Posts by Elizabeth
Being Negra
Today has been a day of leisure for Negra (as most of her days are, and should be). She spent most of the morning like this: She did sit up for a moment to check out what volunteer Erika was up to in the kitchen: But before long she was back to daydreaming:
Read MoreDrinks from the hose
Jamie often interrupts our cleaning routine to request a drink of water from the hose. She’s quite persistent; we’re usually not allowed to resume cleaning until she’s had her fill. Today, while Debbie and I were cleaning the front rooms, Jamie distracted us for probably fifteen minutes. We’re happy to serve, of course.
Read MoreAnnie’s foot clap
As the least dominant chimpanzee in the group, Annie is often a little anxious (though much less than she was five years ago). So I always love to see her feeling relaxed and confident. One of my favorite Annie quirks is her foot clap, which she often does while relaxing on her back.
Read MoreHanging Around
It seems that Foxie is upside down as often as she’s right side up. She loves to climb to the ceiling of the Greenhouse and hang by her feet, and she often swings on the fire hoses as through they’re trapezes. Today, she has carried around this plastic frying pan in her mouth for much…
Read MoreThe Chimp Whisperer
If there’s one chimpanzee who plays the role of peacemaker in the group, it’s Foxie. It seems to be her personal ambition to make sure everyone is getting along. During conflicts, she often runs around and tries to calm everyone down. You could say she’s a bit of a chimp whisperer. So it’s not surprising…
Read MoreEnriching Jamie
Caregiver Debbie recently ordered a new food puzzle for the chimpanzees. She just got one of them for now so we could make sure it was chimp-proof (safe and sturdy) and up to Jamie’s standards. Since Jamie’s mind is always three steps ahead, she’s hard to keep enriched. One of our daily priorities is finding…
Read MoreChimp ID: Negra
Today we conclude our series of blog posts on chimpanzee identification with Negra. (If you missed the posts about Annie, Burrito, Foxie, Jamie, Jody, or Missy, click on their names.) Negra is the oldest of the chimps at the sanctuary, and because of her wise and regal air, we call her our Queen. Negra has…
Read MoreJamie Chimpanzee’s Hallowbirthday 2013
At Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest we take parties pretty seriously, and on this day, we have two occasions to celebrate: Halloween and Jamie’s 36th birthday. Consequently, we went a little wild with the festivities today. The chimpanzees are lucky to have some really great friends, and today we want to thank three of them in particular…
Read MoreRainy Day
It’s chilly, gray, and rainy in Cle Elum today, and the chimpanzees are cozying up in the warm playroom. (This doesn’t include Jamie, who is keeping volunteer caregiver Stephanie busy walking around and around Young’s Hill. When the boss beckons, you listen.) Negra would rather stay indoors on a day like this, and I don’t…
Read MoreChimp ID: Missy
We’re continuing our series of blog posts on chimpanzee identification today with Missy. (If you missed the posts about Annie, Burrito, Foxie, Jamie, or Jody, click on their names.) Missy is the resident athlete and daredevil, and she usually looks like this: or like this: If you catch her in a still moment, you’ll notice…
Read MoreUsing Their Space
Considering that for most of their lives, the chimpanzees were so confined that they weren’t able to move more than a couple of feet in any direction, it’s incredible how confidently they use their space these days. Seeing them high up on the climbing structures on Young’s Hill never gets old. Jamie: Foxie: Missy: Jody:…
Read MoreChimp ID: Jody
We’re continuing our series of blog posts on chimpanzee identification today with Jody. (If you missed the posts about Annie, Burrito, Foxie, or Jamie, click on their names.) Jody is one of the larger females in the group, though not as muscular as Jamie. She has a very sweet face, with her eyes a little…
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