Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

Willy B

Training Fun

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Getting chimpanzees to participate in their own medical care is incredibly important for their physical and psychological health. But some chimps, like Foxie, are reluctant to take part. After three decades in laboratories, who could blame her? But with patience, and lots of positive reinforcement, the chimps do learn to trust us. Sometimes, you just have to bend the rules and have a little fun.

Willy B spent some quality time in the courtyard today. I watched as he walked about eight feet across the grass to retrieve a cherry from the ground. He used a small plastic chair almost like a walker so that he had a grip on something familiar. Once he was safely back on the boardwalk, he pant-hooted and then climbed back up to the platform to relax. He even laid down in the shade out there for a while. He’s getting to the point where he only goes back inside for lunch…what a difference a month makes.

And guess who reached out to grab some cabbage from the boardwalk? This is how Willy B started – we’ll see if Mave follows the same course.

The Three Goofballs

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Goofballs. Goobers. Dorks. Clowns. Weirdos. Free spirits.

Whatever you call them, there’s no doubt that Honey B, Mave and Willy B know how to have fun. We’ve been focusing so much lately on Willy B’s exciting forays “into the great outdoors” that I decided to share some clips of his group being playful and rowdy earlier today.

Please enjoy the video, everyone!

The apple of his eye

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Today was another big milestone for our guy, Willy B! And it took so much courage! If you’ve been following along with Willy B’s amazingly brave progress in venturing outdoors for the first time (there are several posts in the past days and weeks), you’ll know we’ve been using food as a motivator to help him feel more comfortable outside and to challenge him to go just that little bit further each day. One of Willy B’s favorite things, a whole apple, was placed in the grass of the courtyard and while this wasn’t entirely new, it was placed quite a bit outside his comfort zone requiring him to not only let go of the safety of the boardwalk and climbing structure, not only to place both feet and both hands on the ground, but also to take many steps away from the comfort and safety the structure provides.

After foraging for a few veggies here and there, it didn’t take Willy B long to spot the apple:

He was beside himself wanting that apple, but just wasn’t ready to venture that far. It was asking a lot. A little more than we intended. He was so vexed he worked himself up into a small display about it. Then he proceeded to blow raspberries and clap his hands at me which was Willy B speak for, “Get me that apple!!” I sat out there with him for well over an hour watching his wheels turn, his heart grow braver, trying to balance remaining nonchalant with him, but throwing in the occasional pep talk. He’d place one foot on the grass, consider the distance, then return to the safety of the boardwalk. He went back and forth and back and forth, all the while looking at the apple, then to the firehose, the structure, and all the enrichment trying to figure out a way to get that apple and still feel safe. Knowing everything it’s taking for him to overcome his very understandable fears, it was equally exciting and heart-wrenching to watch his every amazingly courageous step.

And then…after numerous attempts, he did it. He DID IT!! I wanted to squeal out loud and cry at the same time

After enjoying his well-deserved reward, Willy B surprised me by not heading back indoors, but climbing to the top of the structure where he proceeded to LIE DOWN! Considering that a low-flying plane had gone over earlier prompting him to climb down, it was incredible to watch up go back up and have a relaxing moment. Who is this guy?! King of the Courtyard, that’s who.

And here’s a very blurry bonus photo of Mave popping her head out of the chute! She continues to touch the boardwalk and spent more time reaching out of the chute than we’ve yet seen, even picking some grass to snack on. But she continues to wait for the right time for herself. And that’s what sanctuary is all about, after all.

Just because

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Each day at the sanctuary, staff put out special forages in the courtyard to encourage Willy B’s continued exploration of his outdoor space. We’ve seen his confidence grow significantly as the weeks have rolled by.
Here Willy B stretches away from his “safe space” (the boardwalk) to pick up an orange slice:

You will have to forgive me for the following unfocused photo, but you can see Willy B with all four limbs standing on the grass:

Like so many of us, Willy B is motivated by food to initiate his trip into the great outdoors.

But we are starting to see an exciting shift in him. After he makes his first move outside, he seems to be spending more time doing other non-food related activities. Like just hanging out and taking in the view:

And even grooming himself:

Over time we plan to put out less food for Willy B in hopes that he wants to continue his outdoor adventures, just because he can.

The Saga of Willy B

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Right now, I know that many folks are struggling to adjust to the new normal: a degree of social isolation, economic strife and general mistrust that rails against our innate drives to be together. No matter what we believe should be happening right now, I think it’s safe to say that most of us are frustrated, worried, and even exasperated. We want this to be over, but it won’t end.

Instead, we must look at our own lifestyles, identify the things that truly bring us fulfillment, and work to keep those fires lit even as boredom, anxiety, loneliness and grief do their best to snuff them out.

Amid this uncertain period of perpetual unease, one new development in particular is giving us all some inspiration: the methodical progress and unexpected bravery of Willy B.

I could sit here writing about this chapter of Willy B’s story for hours on end. Given the gradual adjustment of the three new chimpanzees to life at CSNW, punctuated by a couple heartbreaking setbacks, Willy’s recent exploits have given his tale the flavor of an odyssey. It’s now a epic saga of sorts, complete with a courageous, endearing and hairy little hero. Lately, he seems to be on a vague quest with a yet undetermined goal.

In recent weeks, I think that other staff have done an amazing job describing each step in his journey. If you’re looking to catch up, I suggest skimming the previous blog posts about Willy, the Courtyard, and the tall wooden structure that he is gradually conquering one ladder rung at a time. If you are really feeling ambitious, you could skip back to last June when we first announced that we would be welcoming three chimpanzees from the Wildlife Waystation, including a mysterious dominant male named Willy B.

