Posts by Diana
Caregiver Lizz Playing with Burrito
Full disclosure, this video was taken a few weeks ago. Lizz was here today and I remembered I had the clips on my phone, so I decided to put them together into a video to add some classic Burrito play to your weekend.
Read MoreNuance
This post was going to be about Rayne and Honey B and what a fantastic duo they are. When they are doing their mall walking in the morning, I can hardly tell them apart. Rayne seeks out the more aloof Honey B for interactions all the time, and has even been joining her and Willy…
Read MoreBurrito in Recovery
Burrito spent much of his day just like this: His friends did cause a ruckus midday that got him up and alert, and, later in the day, I saw him sitting on his “stoop” on the other side of the mesh while Negra groomed him and Foxie checked in on him. But that was enough…
Read MoreSilent Communication
Today, I spent some time with Honey B in silence. When I’m one-on-one with a chimpanzee in a quiet moment, I find myself trying to communicate to them through my gaze or just my presence. I want them to know that I’m so sorry for every bad thing that’s happened to them. I’m sorry that…
Read MoreHoney B’s 33rd Birthday Movie
How lucky are we that we have so many celebrations in June! Also, how lucky are we to have such amazing supporters?! Your comments about caregivers for Animal Sanctuary Caregiver Day will be read over and over again. We are all so grateful to have you all behind us all, providing so much encouragement and…
Read MoreAnimal Sanctuary Caregiver Day – Share Your Thoughts!
Tomorrow, June 10th, is the 5th annual Animal Sanctuary Caregiver Day. It’s nice that there’s a day set aside to consider this very niche profession. Many caregivers spend their days in somewhat obscurity doing the very emotionally and physically difficult work of caring for captive non-human animals. Here at CSNW, the caregivers are somewhat more…
Read MoreBlanket Gathering as seen from the security cameras
There’s something so sweet about chimpanzees making nests. In the wild, chimpanzees use branches and leaves to create their beds. In captivity, blankets are a favorite of everyone who nests. Watching the cameras over these last several weeks, I’ve learned that some chimpanzees are more creatures of habit than others. Gordo, for example, definitely has…
Read MoreThe Nightbag Ritual & Your Questions About Integration, Again
Before I get to the brief content of this blog post, I have a question for you, or, rather I have a request for your questions. Several months ago, I recorded a conversation with Jen Feuerstein about integrating groups of chimpanzees with one another. Before that conversation, I invited blog readers to submit your questions…
Read MoreDora and Honey B Reunited
I think we’ve mentioned before that we know from Wildlife Waystation caregivers that Terry, Willy B, Dora and Honey B used to live together years ago. We also know that Mave and Gordo were roomies a while back too. Today, when I was taking this video of Dora and Honey B, Willy B was grooming…
Read MoreMave’s Feminist Uprising
Mave is currently living her best life. She seems to thrive in a larger group with more chimpanzees to interact with and look after. These last few days, she’s virtually never alone. The video above is of a very fun play session between Mave and Rayne, but the blog post title is more about these…
Read MoreDiana’s Birthday Wish
Today is my birthday! My birthday wish is for the newly integrated group of nine chimpanzees at the sanctuary to blossom into a stable family that includes new friendships as they watch the construction of outdoor habitats that are are being built just for them right now. If you’d like to contribute towards this wish,…
Read MoreIn Memory of Steve Ross
Last week, the non-human primate community received the sad news that Dr. Steve Ross had suddenly passed away. Steve was the director of Lincoln Park Zoo’s Lester E. Fisher Center for the Study and Conservation of Apes and the board chair of Chimp Haven for more than a decade. As a primatologist who was unabashedly focused…
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