie:

Burrito with a whole kohlrabi:

We put out a nut forage on the Bray for a little extra motivation. Willy B was very motivated!

Rayne was also able to score some nuts:

Look at this handsome Cy Guy:

Don’t forget to vote for us!

Grooming Party

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For whatever reason, the chimps in Cy’s group like to congregate in the front rooms to groom in the late afternoon. Sure, the Bray is open to them but why groom outdoors in a 2-acre habitat when you can pack together like sardines in a tiny indoor space?

Ah, but the chimps generally know what they are doing. Maybe there’s something about the forced proximity that contributes to the process. After all, this is one of most important aspects of chimpanzee social life. These are the moments that build trust and solidify relationships. This is Willy B saying sorry for being a jerk and Mave saying she respects the boss. This is Dora saying that she and Honey B can fight and still be friends and Terry saying that he just wants to be one of the boys.

Monitoring a newer group of chimps 24/7 can be exhausting but listening to them teeth clack, lip smack, and blow raspberries as I sit in the foyer writing the blog certainly brings a sense of calm, however fleeting. There will always be fights, but the work they do during these lazy afternoons will help them get through whatever is to come.