Posts by Keri
The Chimps and Young’s Hill
When I think of the chimp that spends the most time in the chimps’ 2 acre outdoor enclosure, I think of Jamie. On any given day, she’s busy walking, watching, inspecting, patrolling and sometimes even just taking in the views, all from Young’s Hill. And when the weather is right, she stays out late until…
Read MoreWhat Does Burrito Love?
Burrito loves food, but he also loves to play, like Jamie loves boots and Foxie loves dolls. He incorporates various enrichment objects that we give to the chimps each day to initiate play (usually it’s a wooden or plastic toy, but sometimes a slinky is involved). He does this by biting on the object, followed…
Read MoreStuffed Socks With Raffia
Every day at the sanctuary has an enrichment theme. This enables staff and volunteers to mix up the various enrichment given to the chimps and how it is given. This way, each day is different. Some examples of these themes include “Fort Day” or “Troll Scarves Day” or “Giant Pile Day” to name a few.…
Read MoreTaking In The View, Together
What could possibly be better than taking in a view like this on such a beautiful fall day? …sharing the view with your best friend (Annie on the left, Missy on the right). These two chimpanzees are the best of friends. They’re constantly playing together and are often in close proximity to one another. They…
Read MoreAn Addition To The Routine
I love that a stop at Twister is now a part of the regular routine for Jamie, while she patrols the perimeter of Young’s Hill. After leaving Twister, she resumed her walk around the inside perimeter of Young’s Hill. Here are a few bonus photos of Jamie on Twister, taken last month.
Read MoreSunflowers
Sometimes you just have to have flowers for the sake of having flowers. These sunflowers caught my eye this morning (they were in my garden) and I thought they could bring a little sunshine to the chimps’ day today. Jody looked at the flowers and then did a taste test. After eating a few, she…
Read MoreJourney to recovery
Each day the Cle Elum Seven continue on their journey to recovery from their former lives in the laboratory. In some ways, it’s hard to believe they’ve been at the sanctuary for over eight years now. Thinking back to the early days and years (and looking at photos from that time), it really hits home…
Read MoreSlow and steady
I love watching the chimpanzees forage for the food we spread throughout Young’s Hill (the chimps’ outdoor enclosure). Each chimp has their own strategy. Jody usually gathers as much food as possible, as quick as possible, before heading back to the Greenhouse to eat. And Foxie tends to eat as she goes and makes multiple…
Read MoreJody’s mission this morning
Following a routine each day allows for the chimps to know what to expect next. We start by serving a snack in the morning shortly after arriving. Then we clean the Greenhouse portion of their enclosure and once that is done, we finish serving breakfast. Sometimes, instead of serving meals, we mix it up by…
Read MoreFun in the morning
Mornings in the chimp house can be pretty exciting. Today, everyone was in a good mood! Watch the video to see what all of the chimpanzees were up to, while the Greenhouse portion of their home was being cleaned.
Read MoreZoomed In and Out
Okay, I’ll admit it, I’m a sucker for close up photos of the chimpanzees. There’s something about seeing every little detail of their faces that draws me in, captivates me and has me wanting to know more about them. Close-ups show every little fold of skin, every freckle, every speck of color in their eyes…
Read MoreBack to a few older favorites
Many of you have probably already seen yesterday’s blog of Foxie with her new doll. Watching the video again, I’m reminded of a question I am often asked regarding how long Foxie carries the same doll before she picks a new one. The answer is, it varies. Sometimes she carries the same doll for days…
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