Posts by Debbie
Negra building trust and HOOT! tonight
Today is a big day for me—it is my last day as a staff caregiver at Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest. I am excited to say that I will be beginning a new position with an animal advocacy group where I can utilize all my skills I’ve learned while developing and working on the Eyes on Apes…
Read MoreSerious face
Yesterday, Elizabeth posted this great blog about Jamie—if you missed it, definitely check it out. Normally, I try not to post about the same chimpanzee two days in a row, just to keep things varied, but I took some photos of the Boss today and couldn’t resist putting them on the blog. Jamie was just…
Read MoreHandsome Mr. B
I went out to the greenhouse this afternoon to snap a few photos of the chimpanzees—most of whom were lounging in hard-to-see spots, so I was out of luck. However, front and center was Mr. Burrito, looking handsome as ever.
Read MoreIt’s a jungle out there
Okay, so, not quite a jungle—but the grass is very tall on Young’s Hill and the weeds are at the perfect stage for chimp snacking! Everyone has been on the hill a lot today, Negra was even out there on her own for awhile! Even after nearly seven years in sanctuary, we still see the…
Read MoreMaking the perfect tool
After breakfast Jamie set out onto Young’s Hill with purpose in her step. We watched as she very methodically selected a bamboo shoot and headed back into the greenhouse. As it turns out, she had unsuccessfully attempted to get some peanuts outside the caging using a toy rake. The handle was just slightly too big…
Read MoreCle Elum Wildlife
As many of you know, our beloved (and sometimes troublesome) resident elk, Ellie, has made it a very well-known fact that she is in fact a horse. Or a cow. Or a goat. Or a human! But certainly not a wild elk. Despite her outward friendliness, we still keep our distance—she is still wild, after…
Read MoreJamie grooming
Today Jamie spotted some freckles on my wrist and her eyes widened and she reached through the mesh fencing to touch them. She is drawn to anything that resembles a mark or a cut that shouldn’t be there, and freckles seem to fall into that category. So she will groom emphatically to try and remove…
Read MoreTake Action Tuesday: Speak up for Eli chimpanzee
A few weeks ago, we alerted you to a new Comedy Central show called Big Time in Hollywood, FL, with reported footage of a chimpanzee in several scenes. We know now that chimpanzee is Eli, who lives at a training facility called Steve Martin’s Working Wildlife. One of the actors from the show, Lenny Jacobson,…
Read MoreJamie the walking machine
When Jamie first started her daily perimeter walks, it was usually just once or twice a day that she would ask us to accompany her (from the outside of the fence) around Young’s Hill. Now, it averages probably about seven to eight a day, maybe even more. She will ask each of her caregivers to…
Read MoreDisplay
As we’ve mentioned before, chimpanzees are very territorial and it’s within their nature to defend their home against strangers. In order to be intimidating, they will usually stand up on their legs, swagger, and their hair will stand on end (pilo-erect). Then, they usually bang something, vocalize, or otherwise make some sort of threatening noise.…
Read MoreDinnertime lounging
Yesterday during dinner, Jody decided to relax a little in between courses. She would go out to the greenhouse, get her serving, and then take it to the front rooms to enjoy her meal without any distractions. Sometimes the chimpanzees prefer to eat with more privacy, and will take their servings off to their own…
Read MoreSpring is in the air
Spring is here, which for this region means the weather is predictably unpredictable. Yesterday, we had a beautiful 70 degree slightly cloudy day—the chimpanzees and the humans were loving it! We had the windows open, we did some work outside, Jamie went on lots of walks, and it felt like summer was just around the…
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