Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

young's hill

To run or not to run

by

The day started out cold, foggy and damp. Missy chose to spend the morning inside trying out a variety of nests, some her own and some belonging to other people. By mid afternoon the fog had lifted and Missy was contemplating whether or not to take a run on Young’s Hill. She sat in the doorway to the raceway watching Jamie (who had gone on several walks by this time, undeterred by the weather). Should I?
web_missy_sit_raceway_lookout_kd_IMG_5369

Shouldn’t I?

web_missy_look_back_from_raceway_kd_IMG_5370

Should I?

web_missy_contemplate_leave_gh_kd_IMG_5367

Shouldn’t I?

web_missy_stand_raceway_kd_IMG_5368

She finally launched out of the raceway and ran up to the treat rock where she seemed to resume her debate.

web_missy_launch_out_raceway_kd_IMG_5371

 

web_missy_stand_grass_kd_IMG_5374

web_missy_look_back_yh_kd_IMG_5376

After climbing the structures for a few minutes she decided to run back and continue her contemplations from the comfort of the greenhouse, grooming with her best friend, Annie, and getting back to the business of building nests.

web_missy_closeup_look_camera_gh_kd_IMG_5378

I cannot express how grateful I am that Missy, and all the chimpanzees, get to have so many choices that they sometimes cannot decide what to do from moment to moment.

web_missy_closeup_look_down_gh_kd_IMG_5377

Enjoying the Sunshine and the Tea Party

by

The chimpanzees were excited to make the most of the sunshine this morning by spending time on Young’s Hill. Jody was the first to venture outside, followed by Burrito, Jamie, Foxie, Missy and then Annie. Negra was close; she made it to the raceway that leads out to the hill, then sat down and looked outside.

Missy and Annie shared a few quiet minutes sitting together on top of the shaky bridge.

web_Missy_Annie_sit_together_shaky_bridge_YH_kh_IMG_4683

As soon as Missy spotted Jamie, she jumped down from the bridge and ran after her. And then Jamie took turns running after Missy.

web_Missy_follow_Jamie_quadrupedal_walk_patrol_YH_kh_IMG_4694

web_Missy_follow_Jamie_quadrupedal_walk_patrol_YH_kh_IMG_4695

web_Jamie_Missy_run_YH_kh_IMG_5337

And then Foxie joined Annie on the shaky bridge. (Annie is facing away from the camera)

web_Foxie_Annie_sit_shaky_bridge_food_in_mouth_YH_kh_IMG_4689

In the mean time, Negra sat quietly in the Greenhouse, near the raceway, alternating between looking outside and inspecting her hand.

web_Negra_profile_closeup_contemplate_GH_kh_IMG_5260

web_Negra_closeup_face_inspect_fingers_GH_kh_IMG_5264

Jody gathered some bamboo before heading back to the greenhouse to relax and groom herself.

web_Jody_bamboo_in_mouth_forage_walk_YH_kh_IMG_4713

web_Jody_closeup_inspect_arm_self_groom_lie_down_bench_GH_kh_IMG_5280

web_Jody_closeup_face_lie_down_bench_GH_kh_IMG_5277

Meanwhile, volunteers Erin and Jake set up a tea party for the chimpanzees in the Playroom for today’s “Tea Party” theme. Jamie was all about it. After drinking the tea, she inspected the inside of each cup; turning it upside down, sticking her fingers in the cup and then licking them. She gives meaning to the saying “Good to the last drop”

web_Jamie_tea_party_drink_cup_sit_floor_PR_kh_IMG_5288

web_Jamie_tea_party_finger_in_cup_sit_floor_PR_kh_IMG_5289

web_Jamie_tea_party_finger_in_cup_sit_floor_PR_kh_IMG_5287

web_Jamie_tea_party_lick_finger_sit_floor_PR_kh_IMG_5285

web_Jamie_drink_tea_cup_enrichment_tea_party_sit_top_barrel_FR3_kh_IMG_5307

And Burrito spent the better part of the rainy afternoon grooming his good friend Foxie.

web_Burrito_Foxie_groom_top_platform_GH_kh_IMG_5335

web_Burrito_sit_top_platform_take_break_groom_Foxie_GH_kh_IMG_5336

Jamie After Hours

by

Jamie has been making the staff earn their keep this summer and fall. After the other chimpanzees have made their nests and settled down for the night, and just when it’s normally time for the caregivers to go home, Jamie decides she would like some more time outside. She takes walk after walk after walk around Young’s Hill, always requesting the company of a human friend. While her morning and afternoon perimeter walks are often all business, these evening walks are more leisurely. Jamie meanders and explores and stops to take in the view.

