Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

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Ten Seconds

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Every ten second counts at the sanctuary. What was your favorite 10 second clip from the video? Isn’t it exciting to see Mave and Honey B outside??!! It still takes a little bit of drama for them to go out, but today Mave ventured out in between actual conflicts, which I think was a first!

You too can make ten seconds count by voting for the subject of Sue Cartwright’s next portrait in our poll (either by voting in the poll below, or if you don’t see it, vote here).

Vote now and vote again if you feel strongly about your choice.

Bonus points for letting us know if you have a particular photo that you’d like her to use as reference – let us know on our Contact Us form! Even bigger bonus points if you know of an artist who may want to make a donation to an upcoming fundraiser.

Good Advice from Burrito & Honey B

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There are times when Burrito and Honey B take themselves very seriously, maybe Honey B more than Burrito these days, but they both have a lightheartedness that is admirable and contagious.

My takeaways from these clips:

Burrito doesn’t need an audience – he can crack himself of up at any moment.

Just look at the delight that Honey B’s friends/family react with when she is showing the jovial side of her personality. Everyone was on board!

It’s a good lesson for all of us.

 

Grooming Party

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Since you are reading this, you likely know that grooming is an important activity within a chimpanzee group, whether that group is in the wild or in captivity. Because us humans are a part of their social network, we take part in grooming with them, both as the groomer and the groomie (is groomie an actual word? grooming receiver is perhaps the more technical phrase).

Grooming, like many social behaviors, can be somewhat contagious, in that if you see some friends grooming, you might join in or you might find someone else to groom with you.

Sounds of Sanctuary 2023

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Last year, I posted a video with sounds from around the sanctuary. As I have previously stated, these are the sounds you can hear on any given day and the sounds I miss on the days I am not in the Chimp House.

So please enjoy the Sounds of Sanctuary 2023!

Bonus Photo of beautiful Honey B with an evening glare!

Lastly, you can now pre-order a brand new Cy’s Book Club t-shirt and/or tote bag based on this photo!

Be sure to act fast as these items are limited edition and to help Cy celebrate his birthday next month! Don’t hesitate! Join Cy’s Book Club now!

Skips Don’t Lie

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Wherever, whenever, Gordo’s ready to play chase together.

The playful “bunny hop” that Gordo performs during games of chase is perfection. The hop has been mentioned on the blog before (1, 2, 3), but I wanted to share some additional video clips so you all could see Gordo’s iconic moves up close.

Gordo has some “wallflower” tendencies; it’s not unusual for him to hang out at the group’s periphery when he wants some quiet time. Despite this aloof nature, we’ve discovered that Gordo can be coaxed into goofing around by his companions and caregivers. This gradual process begins with him sitting as stoically as possible, gazing back as we make playful gestures in his direction. Gordo’s poker face slowly begins to crack with anticipation; he often tips his hand by scratching his torso or letting out an anxious yawn. Suddenly, he bursts forward with a dramatic “bunny hop”, launching himself into a rowdy game of chase.

Instead of sprinting gracefully, however, Gordo tends to lackadaisically skip from one corner of the room to the other. He looks back at us, we pursue, and the dance goes on until one (or both) of us get winded.

Hop. Skip. Repeat.

 

Jamie & Burrito’s Day of Friendship

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They really did play for a good amount of time while Anna and I cleaned their playroom. I was very glad to get the clips I did!

As you can see from the video, the snow from yesterday was short-lived. I saw Annie walking up the stairs to the playroom loft with a big handful of snow. It’s good that they love to eat it!