As mentioned on the blog before, the folks that created the treat rock on Young’s Hill had some concrete left over, so they made a little replica of Mt. St. Helens. Foxie and Jody have both explored around the replica, but it also seems to be a nice little perch. Here’s a picture taken the other day of Annie sitting on top of the mountain:
young's hill
Joining in on the fun
Burrito is a pretty shy guy and he’s usually very nervous about new things, which is why we were so happy (and surprised!) that he decided to venture out onto Young’s Hill the first day we opened it. Since then however, he hasn’t spent a great deal of time out there.
But with the weather getting nice, he’s been going out more and more. Today he was the first one out when I opened the door in the raceway and he spent a good 30-40 minutes out there. It’s so good to see him getting more comfortable.
Dora Rescue
Giving Missy a run for her money
There’s no question that Missy gets the most out of Young’s Hill. She has always been very playful and energetic, so we expected her to be in her element out on the hill. But I am still shocked to see Jody running. I think Jody might be a little surprised herself, given the face she makes when she runs!
CSNW’s Crossfit
Jody is at least 37 years old (we believe she was captured in Africa, so she’s possibly older than that) and she is best known for her elaborate nests, yoga poses, and just her overall proficient ability to relax. But, Young’s Hill brings about a different side to Jody. She’s much more active and even playful when she’s out there. Chimpanzees in Africa spend about 60% of their day traveling. We obviously can never replace the forests of Africa with a 2-acre enclosure, but it’s really nice to see the amount of exercise the chimps are getting out there! With a workout plan like this one, I can’t wait to see how skinny Jody will be by the end of summer!
Goldilocks and the three bamboo stalks
The other day Missy tried to climb the bamboo on Young’s Hill, but she couldn’t make it very far before it slowly gave way to her body weight. Today she went around to try and find a sturdier stalk, and it reminded me of the story of Goldilocks and the three bears:
Meet the humans
Around here we all rightfully view the chimpanzees as the stars of the show. But behind the scenes there are some amazing and wonderful humans who make every day go smoothly and safely. I’m so proud of our team and all they do for the chimps. You can see by the human faces in these pictures that we love our jobs! But you can also see how we safely interact with the chimpanzees without putting them (or ourselves) at risk. The chimpanzees can reach out and groom our elbows or wrists (as you’ll see with Seana all the way at the end) and they can put their bodies up against the fencing so we can tickle or groom them, but we never cross the barrier of the fence. Their space is their space, period.
Elizabeth and Foxie:
Jackie and Jody:
Diana and Foxie:
JB and Missy:
Me (Sarah) with Burrito:
Ooops… we apparently need more pictures of our newest staff member, Debbie:
And here are just a few of our dedicated volunteer caregivers!
Deb W and Burrito:
Steph P and Jamie:
Seana B and Jamie:
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