Posts by Elizabeth
Social Awkwardness
Burrito and Foxie had a nice, peaceful grooming session in the greenhouse this afternoon. Soon Jamie approached and joined them. Burrito is pretty intimidated by Jamie, and on another day he might have bowed out when she approached, but today his strategy was to pretend she wasn’t there.
Read MoreSecond Thoughts
Jody sometimes showers her caregivers with a mouthful of water. She has this hobby in common with many other captive chimpanzees, who often find creative ways to express themselves. Jody fills her mouth up with water at one of the wall-mounted water spigots in the chimps’ enclosure, and holds onto it for awhile, mouth bulging,…
Read MoreScale
We tend to use the zoom lens when taking photos of the chimpanzees on Young’s Hill. This allows for a close-up view of the chimps, but doesn’t give much of a sense of what it’s like to see the chimps on two acres of land. Some of my favorite photos are those in which the…
Read MoreThe Queen Gets Some Fresh Air
Most of the chimpanzees think being outside on Young’s Hill is worth tolerating some less than ideal weather conditions. Jamie even went for a perimeter walk in the rain recently. But Negra has her standards. If the weather is less than perfect in any way, she wants no part of the outdoors. Luckily, today is…
Read MoreHere Comes the Sun
We had a cold, snowy, gray February here in Cle Elum – not the kind of weather these chimpanzees appreciate. So we’re all thrilled that spring is imminent. The skies are blue again, the sun is out, and the temperatures are mild. The weather was so beautiful as I was driving to the sanctuary this…
Read MoreFoxie and Her Trolls: A History
When Foxie first came to the sanctuary about five and a half years ago, she took her time getting adjusted to her new home. She didn’t fully trust her caregivers right away, and she didn’t want anything to do with the enrichment that was offered to her. About a month after the chimpanzees’ arrival, Diana…
Read MoreWhiling Away the Hours
It’s another snowy day at the sanctuary and most of the chimpanzees have chosen to stay inside. Foxie and Burrito (read about their special friendship here) passed time in the playroom this morning with some low-key play.
Read MoreLove
Everything in His Arsenal
When Burrito wants a caregiver to play with him, he dips into his toolkit of irresistibly charming play initiation behaviors. Things start out innocently enough. But as soon as he makes eye contact, you know it’s all over. He holds your gaze while biting on the nearest object. He might add a head tilt for…
Read MoreVenturing Out
Before the chimpanzees go out onto Young’s Hill, they’ll sometimes stand at the door and contemplate for a moment. I often wonder what they’re thinking during this pause in their busy day. Considering that they spent the first few decades of their lives in tiny cages barely bigger than their bodies, I like to think…
Read MoreLunch
For lunch today, caregiver Lisa served the chimpanzees corn, cauliflower, potatoes, cherry tomatoes, snow peas, and red onions. Annie with a corn cob wadge (you can see that chimps don’t have the same hangups about “table manners” as we do): Negra with a mouthful of cauliflower glancing out the window on her way to her…
Read MoreSuperbowl Sunday at CSNW
Because we’re always looking for an excuse to throw a party, and because the Seahawks are our home team, the chimpanzees had a little Superbowl shindig today. We decorated the greenhouse with Seahawks colors; everything from blankets to breakfast was green and blue. The chimps foraged for bok choy, green apples, and honeydew smoothie in…
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