Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

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George Picnics with his New Family

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Outdoor forages are a great source of enrichment in the warmer months. George got to search for plenty of treats last summer when he was on his own, but today marked the first time that he got to have lunch outside with his new family since they were fully integrated. He was so excited!

Here are a few bonus photos of Foxie taking her dolls along for the ride during her group’s lunch forage:

 

 

 

 

George, His New Best Friend, and the Third Wheel

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George engaged in a lot of play during the one-on-one intros, especially with the other boys. These were positive interactions, but not a guarantee that he would fit in once part of the larger group. While all signs so far have pointed towards George’s integration being a success, we have been waiting for the day that he would feel comfortable enough to engage in some roughhousing in the larger group setting. This would be an indication that he felt comfortable and secure with his new family. And today, just two weeks after building up the full group, we got to see George play with his new best friend—and an awkward third wheel.

I have to say, we’re excited for George, but we might be even more excited for Gordo. He’s enjoying this new friendship and really deserves a buddy like George.

Party of Five

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George has the beginnings of a nice little family, now. We added Lucky last Wednesday and it was remarkably uneventful (unlike Terry’s first day). George is getting more confident but still playing it cautiously around the other chimps and taking his cues from Cy, which is all we can ask for at this point. With some milder temps and sunny skies, the gang got to spend some quality time on the Bray. Terry and George took several walks to the top of the hill together (with Terry beating his chest for the girls on the other side) and everyone got their fill of snow and ice.

Your Weekly Dose of Cy Being Awesome

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My phone was filling up with videos of Cy looking out for our boy, George, so I had to share them with you.

Regarding the little skirmish with Terry, this will be an interesting dynamic to keep an eye on. George is outnumbered, and will only be more so over the next few months, so it’s critical that he has Cy backing him up. But bailing him out? That can lead to the development of what we in the primatology business refer to as spoiled brat syndrome. I made that up, of course, but some of my colleagues will recall a certain chimpanzee that could get away with anything because his mom was in charge. And then there’s Willy B. I wouldn’t call Willy B a spoiled brat (he is in a category by himself) but Cy and Honey B did seem to enable his more problematic behavior by defending him without question. I’m actually not worried about George getting away with too much, but I will be curious to see if Cy eventually begins to let out the leash a little bit so that George faces more consequences in situations like these.

For now, I will continue to enjoy watching Cy wait for George at the door to tell him not to go outside without his coat 🙂

Scenes from George and Rayne’s Day on the Bray

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George recently spent a full day with Rayne. Rayne is a wise, confident, and well-respected chimpanzee who gives George a lot of grace but isn’t afraid to hold him accountable when he gets out of line. George and Rayne have had many short meetings before, and while a few of those meetings began with brief conflicts, they always ended on a high note. This longer meeting was no exception. After a bit of arguing through the mesh, the pair got together and settled down for a day full of socializing, eating meals together, and running throughout the 2-acre habitat (both with each other and with the chimps next door!). Learning the rules can be tough for someone without much social experience, but George couldn’t ask for a better teacher.