Posts by Chad de Bree
Chasing Happiness
Snow one day. Warm(ish) weather the next. This has been the weather pattern this winter. When we drive up to the sanctuary on the mornings with a fresh layer of snow that accumulated over night, we usually walk in to the sounds of Burrito excitedly trying to get our attention. He usually wants the freshest…
Read MoreAn Edible Landscape
Yesterday, Diana and myself shoveled pathways onto Young’s Hill. It was still pretty cold outside, and we didn’t see any of the chimpanzees go out. After a day and some sun, the snow began to slightly melt. With some wider paths created with the melting snow, the chimpanzees decided to venture out today. Negra (of…
Read MoreEat, Play, Love
Burrito is really such a snow fiend. His first order of business for us today was to give him his pre-breakfast snow. When he gained access to the Greenhouse and Young’s Hill, he seemed unsure if he wanted to venture outside to collect his own snow. He then thought of the most perfect plan. He…
Read MoreRun with the Wind
The sun was out. The clouds were gone. But the wind was a force to be reckoned with. With weather forecasts predicting the winds to be in the range of 14 mph to 34 mph today, the wind could be heard all throughout the Chimp House. When I gave the Group of 7 access to…
Read MoreRainy Days and Poses
As I drove up to the sanctuary this morning, grey clouds had already gathered overhead and begun drizzling rain. When I began opening up the Chimp House, I could hear the Bronx cheers of Burrito trying to get my attention from the front rooms. The rain was starting to wash away his snowy treats that…
Read MoreBrush After Every Meal
After breakfast, there were a fair amount of toothbrushes in the chimpanzees’ enrichment. Honey B, without skipping a beat, decided to practice good dental hygiene. Here is a bonus photo of beautiful Mave enjoying her chow taken by caregiver Kelsi.
Read MoreMight As Well Play
The goal of the caregivers and volunteers is to clean the chimpanzees’ enclosures quickly and thoroughly. We want to ensure they have as much space as soon as it becomes available. Though there are times the chimpanzees may try to hurry us along (Jamie usually gesturing, Negra clapping, Burrito blowing Bronx cheers, etc.), there are…
Read MoreTurning the Day Around
I had a lot of hope for the weather after yesterday’s brief reprieve from the winter weather. As I began to drive to the sanctuary today, that hope began to dwindle. A fresh layer of snow had accumulated overnight and there were grey clouds as far as the eye could see. Earlier in the day,…
Read MoreBoss’ Bundle of Blankets
Jamie was playing a pretty intense game of chase with caregiver Kelsi earlier today. This game spanned all the way from the Greenhouse to the opposite end of the Playroom for quite some time. A little while later, I went around to find all the chimpanzees and found almost all inside the heated building. I…
Read MoreFort Building 101
You may have heard, Honey B loves to construct forts. And she has constructed some pretty elaborate nest fortresses. You too can build post-lunch forts just as great as Honey B by following these simple steps: First, grab your materials to build your walls. Benches, blankets, toys, etc. Troll heads are great too, according to…
Read MoreWhat’s In A Name?
There are times we think of something new with a very specific purpose in mind. J.B. recently built a device that is an extension of one of the front rooms. It doesn’t really have a name yet and so far I have heard every caregiver call it something different. I personally call it the “Foot…
Read MoreTravel Delays on Snowy Days
To those far and away from Washington, we have been having some pretty rough weather. Those of you who are local to the Pacific Northwest probably know what I’m talking about. Some places had it far worse than others, even closing some highways due to snow accumulation. Some of that highway traffic was diverted onto…
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