Despite the extra long days, we’re all happy to oblige. It’s nice to see Jamie making up for lost time.

web_Jamie_sit_log_view_top_hill_peaceful_afterhours_yh_dg_IMG_3140

web_Jamie_on_climbing_structure_out_late_evening_YH_ek_IMG_3888

web_Jamie_walk_on_logs_out_late_evening_YH_ek_IMG_3880

web_Jamie_on_logs_out_late_evening_YH_ek_IMG_3882

Point A to Point B

by

What is the quickest way to get from point A to point B?

web_annotate_Missy_Annie_Foxie_together_shaky_bridge_enjoy_sunshine_YH_kh_IMG_3847

Well, for Missy chimpanzee, that means taking the tight rope walk across the fire hose railing to get to the platform on top of the climbing structure.
web_Missy_balance_walk_firehose_shaky_bridge_YH_kh_IMG_3851

web_Missy_balance_walk_fire_hose_shaky_bridge_YH_kh_IMG_3852

web_Missy_balance_walk_fire_hose_shaky_bridge_YH_kh_IMG_3853

Once she made it to the top platform, she took a moment to look out over the valley.

web_Missy_top_platform_YH_look_out_kh_IMG_3807

In the first picture, Annie and Foxie were also on the climbing structure. If you look close enough, you can see the blue hair of Foxie’s troll doll lying on Foxie’s back.

Annie (bottom left), Foxie (top left), Missy (far right).
web_Missy_Annie_Foxie_together_shaky_bridge_enjoy_sunshine_YH_kh_IMG_3847

It’s a forage kind of day

by

Today we put out a breakfast forage in the Greenhouse and a lunch forage on Young’s Hill.

Annie enjoyed the tangerines, while Burrito pretty much enjoyed every single morsel of food he could find at breakfast.

web_Annie_orange_in_mouth_sit_ground_GH_kh_IMG_4113

web_Burrito_look_for_food_forage_in_bamboo_GH_kh_IMG_3852

web_Burrito_mouthful_hand_to_mouth_food_eat_forage_find_food_GH_kh_IMG_3860

Jamie loved her tomatoes!
web_Jamie_forage_tomatoes_in_mouth_YH_kh_IMG_3038

Missy was the first one to find the small sugar pumpkin (part of today’s lunch forage on Young’s Hill) on top of the wooden platform and quickly brought it to the Greenhouse.

web_Missy_pumpkin_in_hand_bipedal_forage_YH_kh_IMG_3087

web_Missy_walk_past_Annie_pumpkin_in_hand_forage_YH_kh_IMG_3094

Jody was quick to take over Missy’s find. She proceeded to bring the treat into the Playroom to enjoy.

web_Jody_lie_down_eat_pumpkin_look_away_PR_ek_IMG_4132

Then it was Negra’s turn.

web_Negra_eat_pumkin_look_at_food_sit_catwalk_PR_kh_IMG_4142

Jody and Annie were nearby in case Negra decided to share. Here Jody can be seen peering toward Negra.

web_Negra_eat_pumkin_Jody_Annie_peer_towards_food_catwalk_PR_kh_IMG_4155

Foxie trying her hand at rock climbing

by

Today we took advantage of the cooler weather and put the chimpanzee’s lunch out on Young’s Hill for them to forage. These forages often consist of pieces of vegetables, fruit and chow and we spread them around the hill for the chimpanzees to find. Sometimes we even put some of the food on top of the treat rock (one of the prominent features of Young’s Hill). Jamie and Burrito are the chimpanzees most likely to be seen climbing on the rock in search of food. But today, Foxie tried her hands (and feet) on the rock after all of the other chimpanzees had gone back inside. This is the first time I have seen Foxie on the treat rock!

Here she is sticking her arm in a hole to grab a few pieces of chow.
web_Foxie_climb_on_treat_rock_forage_chow_YH_kh_IMG_2657

Here she is trying to get in better position.
web_Foxie_climb_on_treat_rock_for_forage_chow_YH_kh_IMG_2660

web_Foxie_climb_on_treat_rock_forage_for_chow_YH_kh_IMG_2659

She began traversing across the treat mound in search of more food.
web_Foxie_climb_on_treat_rock_forage_for_chow_YH_kh_IMG_2662

web_Foxie_climb_on_treat_rock_forage_for_chow_YH_kh_IMG_2663

Once she got all of the food pieces, she began to prepare for her dismount from the treat rock.
web_Foxie_climb_on_treat_rock_forage_for_chow_YH_kh_IMG_2665

Finally, safe on the ground, she enjoyed the food she found on her climbing adventure.
web_Foxie_sit_ground_treat_rock_forage_chow_in_mouth_YH_kh_IMG_2668

I also managed to capture Jody, with her mouth and hands full of red cabbage and brussel sprouts.
web_Jody_forage_handful_mouthful_YH_kh_IMG_2630