Today, I’m focusing on one particular chapter describing one short event. It occurred over the span of an hour today in the Courtyard.

We’ve been setting food items in small caches throughout the Courtyard to entice Willy B and the others to explore. Gradually, Willy B’s bottomless appetite is leading him to venture into parts unknown. He recently made sporadic forays out onto the boardwalk until he determined that each section was safe. He then grew comfortable sitting at the end of the boardwalk and began to investigate the base of the multi-tiered wooden structure that it leads to. Last week, he climbed the tower, and he has been slowly acclimatizing to the new sensations of sitting on wood decking, perching high above the ground, and being able to see clear over the Chimp House. He’s made tremendous progress, but there are still areas of the Courtyard that he has yet to explore. For example, the structure has two thin spits of decking that jut out toward the rest of Young’s Hill. These pier-like extensions are connected by a web of twisted vines (“the ropes”) and a large hammock, all made from repurposed firehose.

Here is an old photo of caregiver Chad testing out the hammock after it was first made and hung inside the building. It was moved outdoors when we realized that the chimps didn’t seem interested unless we placed food on it.

 

Today, I placed a whole apple on the hammock. Willy B will do almost anything for an apple, but I wasn’t sure if he’d have the confidence to go after this one. He’s an athletic and intelligent individual with a bold personality, but he’s not as skilled at climbing as an adult chimpanzee should be.

Well, he tried. He tried hard.

First, he scouted the area.

Then, he tested whether the new sections of decking were safe to sit on. They were.

Suddenly, shockingly, Willy B dropped down below the decking and swung himself over towards the hammock.

He was so close. But then, with the visible apple just out of reach, he turned back. It seems that he wasn’t yet confident in his ability to make the final swing over to the hammock. From the safety of the decking, he surveyed the area from above a second time.

He dropped down again and swung back to the hammock, gripping the firehose vines with his chubby chimpanzee feet.

This wasn’t the right moment to try out the hammock, though. He backtracked all the way to the safest spot in the Courtyard at the base of the structure. There, he checked in on the neighbors, nibbled on a slice of tomato, and let out a muted display.

After expressing himself as only a chimpanzee can, he gave the ropes another try.

Again, he retreated and regrouped.

He mustered up the bravery and strength to make one more push. He got so close, but seemed hesitant to put any weight on the hammock and did not reach out to grab the apple.

Willy b even thought about lowering himself to the ground to find a new route over to the hammock, but he apparently decided the dirt and grass were too strange for today. He paused, suspended from the decking with his toes skimming the blades of grass, and then hoisted himself back up without ever planting his heels on the firm ground below.

Fortunately for Willy B, he gets several apples each day (along with many other nutritious foods). Importantly, he’ll get another shot at the elusive hammock apple for as many days as he needs. If he’s ambitious enough, he’ll conquer the ropes tomorrow just as he has so many other unusual obstacles in his path. We’re hopeful that he will eventually grow to enjoy climbing and exploring even without the promise of a shiny red apple to propel him forward, just as a chimpanzee should. Either way, I look forward to watching the saga continue.

Go, Willy B, Go!

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I was listening to a podcast yesterday about negativity bias. The idea, put simply, is that negative information has a greater effect on our emotional state and perception of the world than neutral or positive information. There are good evolutionary reasons for this asymmetry. Learning how to pick the ripest, sweetest fruit is certainly helpful, as anyone who has bitten into a mealy apple can attest, but you may not get a second chance to learn what a venomous snake looks like. The salience of negative experiences means they are more easily seared into our brains and resonate longer. Though it may be adaptive, this bias is often ill-suited to modern life. These days we are awash in information and there’s no shortage of negative experiences to choose from, a fact made clear whenever I am foolish enough to read comments on the sanctuary’s YouTube channel before going to bed.

Which is why we all need Willy B right now.

Granted, watching adult chimpanzees overcome their fear of the outdoors is a painful reminder of their tragic pasts. My heart aches as I watch Willy B make false start after false start while he works up the courage to venture out under open skies. Or when he clings desperately to familiar objects, stretching as far as he can to reach into the grass without taking his foot off of the boardwalk that is his lifeline. Or when he climbs clumsily up the ladder, searching for his footing, in a way that is completely uncharacteristic of a species so powerful and agile and for whom climbing should be as natural as breathing.

But we are so fortunate to witness his determination. To feel his courage. To share in his wonderment as he discovers the world around him and beneath his feet.

There could very well be setbacks to come, but Willy B’s efforts this past week have been deeply inspiring. To be honest, I have had trouble doing anything other than sitting quietly by the fence to watch it all unfold. There are so many other things to do and so much going on in the world deserving of attention. But Willy B is the story I need right now. And it’s been amazing to share it in real time with you, knowing that we are all cheering him on together.

He did it!!!

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Today was the day, we could all feel it this morning. Yesterday was rainy and blustery, but today… Today we have beautiful weather. We made careful preparations this morning, getting things set up just right for the big moment.


Ladies and gentlemen….I present to you..the sanctuary’s “moon shot.”

Willy B climbed on the platform in the courtyard!!!

But he wasn’t finished, there…

Not only did he climb, he climbed all the way to the TOP!

We’ve got some video footage for you tomorrow, but for now, let’s just drink this special moment in. Together!