Posts by Anthony
Band of Mothers
This sanctuary is full of mothers. We spent the day honoring them. For those of you who may not already know, five of the sanctuary’s ten chimpanzee residents (Annie, Foxie, Jody, Missy, Negra) were used for breeding in their past lives as biomedical research subjects. All of their children were taken from them immediately after…
Read MoreAnother Few Steps, Another Adventure
The sanctuary has a relatively small staff, so each of us knows how to do the essential duties and can safely manage the sanctuary on any given day. Still, we all have certain skills and interests that translate to specialized roles apart from the core caregiving responsibilities. Anna leads the volunteers and staff, Katelyn manages…
Read MoreThe Honey B Chonk
Chimpanzees are intelligent, emotional, and complex. They deserve the utmost respect. This is their home and their retirement, and it’s their right to be however they want to be. This fact makes me appreciate how chimpanzees can be not only relaxed but also downright goofy. When they group is in a playful mood, even the…
Read MoreThe Gator Tour of CSNW
I had a bit of writer’s block today. It happens sometimes. The weather was nice, though, and we finished the daily cleaning on time (sometime around 1pm when we regularly serve the chimpanzees their lunch). Some chimps were walking around the perimeter of Young’s Hill with Katelyn (on the outside of the fence, of course)…
Read MoreJojo Rabbit
Jody has three nicknames that we frequently use when referring to her. “Jo” is the simplest and most common, but “JoJo” is the fun equivalent. Every time I hear someone say the nickname Jojo, I think of two things. The first association is a song by Blind Pilot (a Portland-based folk band) that tells the…
Read MoreHow to Speak CSNW
A few months ago, a behaviorist at Chimp Haven wrote an enlightening blog post about the terminology that their staff uses when communicating with each other. They titled their post “How to Speak Caregiver” and used it to explain some of the stranger aspects of their shared vocabulary. In general, the sanctuary community is full…
Read MorePicnic on the Hill
For us chimpanzee caregivers, climbing on the wooden towers and platforms of Young’s Hill is almost as fun as watching the chimps do it themselves. Elevation, exercise and nature- That’s my style of social distancing. Maybe I shouldn’t assume that the rest of the team enjoys it as much as I do. However, there…
Read MoreA Tale of Two Barrels
Yesterday, Diana wrote the blog about a routine only Jamie would have. As a dominant and strong-willed chimp who is usually an active participant in social drama, Jamie has a tendency to express herself by displaying in the Playroom. Today, Jamie kept up her steady pace by unleashing yet another raucous display on the residents…
Read MoreStrange Times
Outside of the sanctuary, there’s a lot going on right now. Most of you are probably well aware of the uncertainty and trepidation surrounding COVID-19, and we have been altering our operations to ensure that this pandemic has no effect on the chimpanzees. If you’re wondering exactly how we are adjusting, I recommend reading this…
Read MoreMovement
To me, if life boils down to one thing, it’s movement. To live is to keep moving. – Jerry Seinfeld The relationship between chimpanzees and their physical environment is complicated. In particular, the way that they move around and think about these spaces is impossible to fully understand, but it’s still very important to think…
Read MoreWILLYFEST 2020
I’ve finally posted the video showing the highlights from Willyfest 2020! Thank you all for helping to make Willy B’s birthday so special. Most importantly, thank you all for helping him to have a secure retirement in an enriching sanctuary home!
Read MoreA Festival for Willy B
Willy B Chimpanzee is a heck of a guy with a unique way of doing things. Although he often chooses to remain reserved and observant, he’s been letting loose quite often during the past few weeks. This shift in behavior has led to many bouts of stomping playfully around the building, wrestling with his chimp…
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