It.is.cold.
December 14, 2016 by Katelyn -
In the years I have worked at CSNW I have yet to have a day where I was unable to get at least one somewhat decent photo of one of the chimps. Until today. We haven’t had a lot of additional snow since last weeks storm, but it’s remained below freezing for days. It hovered in the teens today without even a glimpse of blue sky or sun. And for the majority of the day the chimpanzees have been gathered together in the loft area of their home, nesting, grooming and staying warm and cozy. This is also an impossible area to get photos of.
We had the grand idea that today would be the day we shoveled paths to a couple of the nearest structures for the chimps and we did this, but when I opened the door to Young’s Hill, it was like a ghost town. Late in the afternoon Jamie did make one attempt to go for a walk and made it down the pathway to the gate and then decided that was enough of that.
In the chimp house, things are kept in the toasty 70’s and the chimps’ Christmas tree is making things feel more festive (this is the chimps’ view from a front room looking into the kitchen). Anna spent the afternoon roasting good things to eat as the chimps watched with enthusiasm from their loft area:
Sweet, beautiful Annie for a brief moment on Young’s Hill during somewhat warmer temperatures last week:
That’s all I’ve got folks! I will leave you with a funny story of the day though. Missy often asks to have us open up the barn doors that face the chimps’ garden area even when it’s freezing outside and we try to explain to her that it’s too cold. I am convinced the chimps think we are holding out and it’s secretly summer on that side of the building. Well, today Jamie AND Missy thought they wanted those doors open. So I said, “Okay, if you really want to see what’s out there, let’s do it!”
So for a brief moment I flung the doors open and you should have heard the excitement. Jamie was pant-hooting at the top of her lungs and running around the playroom, Negra looked at me from above as though I’d lost my mind, and Jody and Burrito ran over to look with their hair standing on end (pilo-erect) in excitement then quickly left with their “cold” grimace faces. Everyone had a quick peek outside and a bite of snow and then I closed the doors up. They continued to hoot and holler and chase each other around the playroom, raising a ruckus for several minutes. Maybe cursing me out in chimpanzee? Or maybe happy to have been able to feel the elements on their faces, breath the fresh snow air, and feel a moment of exhilaration from the safety and warmth of their home? Or both! Who knows, but it’s nice to be able to answer their requests even when it’s not what they had perhaps hoped for. And it was still a choice they got to make and explore. And really, isn’t that what we all want?
Sweet, beautiful juncoes in the chimps’ garden:
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Awe, awesome reporting of chimp activities! The visual of them nestled warmly together warms my heart. I will be interested to know if Missy and Jamie ask you to open the barn doors tomorrow?! Thank Katelyn!
Hi Jo Anna, Jamie rarely asks to have the doors open unless it’s summer. But Missy – that girl’s heart lives for the outdoors and I don’t think she’ll ever tire of wanting to see out those doors. And I certainly cannot blame her. 🙂 It’s really the only angle from inside the chimp house that they don’t have a window to so makes sense.
Would it ever be possible to show us a layout of all the rooms and surrounding areas? I try to imagine but don’t really know which room is where, where the barn doors are, the chimps garden, etc. Thanks ever so much. You make my day every time you post the blog and pics. Thanks a zillion!!!
Hi Becky! Yes, thanks for the reminder, sorry about that! Here is a great tour video Elizabeth did last year at this time (and it looks virtually the same with the snow). https://staging.chimpsnw.org/2015/12/where-are-the-chimpanzees/ At about 1:20 the camera swings past the outside of the barn doors and that part of the chimps’ garden area, but it’s covered in snow. I will look for other videos/photos as well which may give a better idea of the inside.
Love these updates, yes the Pac NW is having a deep freeze! Tell those chimps that we are thinking of them and hope they (and their keepers) stay warm, safe and cozy!
True, Thyra, and looks like we have some near zero lows headed this way later in the week so today will feel balmy in retrospect. 😉 The chimps are such troopers with the varying weather they experience here – they never cease to amaze me. I’m pretty sure they handle it all better than the humans!
What do the chimps make of the tree and decorations? Do they get to touch it or is it just for them to look at? I received my burrito tree ornament yesterday and i love it!
Hi Heather,
The chimps seem to enjoy looking at the tree during the meal times. It’s placed outside their enclosure for viewing pleasure only until Christmas Day when we move it into their playroom for their party (sans lights and unsafe ornaments of course). Once the holidays are over, we plant it on Young’s Hill for them to enjoy. If you haven’t seen this most amazing Christmas video ever from last year’s celebration it’s a MUST see! It also shows the chimps enjoying their tree. 🙂 https://staging.chimpsnw.org/2015/12/a-christmas-miracle/
Oh! So glad you like your Burrito ornament!! 🙂
Burrito ornament?! Did I hear Burrito ornament? What an idea! Do you sell them?
Francoise, there is a Burrito ornament (along with a couple others) in our Zazzle store: http://www.zazzle.com/chimpsnw Thanks for asking!
This was a great blog post Katelyn! I wonder what the cold, puffed up juncos thought when you opened the barn doors and they saw and heard the chimps making such a fuss! I love that you opened that door and let them see and experience the outside from that perspective. What a hoot (pun intended!) I think we are all in for cold winter. So nice knowing you are all together and warm in the sanctuary surroundings. HOME!
We are all loving your beautiful advent calendar, Kathleen, thank you!! We have fun when we get to open a window and see what good looking chimp (or elk) is behind it. 🙂
Such a wonderful blog! Thank you soooo much!! Really descriptive and I can just picture the whole thing!! I love that they have a Christmas tree and that you respect their requests!! It warms my heart to know this place and this wonderfully good work exists!! Blessings to you all!
Thank you, Jo, and thanks so much for following the chimps’ lives! Happy holidays! 🙂
What a beautiful post! Chimp choice – that’s what’s it’s all about isn’t it? 🙂
I love the tree – especially the boot ornaments for Jamie. But where’s the troll ornament for Foxie?
Sara, I think there are ornaments for everyone on that tree! I tried to sit one of Foxie’s trolls on it yesterday and she got mad so that was a definite “No!” 😉
What a blessing for both humans and chimps.
Super superb blog today, as always. We’re in a polar vortex here, too. Personally, I prefer it more than rain.
Thanks for being such a loyal blog follower, Francoise! Having grown up by the ocean I miss the rain, but I definitely prefer the dry cold we’ve had as far as snow – much less ice! 🙂