The pant-hoot vs the pant-grunt, as demonstrated by Burrito and Jody

Sometimes it takes a little bit of play-by-play commentary to understand chimpanzee behavior.. In this video you can see Burrito displaying and pant-hooting. A chimpanzee displays when they want to look tough and intimidating to others. You will notice Burrito’s hair is erect (making him look fluffy) and he stands bipedal to make himself appear…

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Outdoor fun with Foxie

Today as Jamie, Katelyn, and I headed out for an afternoon perimeter walk around Young’s Hill, we were joined by the rest of the chimpanzees (minus Negra). Foxie quickly became the life of the party at the top of the hill as she wrestled and chased with both Jamie and Missy. When chimpanzees play, there…

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A week filled with books!

Even the elusive Missy got in on the picture book craze this week. I caught her checking out this animal book after lunch. Missy goes through a lot of different activities in a day, so after quickly glancing through the book, she gathered a pile of blankets for her nest in the playroom loft.

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Keeping Jamie busy

This morning Jamie entertained herself with a picture book while she waited for the humans to finish up cleaning.

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Morning Surveillance

As staff and volunteers arrive each morning, boss Jamie often chooses to monitor the activity from the bench in the room we call the portrait studio. She can keep a good eye on both the kitchen and the parking lot from this spot. Today she received some backup from her good friend Foxie. Foxie brought…

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The den mother

We refer to Jody as the “mom” of the group for many reasons. She is concerned about sticking to the daily routine at the sanctuary and cares deeply for the well-being of her group mates. If someone is late to mealtime, she makes it her duty to go and find them. On Young’s Hill, she…

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Sounds of Sanctuary

Chimpanzees are either very quiet, or very loud, and there isn’t a whole lot in between. When things are exciting, they make sure their voices are heard from wall to wall at the sanctuary. The roasted pears for today’s lunch were a cause for a raucous celebration. Here is just a taste of what it…

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Outdoor Exploration

As a follow up to yesterday’s blog about Missy and Annie’s friendship, I thought I would post this little clip of Missy and Annie entering Young’s Hill together first thing this morning. Annie often starts her Young’s Hill adventures walking bipedal. Maybe it’s an attempt to avoid the wet ground, or maybe it’s just to…

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A person like Foxie

Foxie wears many hats at the sanctuary. To the other chimpanzees she is friend, peacekeeper, playmate, and protector. She is popular for all the right reasons, and in a lot of ways, she is part of the glue that bonds this tiny community of seven chimps together. We should all be so lucky to have…

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Games between friends

Jamie is known for being a pretty serious chimpanzee, but playing a solid round of keep-away with one of Foxie’s beloved dolls is a surefire way to put her in a good mood.

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