Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

young's hill

Blue Skies

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Though the air might be chilly, the skies are blue, and for January, that’s really all we can ask for! As soon as the sun peeked through the clouds, Jamie’s group couldn’t resist soaking up some much needed Vitamin D. A little sunshine can do wonders, especially in the middle of winter!

Burrito, Annie, Foxie, and Missy were ready to get out and explore:

Burrito climbed up and enjoyed the view:

More of Burrito:

  

Missy adventured past the path and into the snow:

Foxie came out with her doll to see what was happening:

Jamie went out onto Young’s Hill for a quick lap and then tried to get some snow to go. Unfortunately, this snow is pretty hard and compacted so it wasn’t very fruitful:

If you’re looking for ways to support the chimps, our Wish List is a fantastic way to make a direct impact on their care!

A Jamie Walk

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In the spirit of Jamieween, this blog will be all about Jamie. I think we all know how much I adore Jamie. She is such a complex individual. But the thing I admire the most about Jamie is how self assured of an person she is.

As Chad and I were cleaning the Playroom Jamie requested, well first, she demanded the last of the raspberries growing in our gardens. Once the raspberries were gone she requested I put on a boot and go for a walk. I like to call it a Jamie walk. A Jamie walk is when you drop everything and go, even if it means leaving Chad to clean alone. This happens to Chad a lot when we clean together, but he gets it, it’s a Jamie walk! It’s important to remember that Jamie makes the calls, she decides how fast, how far, if we walk or if we drive along side her, wear a boot too small, wear a boot 4x too big, carry a book, and even who can join the walk (chimps or human).

I remember back to my first couple of years of working here, when Jamie would request a walk with me, multiple times a day. Most of the time, she wouldn’t mind when other chimps like Burrito joined or if I brought a volunteers to join us! But there were many times when I would bring someone along and she would turn around and go back inside then request a walk shortly after, this process would repeat until you unfortunately left the other person behind, but you can’t deny what Jamie wants for her walk! Or when she would hide in the culvert to wait out chimps who tried to join us on our walk. These days, I often find that she doesn’t mind people tagging along, especially Burrito.

Over the years of walking with Jamie they have adapted and changed. However, her intent has never changed. Jamie may not do 15 walks in a day anymore, we might not always be sprinting up the Hill as often, but the walks we do go on are quality time with a friend. Walks are a cherished time to spend with the chimps.  Jamie is a very remarkable individual and I have always felt honored each time she has asked me to join her for a walk. Walks with Jamie always feel like a special time to slow down and appreciate this job and the unique experience that this is. Watching the chimps explore Young’s Hill or the Bray makes my heart swell with joy, especially when it adds so much value to their lives, especially for a chimp like Jamie.

Make sure to tune in for Jamieween tomorrow!!!

Pumpkin Season

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Pumpkin season is finally here! As a Fall-lovin’ girl, this is my favorite time of year. I love watching the PNW trees change color, the air gradually getting colder, and having to unpack my sweatshirts from storage bags. It’s the best!

Today, despite it being in the 60’s, it was a beautiful day for a forage on Young’s Hill and The Bray. Along with vegetables, the chimps enjoyed pineapple as well as mini pumpkins! We don’t usually have pumpkins ahead of Jamieween, so they were extra amped to see them on the menu. Even Queen Negra left her warm cozy nest to venture out to score one of the pumpkins, food squeaks and all.

I’d also like to give a special shout out to Caregiver Chad for snapping these photos for me! I knew he’d be my best bet to get some quality shots of the chimps grabbing the pumpkins. Enjoy!

Annie foraging:

Burrito:

Foxie pant hooting:

Jamie (left) and Burrito (right):

Jamie:

Missy:

Neggie:

Let’s Do a Perimeter Check!

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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!

Photo Roundup!

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Today has been a busy day. As I was starting to put together my blog, Jamie started alarm-calling, which most often means a snake has found its way through our snake fencing and is in the chimpanzees’ space. We quickly jumped into action to recall her group, asking them to come off of Young’s Hill and into the Greenhouse and their indoor spaces, and thankfully everyone except for Annie and Jamie was already inside. Annie made her way in quickly, and everyone was rewarded with strawberries while we waited for Jamie to be convinced that the humans could handle the snake problem and come back inside. Everyone is back inside now and enjoying their strawberries as a reward for participating in recall. Dessert before dinner, what a day!

Here are some photos from the day:

Missy enjoying her nest (reimagined from Negra’s earlier nest) in the Greenhouse this afternoon

Foxie with her doll

Mave taking some time for self-care, and grooming herself

Burrito with a block in his mouth, mid play-session!

New Boot Groomin’

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During one of our donor visits, Jamie spotted a pair of cowboy boots she adored! The thing about wearing boots Jamie likes is that you might be walking out in your socks! Our very kind donor was gracious enough to part with her boots so Jamie could add them to her collection. To say Jamie was excited would be an understatement. When Jamie received her new boots, she wanted Diana to take a spin in them before we gave them to her officially. Obviously, if they did a walk around the Hill, they also needed to be groomed. At the end of the night, Jamie had her dinner on a barrel with her nighttime enrichment (peanut butter pine cones) and her new boots! She was a very happy lady 🙂

Jamie looking at her cowboy boots:

Jamie and Diana taking the boots around Young’s Hill:

 

A Walk with Friends

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Patrols around Young’s Hill with Jamie are pretty much a daily occurrence- even today, when the wind is winding, Jamie was off on a walk first thing this morning! She found me again later in the morning when I was rinsing some toys and gestured to a pair of boots that had been donated a few weeks ago that she loves. I gave her one, thinking that’s what she wanted, and when she took it out of the food chute I thought I had gotten it right on the first time. So, I was feeling pretty good about myself. 🙂 A few seconds later, though, I looked up to see Jamie squeezing the same boot out over the top of the playroom door before chucking it down at me. Feeling like I actually hadn’t gotten it right, I picked up the boot and put it on. Voila! Jamie took off and together we (and Missy!) went for a walk around Young’s Hill.

I recorded the whole walk to share with you today, because I find that I always feel re-centered after a walk with Jamie. Something about the calm pace she takes, the quiet, the view, and the moment that you’re sharing with her is grounding. I thought it might be for you, too, so please enjoy this ten-minute walk around Young’s Hill with Jamie (and Missy).