Posts by J.B.
Tickling
Of all the things we share with chimps – the ability to use tools, the capacity for language, the intelligence required to plan ahead and solve complex problems, and so on – none seems quite as relevant to the question of whether they deserve our compassion as how they react when they are tickled.
Read MoreMISSY on the 6th Day of HOOT!
Since we are racing around getting ready for tomorrow, Missy seemed the perfect choice to acknowledge the eve of the HOOT! 2016 gala. When Young’s Hill was first opened, we described Missy as “a spring that was coiled up for decades, just waiting to be released.” She embodies the idea that sanctuary is not just…
Read MoreWild food…and medicine?
The chimps spend a lot of time looking for food on their own this time of year. Annie: They love to eat grass, dandelion leaves, prickly lettuce, mustard, and many other wild plants, as well as the bamboo and fir trees that we have planted. Negra: Sometimes they sit down and eat them outdoors; other…
Read MoreThinking Ahead
Not only are chimpanzees adept at using tools and solving puzzles, but they are also good at planning ahead. When Jamie is confronted with a difficult problem, she often disappears for a while and returns with a tool that will help her solve it.
Read MoreResting Serious Face
Jamie can be a difficult person to read. For some reason, her face is less emotionally expressive than those of the other chimps. Over the last 8 years, we’ve studied her face intently and gotten to know the subtleties of what little expression she reveals. It’s serious business around here, because Jamie’s mood can make…
Read MoreChristmas in April
Last year, we waited until October to plant the chimps’ potted Christmas tree. Since Jody has been steadily devouring that one, I thought we’d get this one planted sooner. Missy was the first to check it out, but only because Anna decorated it with apple slices. Today has been another beautiful, summer-like day. Perfect for…
Read MoreQueen of the Hill
Negra has spent more time outside today than any of the other chimps. Here at CSNW, that marks the official start of spring. That’s because Negra is always the first to realize that the spring grass is ready to eat. A rainy March followed by a week of sun and unseasonably warm temperatures turned Young’s…
Read MoreFree to Be
Jamie was raised as a performer and then spent two decades in a laboratory. Here at the sanctuary, she is finally free to be a chimpanzee, but more importantly, she is free to be whoever she wants to be.
Read MoreDistractions
Caring for chimpanzees is harder than you will ever know. All we want to do is work – we live to sweep, scrub, and spray down enclosures – but these chimpanzees keep coming along and distracting us. Here, Anna does her best to satisfy Jamie’s demands for some playtime so that she can return to…
Read MoreNeighboring Nests
If you’re having a bad day, this should make you feel better: Amazingly, this is only the second best video of chimps holding hands that you will see this week. If you haven’t yet, check out this story about Terry and Jeannie from our friends at Save the Chimps.
Read MoreThe elk that stole my job
Many of you know that Jamie likes to be accompanied by a caregiver when she patrols Young’s Hill, her 2-acre enclosure. It’s the best part of the job, in my opinion – fresh air, exercise, and some quality bonding time between chimps and the humans that care for them. And if I’m being honest, it’s…
Read MoreA little nudge
Caring for former research chimps can be a balancing act at times. We don’t want to rush them into anything they’re not ready for, and considering what they’ve been through, it’s no surprise that some would have a hard time adjusting to certain aspects of life in sanctuary. For example, some former lab chimps fail…
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