Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest
Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary
In today’s blog video, see how George is starting to settle into life at CSNW!
I’ve been thinking a lot about George and all that awaits him. I am especially excited to see what he thinks of The Bray, which got me thinking about Willy B’s many (some recent!) milestones exploring The Bray. Here are a few more photos from his big adventure to the top of The Bray recently!
Through the years, we have all watched as Willy B has become more and more comfortable exploring The Bray.
Today, without the reassurance of his friends, Willy B ventured all the way to the top of The Bray! He traveled about as far away from the building as he could get, and climbed up and down the highest structures like he’s been doing it his whole life! While sitting atop the structures, he took in his surroundings, feeling the spring sunshine on his face and the breeze in his hair.
What a lovely way to spend an afternoon!
Willy B decided he would try a few new things today.
He began by climbing to the top of Ryan’s Lookout. I was impressed just to see him do that much and thought he might have called it quits after that, since it took him several minutes and multiple attempts to figure out how to get back down. We have a backup plan for almost any situation imaginable but getting a chimp who is afraid of heights down from a climbing structure would not be easy.
But he was undeterred by that experience, or maybe even invigorated by it. He then set his sights on a crow’s nest.
Who is this guy? And he wasn’t content to climb just one crow’s nest. As soon as he awkwardly climbed down from the first, he headed straight to another one.
He spent quite a while up there, taking in the view and even watching intently as volunteer Carrie drove down the long driveway and off into town.
Getting down from the second crow’s nest was a bit quicker but no more graceful than from the first.
Willy B’s old buddies, Honey B and Mave, were outside keeping an eye on him during his many adventures. One of Honey B’s new favorite places is the Escher climbing structure, which is about halfway up the hill. It still surprises me to see her out there. She has a touch of light sensitivity and can often be seen shielding her eyes when outside in the bright sun. Either that or she’s trying to conceal her identity.
Mave waited patiently at the end of the boardwalk.
While Willy’s conquering of the crow’s nests may have been the biggest news of the afternoon, it was something more subtle that really caught my attention when he returned.
Mave was waiting to greet him at the bottom of the hill.
After bouncing and pant-grunting, Mave walked with Willy B back to the chute to be with the rest of the group.
And neither utilized the boardwalk.
This is a guy that couldn’t let his tender little toes touch grass even when his favorite foods were just a few steps away.
It’s a good reminder that progress in sanctuary work is often measured in years, even decades.
Don’t forget about Giving Day for Apes! We are hoping to compete for the most dollars raised for a North American sanctuary during the “Power Hour” of 10 – 11 a.m. PT / 1 – 2 p.m. ET tomorrow. Please consider making a donation to Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest at that time!
One of the first things we caregivers do each morning is to perform a perimeter check. We check the all important rattlesnake fencing for holes. Next, we check the primary and secondary fencing that surrounds the chimps 4 acre habitat to be sure that it has remained sound through the night. We also make sure everyone onsite has performed a radio check, we check locks, and we make sure the fence voltage is within an acceptable range.
Next, we let the chimps out onto their respective outdoor habitats! Young’s Hill is home to Jamie’s group, and Cy’s group has access to The Bray. It’s fun to see who is first to go outside each morning!
Come along with us!
Today is Mave’s 35th Birthday! We celebrated Mave with paper boats full of berries topped with vegan whipped cream and of course a banner of Dora, her favorite person! Mave is one extraordinary chimpanzee. We have always described Mave as a laid back gal, she can be known as the peace keeper, and she is also know to be a little more of a serious chimp at times. For the most part, I think her friends find her to be a calming presence, however Gordo might not agree. Mave can also be described as very loyal to the individuals she holds most dear. Mave had lived in a small group for a long time. We can’t say for sure that the group of 3 (Mave, Honey B, and Willy B) necessarily chose each other, but they most definitely are loyal and have a bond with one another. However, during the introductions process, one of the highlights for me was watching Mave grow in her friendships and have more choice in building different relationships. Mave and Dora chose each other and it was the coolest thing to watch because Dora was also known to be reserved and a little more in her own world before introductions. I think that Mora or even Mora B has really helped Mave come out of her shell and that everyone’s quality of life was enhanced. We observe Mave laugh more, play more, and do things that make her get our of her comfort zone, like venturing out into the Bray! Life is just better with Mora!
Cheers to the very beautiful and magnificent Mave:
Mora:
After relishing in a decent streak of sublime weather, that streak came to an end today. With the chilly air and dark clouds over head, I don’t think anyone can blame the chimpanzees for staying indoors all day (albeit the first morning patrol). In fact, not a single person is in an area that offers optimal viewpoints to observe them. They are all tucked in for a nap.
Since I wasn’t able to get many photos today, here are some I captured of Burrito during yesterday’s lunch forage.
*RECORD SCRATCH*
Ok. Never mind. As I was writing the above, I glanced at the security monitor and saw someone move through the outdoor chute onto The Bray.
It was Cy! He was on his way to his new spot.
After watching him up on the new structure, with magazine in hand, it hit me as to what he was doing. It was nice and quiet at the top of the Bray, and away from the ruckus down below. He spent roughly ten minutes seemingly just taking in the view and peace. He decided to leave when he noticed part of his group decided to also head outside.
On his way back, he crossed paths with his sister, Lucky.
As did Terry.
At the bottom of the Bray, on the boardwalk, Willy B was watching Missy’s group. (Gordo and Rayne were out and about too, just hard to get photos of.)
Speaking of the neighbors, when they realized over half of Willy B’s group was out, they decided they too needed to be outside. Well, minus one.
Missy was the first out, and since I didn’t stretch this morning, I didn’t attempt to catch up with her.
Annie, who was right behind Missy at first, took a detour to grab some of the ever-so-popular prickly lettuce growing on Young’s Hill.
Foxie on the other hand, decided she too wanted a fortress of solitude in the form of one of her new structures.
And then there is Burrito. The person who made me stop taking pictures to run around Young’s Hill and play with him. He did seem a bit distracted. That is when I realized he was looking at Lucky. He tried really hard to play it cool and to make it seem like he wasn’t paying attention to her at all.
And I will leave you with this additional photo I took of Burrito during yesterday’s lunch forage. My phone camera was acting funny and captured the photo like this:
There’s just something with the lighting and coloring that made me love this one of him.
With all the snow and sleet as well as Honey B recovering, the group of nine haven’t been able to get out on the Bray. Today all that changed, after breakfast and some relaxation while caregivers cleaned, the group got outside at lunch time to enjoy the sunshine we’re having right now! Enjoy today’s video of the nine going back out on the Bray!
Cy:
Willy B:
W
