Foxie and Pinky’s Adventures

From the moment I walked into the chimp house this morning, Foxie had a companion – a bright, pink- haired troll doll, whom I named “Pinky”. I decided to follow Foxie and Pinky around throughout the day to see what sorts of adventures they would go on. They spent quite a bit of time this…

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Something In Common

Do you notice a theme in the following three photos? Annie jamie Foxie Plus a few bonus closeup photos…. Missy Jody

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Treat Buckets

“Treat buckets” are a pretty popular form of evening enrichment for the chimps at the sanctuary. Click here to see other forms of evening enrichment that we use at Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest. Check out this link to see Burrito and Jody with another evening enrichment theme a few weeks ago.

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The features that stand out

Whenever I meet someone, there is usually some feature of that person that stands out to me. For Burrito, it’s his lips. For Jody, it’s the look in her eyes and her droopy bottom lip. For Annie, it’s the notch in her ear and the way her she bends her wrist when she’s relaxing. For…

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Peanut butter in containers for evening enrichment

Evening enrichment puzzles are given to all of the chimps at the close of the day, when staff are finishing tasks before leaving for the night. Watch the video to see how Jody and Burrito use tools and their own creativity to get at the peanut butter in the bottom of the containers. Burrito

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Annie, interrupted

Last month, I was taking pictures of Annie quietly grooming herself in the Playroom. Jamie barged in (clearly on a mission), interrupting the otherwise serene moment. Today, I was going through the photos from that day and I couldn’t help but be impressed and inspired by Annie’s flexibility. I’m in even more awe at how…

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Natural lighting makes all the difference

The natural lighting that shines through the window in one of the Front Rooms (one area of the chimps’ indoor living space), makes all the difference when taking photos of the chimps. We call this area “The Portrait Studio.” The lighting bathes them in a natural glow and makes most photos of them more crisp…

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Time For Cake

Most meals for the Cle Elum Seven include fresh fruits and vegetables, along with primate chow biscuits. Nuts and seeds are also given to the chimps each day. And on occasion, we prepare special treats for the chimps and today was one of those special occasion days. We served the cake that was made for…

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Is That Neggie or Fake Neggie?

I’ll begin with an explanation of what the title of this blog actually means. “Neggie” is one of Negra’s nicknames, which is pretty straight forward. “Fake Neggie” is one of Missy’s nicknames, but Fake Neggie is not exactly short for Missy. So, how did Missy get that nickname you might ask? Keep reading to find…

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Jamie’s Mission Today

If you are new to the blog, Jamie is our master tool user here at Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest. When she has something on her mind, she tends to find just the tool to get the job done. Sometimes she finds small sticks and plants on Young’s Hill to use (the 2 acre outdoor enclosure), while…

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The Elusive Jody Chimpanzee

Out of all of the chimpanzees here at the sanctuary, Jody is the most elusive (especially when it comes to us taking photos of her). So, when the opportunity presents itself, we try to take it. This morning, she payed special attention to Foxie’s brow ridge during grooming. Jody on the left, Foxie on the…

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The Grooming Train

What started out as a play session between Missy and Negra (a very mellow play session I might add), quickly turned into a grooming session, once Jamie chimpanzee showed up. Soon after, Annie joined the grooming train.

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