Posts by J.B.
Keep them guessing
Foxie loves playing chase with her caregivers. To start a game, she passes one of her dolls to us and then runs or spins away. As she waits for us to catch up, she takes a big gulp of water from the fountain and holds it in her mouth. Is it because all that running…
Read MoreFoxie & Jamie
Listen to these two laughing…
Read MoreSt. Patrick’s Day
Happy St. Patrick’s Day, everyone!
Read MoreNegra’s nest
The other night, while doing chimp counts during closing rounds, I climbed a ladder to look in the loft and found Negra building this magnificent nest. There are a number of theories as to why chimpanzees build nests. Since most free-living chimpanzees build their nests high up in the trees at night, it’s possible that…
Read MoreThe great thaw
We’re nearing the end of the chimps’ ninth winter here at CSNW and while chimpanzees aren’t naturally cold weather animals, they have adapted quite well. When the first snowflakes fall each year, the chimps food grunt in anticipation of the endless snow and ice snacks that winter brings. As temperatures begin to plunge, they make…
Read MoreFor the love of boots
Volunteers Stephanie and Patti brought Jamie a western wear catalogue today. It’s always amazing to watch her flip through the magazine and linger over the pages with her favorite boots.
Read MoreBalancing act
Each time we build a new play structure on Young’s Hill, we connect it to nearby structures using fire hose. This allows the chimps to move from place to place without touching the ground, a feature that is particularly handy when that ground is covered in snow. We also shovel pathways for them, but hey,…
Read MoreLunch Forage
The chimps would like to wish an early happy birthday to a not-so-secret admirer. Dr. Elliott Sumers has a birthday coming up in a couple of days and his wife Anne made a generous donation in his honor. We’ll have an “official” celebration on Sunday, but wanted to start by sharing some photos of the…
Read MoreNegotiation
The chimps spent the entire morning grooming one another on the playroom catwalk. Jamie began by directing her attention toward Negra, while Missy and Annie sat nearby grooming each other and occasionally breaking into gentle play. Further down, Burrito and Foxie paired off, each using one arm to groom while the other wrapped around their…
Read MoreTool Use
Tool use was once thought to be a defining characteristic of the human species.
Read MoreGrooming Noises
Chimpanzees use distinct sounds to communicate during grooming. Grooming noises such as the lip smack, the teeth clack, and the Bronx cheer are made solely with the lips, tongue, and teeth and not the vocal tract.
Read MoreVisiting Hours
Health care workers know that emotional support from friends and family can play an important role in the healing process. So while Negra might be on restricted activity for a few days, she still gets regular visits from her family. Then again, who needs family when you’ve got a constant stream of peanuts, peanut butter,…
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