Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

young's hill

Dining al fresco

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It was so beautiful today I almost hyperventilated. That said, it was by far the hottest day we’ve had this year with a sudden temperature rise to the upper 80’s so the chimps and the humans are still adjusting and taking things slow and easy. Well, the chimps are anyway!

Keri and I thought it would be a great day for a lunch forage on Young’s Hill. The chimps have continued to enjoy the current local bounty of lilacs so we’ve been adding those to forages as well. (Foxie has decided this year that she LOVES them!! She wants absolutely nothing to do with the leave or stems, but happily munches the flowers).

At first everyone was a little reluctant to run out into the sun, but once they realized lunch al fresco was awaiting them, they all ran out together. Burrito, Foxie (that foot!) and Annie:

Annie foraging bipedally and Negra in the foreground:

Negra:

Foxie (with Dora in her mouth):

Burrito:

Jody:

Missy:

Jamie:

Sometimes life is astoundingly beautiful.

Trying Something New

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Almost six years after Young’s Hill opened, there are still parts of the two-acre outdoor habitat that Negra hasn’t explored. She seems to feel safer and more comfortable with a roof over her head. When she does go outside, she tends to stick close to the building in case she gets spooked and needs to run back inside quickly.

You can imagine our surprise and joy this afternoon as we watched Negra venture clear up to the top of Young’s Hill and plant herself calmly on a mound of wild greens. She had never been on this part of the hill before but she didn’t seem to be worried about that. The whole sanctuary held its breath as we stopped and watched in awe. She looked so small up there.

After awhile she crossed a log bridge and continued her exploration.

She stopped in to sample the grass growing under Twister.

You can just see Negra under the structure on the left, with Foxie on the right.

Eventually it was time to make her way back down the hill, but she was in no hurry.

The Queen appears

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The second I opened the door to Young’s Hill this morning all the chimps immediately filed out together (minus Negra) and made their way up Young’s Hill:

As I was watching them I noticed they all occasionally paused to glance back toward the greenhouse, particularly Missy:

When I finally looked to see what they were watching for, the Queen herself emerged. Spring at the sanctuary means the return of swooping swallows and raucous birdsong, wildflowers, neon green grass, bees, butterflies and HRH (Negra) on Young’s Hill. Negra didn’t need to venture far to find a lush patch of her beloved spring grass:

She was immediately so relaxed, she sat with her royal drooped lip and took in the morning sights, sounds and sun:

Then she went back to her private grass forage:

Negra was only outside for about 5 minutes, but for her, that seemed enough to fill her with contentment and she headed back to the greenhouse. As I passed by a minute later I saw her climbing to the toasty top platform with an armful of blankets for her morning nap. The life of a Queen:

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Intruder!

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Jamie was particularly adamant about patrolling Young’s Hill this morning.

Mostly so she could keep an eye on a visiting neighbor. After a little while, this neighbor seemed a bit lost, so Diana made sure he found his way home.

And Jamie helped.

Jamie received backup from some of the other chimps, including a rather intimidating looking Annie.

The full patrol: Foxie, Annie, Missy and Jamie.

Walks in the rain

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There is a gorgeous book recently written by a mother and daughter in Hawaii called “H?nau ka Ua” in which they recorded over 200 hundred names for rain in the Hawaiian language. It is written that their k?puna, or elders, were so attuned to the environment that they gave individual names to the variety of rains and winds on the islands. They knew each rain based on where and when it fell, the intensity and duration, the effect it had on people, the sound it made on the trees, and even the scent it carried. So in tune to their environment they considered it their kin.

In this part of the world, spring is ushered in on the winds. Not just any old breezes, but winds that come off the still snow-covered mountains and barrel down the valley like a freight train, that kick and buck like a wild horse, and throw sticks and stones for good measure. The days like that are sunny, but often leave all the primates taking cover. But on the days when the wind’s wild rumpus finally settles, like today, it can be cloudy and rainy. A gentle, soothing rain.

When not on Young’s Hill, the chimps chose to spend the entire day in the greenhouse, under the sound of rain on the roof. Annie nested there all day, as she often does when it rains. During a downpour at lunch we all just sat taking cover together, faces turned upward listening to the soothing rhythm.

Foxie keeping France Dora safe:

When Jamie insisted on multiple walks in the rain today, I marveled at the transition she’s made to being a Pacific Northwest chimp, virtually un-phased by the showers. Each walk for each kind of rain was different, but all were joyous and calm.

In a gentle, but steady light rain we didn’t dawdle, but she walked surprisingly slowly, the only sounds the raindrops on my Gortex jacket and our feet moving through the wet grass:

 

Later in the day when the rain let up and turned to only a few sprinkles was when she decided to kick up her heels and run:

On the final walk of the day most everyone decided to come out (though it was too wet for Negra today).

Burrito:

Jody:

Foxie and Dora:

Missy:

I’m so grateful that the chimps have the opportunity to be so connected to their home. To each rain and wind, snow and sunny day. To be kin with their environment and the wilderness in their hearts. Just as they were meant to be. Just as we were all meant to be.