young's hill

Hodge Podge

March 18, 2019 by Katelyn

A hodge-podge of photos of this glorious hodge-podge of a spring-winter day. Just like the first squirrel sighting of the spring above, we also had the first Negra sighting of the spring:

Tiny Annie (L) and Tiny Jamie (R):

Missy, Foxie and Jamie making a first run of the perimeter this first day of spring eve:

Jamie on the log bridge:

Annie, Jody Missy and Foxie:

Once everyone else came inside, Foxie decided to continue her adventure on her own, as she often does.

And as she often does, Jody, was a little concerned with Foxie being out there in the midst of spring-winter all on her own and couldn’t just leave her out there! After making several attempts of charging up the hill to retrieve Foxie (to no avail because Foxie had her adventure pants on), Jody returned to the raceway and waited patiently at the doorway for her return:

Foxie full of springtime sass as she heads over for a game of chase with her dolls and caregiver:

It’s been a day of pure joy and lightness that only comes with the beginning of spring. Foxie’s toes sum up the feeling of the day for all of the chimpanzees and humans:

Spring Dreaming

March 12, 2019 by Elizabeth

Winter has hit us pretty hard over the past month or so, and while the chimpanzees aren’t complaining (snow is a delicacy!), the humans are ready to move on. Spring is one of everyone’s favorite times of year at the sanctuary – the air is warm, the grass is soft and sweet, and life is good. Can you feel it? Here’s to looking forward (by looking back):

Winter shenanigans

March 4, 2019 by Katelyn

The chimpanzees have been a particular delight today as they’ve gone about their business. It was something like 4 degrees this morning so I wasn’t anticipating that the chimps would be in any rush to venture outside after breakfast. But as they often do, the chimps let me know they had other intentions for their day and wouldn’t be deterred by some extra chilly temperatures. Jody sat with chow bags in hand (small bags filled with primate chow that the chimps receive after their breakfast and lunch) and watched me intently from the bench in the front room as I finished moving doors seemingly waiting for me to go out and open the door to Young’s Hill. I still didn’t expect anyone to go outside, but sure enough, as soon as the door was open Jody walked out bipedally, doing her classic Jody dinosaur groans (a low moan) as she headed for the fire hose where she typically sits and takes in the view of the hill first thing in the morning and then proceeded to eat several handfuls of snow:

Annie and Missy were right behind her, but not wanting to walk in the snow and ice, they walked along the edges of the raceway and joined Jody on the fire hose, up off the snow. This is where the comedy began. Jody completely ignored their presence and made no effort to help them out, give them space on the fire hose, or share her snow. So Annie and Missy were bending and contorting this way and that, trying to get around and over Jody, all the while doing a crazy balancing act to avoid touching the snow. I couldn’t get close enough to the fence through the pile of snow in time to capture any good photos, and maybe you had to be there, but I could not stop laughing (Missy, Jody, Annie):

**Guffaw!**

Here, Missy just tries to crawl over Jody’s head:

After everyone’s burst of energy they settled down in cozy nests while we cleaned the play room. You may have read in J.B.’s blog post the other day about Jamie receiving a gift in the mail from a gracious visitor of literally, the boots off her feet that Jamie had fallen in love with during her visit. Jamie is still completely smitten with these. After having me model them for awhile she asked to have them, along with some toasty blankets to build a nest. It wasn’t long before I glanced in to see her in utter joy and contentment. Of course what makes these photos so heartwarming and endearing is not the fact that Jamie is donning adorable footwear you would normally see on a human. We’d never advocate for that. It’s the fact that for reasons unknown to us, boots bring Jamie unfathomable joy and the fact that she gets to choose to wear them (or choose which human she wants to wear them), which ones and when, and to see the joy that comes from her exercising agency over her own life – that’s the true gift:

Bonus photo of bath time for tiny troll:

There’s more than one way to remove snow

February 18, 2019 by Katelyn

Good thing it keeps snowing because it’s incredible how much snow these chimpanzees eat! Given Annie’s tactic, she must be immune to freeze brain:

Meanwhile outside, in a turn of events, it was Jody who marched out onto the hill while good friend, Foxie, stayed behind and watched after her:

The Good Life

February 3, 2019 by Kelsi

There is something about watching all the chimps run out the raceway and onto Young’s Hill in the morning that just fills your heart with joy. I mean how could it not! It is nice to know they get to look forward to things in their life whether they are big or small.

Missy:

Negra:

Burrito is a little excited to be outside with everyone:

Foxie running down the Hill:

Jody (middle) and Burrito (back) catching up to Foxie (front):

Annie:

Jamie:

Burrito:

Morning Exercise

January 29, 2019 by Elizabeth

When Anna opened the door to Young’s Hill this morning, the chimpanzees couldn’t get out there fast enough. It’s a crisp, sunny morning – the perfect weather for exploring outside with your friends.

Foxie, Annie (kissing Foxie’s hand), and Missy:

Negra, who usually prefers the warmth of her nest, got out and found a little snow to eat:

Annie soaked up the sun:

Missy:

Jody took in the view from her favorite spot:

Foxie’s priority was to lick as much frost as she could get her tongue on:

Burrito:

Jamie (with Annie in foreground):

The beauty of a mid-winter’s day

January 28, 2019 by Katelyn

It was glorious this morning. Glittery, frost covered fields under cerulean skies, hawk cries sailing through the air and beautiful chimpanzees with sunlit hearts.