Posts by Keri
Enrichment in Boxes Day
Each day at the sanctuary has a daytime and an evening enrichment theme. Having these themes helps volunteers and staff select various objects to offer the chimpanzees. It’s not that the chimps know what each theme is, like “Red Day” or “Giant Pile Day” or “Things in Bags Day;” it is more that the themes…
Read MoreOn The 4th Day of Thanks
Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest (CSNW) could not do what it does without the generous support of such compassionate, caring and generous people. We cannot express enough how much we value and thank all those who are part of this sanctuary family. (Read more in the first, second and third days of giving thanks). In the spirit…
Read MoreEye Contact
Eye contact can be a powerful and effective way of communicating between individuals. Sometimes all it takes to form a deep and everlasting connection with someone is to stare into each other’s eyes. No words need to be exchanged to solidify the connection or explain what the other is thinking. A long gaze into each…
Read MoreKongs for Evening Enrichment
Another one of our evening enrichment puzzles is putting nuts, peanut butter or mashed up banana into holes in kongs. The chimpanzees use their fingers or a tool (or a combination of both) to get at the tasty treats inside, but sometimes the treats can be pretty tough to get out. Jamie spent the better…
Read MoreEvening Enrichment
Each day we put out various enrichment items for the chimpanzees based on some sort of theme like “tea party day” or fort day”. These enrichment items include things like blankets, dora and troll dolls, boots, wooden and plastic toys, containers etc. This way the chimps can choose to use or not use the enrichment…
Read MoreKnowledge and Responsibility
I’m often told how great it must be to have a job caring for chimpanzees and I have to agree. There are so many highlights of working at Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest. Of course, there are the chimpanzees, each with their own unique and inspiring qualities. And there are the incredibly compassionate and dedicated staff members,…
Read MoreEnjoying the Sunshine and the Tea Party
The chimpanzees were excited to make the most of the sunshine this morning by spending time on Young’s Hill. Jody was the first to venture outside, followed by Burrito, Jamie, Foxie, Missy and then Annie. Negra was close; she made it to the raceway that leads out to the hill, then sat down and looked…
Read MoreRainy day
Sometimes on a rainy day, all I want to do is cuddle up with a blanket or two and read a good book or even take a nap. That has not been the case for Jamie today. She has kept herself quite active with the help of volunteer caregiver Becca, despite the rain. She has…
Read MoreBest of today
There were so many good photos of each of the chimpanzees that I had to share them all on today’s blog. It’s really hard to pick a favorite. Annie’s beauty is beyond words. Missy actually sat still long enough for us to get a few photos. Foxie enjoyed her pears at breakfast. Perhaps they taste…
Read MoreStarting the day out right
Burrito was the first chimpanzee I saw this morning. He was sitting in the last front room looking out the window with the morning light shining on his face. It was such a peaceful moment. And then we made eye contact; and from that moment on, he was ready to go. And by go, I…
Read MorePoint A to Point B
What is the quickest way to get from point A to point B? Well, for Missy chimpanzee, that means taking the tight rope walk across the fire hose railing to get to the platform on top of the climbing structure. Once she made it to the top platform, she took a moment to look out…
Read MoreLips
I’ve recently been asked about how we receive kisses from the chimpanzees. The simple answer is that the chimpanzees extend their lips through the wire caging toward us and we put the back of our hand up towards their lips. But, words can only describe so much; pictures actually show it. So, today I tried…
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