Won’t You Be My Neighbor?
September 8, 2019 by Anthony -
It’s been a few weeks since Honey B, Willy B and Mave arrived from Wildlife Waystation, but it’s only been a few days since the Cle Elum Seven got their first glimpse of their chimpanzee neighbors.
The new arrivals get to access the outdoor tunnel (left) that will soon connect to the Young’s Hill enclosure.
As a staff, we’ve already noticed and discussed interesting patterns of behavior between the two groups. For example, Jody and Willy B have been spending considerable time staring at each other through the window. The three new arrivals have remained relatively composed and seem to be calmly sizing up their new acquaintances, while the seven original residents seem to be more excited. There was a huge mess by the windows in the Playroom this morning, indicating that the chimpanzees spent a lot of time looking outside at the adjacent tunnel.
The Playroom was trashed this morning.
Today was a bit unusual because we needed to briefly close off the outdoor tunnel and Young’s Hill for two separate maintenance projects. This meant that the groups were temporarily unable to see each other. Instead, Willy B. spent some time in front of the Howdy Door and made some noise to advertise his presence. On the Playroom side, Burrito and the others put on a concert of displays, screams and hoots.
Willy B. watches the Howdy Door, listening to the chimps on the other side.
Burrito’s hair stands on end, expressing his excitement.
Missy hoots.
Burrito hoots and displays in the Playroom.
For the seven original residents, checking in on the new cohort of chimps has taken up a lot of their time and effort, but has not completely derailed their usual activities. They enjoyed a lunch forage on Young’s Hill once the maintenance was complete, and Missy dominated the field by gathering up all the celery and bringing it into the Greenhouse.
Missy finds celery.
Missy carries celery.
Missy consumes celery.
Missy thinks about celery.
Also, naps happened.
Foxie naps with a doll.
Neggie naps with breakfast and blankets.
Now that the initial shock of seeing unfamiliar chimps has passed, the Cle Elum Seven seem to be monitoring their neighbors just as they keep tabs on the surrounding pastures, the volunteers, the tomato garden, and the refrigerator. The caveat is that these three new additions to the environment are also chimps, which means they are fully capable of responding right back.
Burrito looks out of the Playroom window at the chimps in the tunnel.
9 Comments
Subscribe to the Blog and
Get Notified of New Posts First!
If you like what see, be sure to subscribe. Personally written by the caregivers themselves, 365 days a year, you’ll get an insiders glimpse of all the goings on at the sanctuary. Follow us!
Anthony — You’re funny. Celery today, celery tomorrow, celery forever!
Are you going to introduce the 7 to the 3 by showing them videos of each other daily until the introduction?
well, everyone’s back to eating, so that’s good…
I think that, while Mave and Burrito seem to be the shaggiest, the quality of Willy B’s coat is amazing…Jamie’s is almost as nice. (Don’t tell her I said that)
Since Honey B likes riding toys, do you have enough of them? Besides the blue scooter that Burrito tosses around?
These are all wonderful photos! Especially the celery series….
I was thinking today that, while 3 more means more work, I think that with the introduction process, its success or failure (my gut says success, but not quickly), and all of the subsequent adjusting to each other, no one will say for quite a while “Gee, nothing happened today….what I can write about for the blog!?”
Wow, what a fabulous story is unfolding here as the two groups get to know each other….
I’m thinking Missy figures she better grab all the celery she can for fear those three new guys might come out to forage too (let’s face it, they are getting closer!).
That last photo of Burrito is priceless.
All of these photographs — and their subjects — are priceless. I never knew that Missy was such a connoiseuse of celery (were you out of tomatoes?). And that top picture of Jody…”Would you believe in a love at first sight?/yes, I’m sure that it happens all the time…” I hope, somehow, that both sets of chimpanzees realize that the quarantine will eventually end.
Looking forward to hearing about the chimps and how they are getting along with each other, especially with Missy and Honey B.