Had to share this last photo of the day. Negra and what’s left of the pumpkin:
Archive for October, 2009
Negra and a Pumpkin
Saturday, October 31st, 2009Birthday/Halloween Video
Saturday, October 31st, 2009As promised!
Happy Halloween-Birthday, Jamie!
Saturday, October 31st, 2009You can give both Jamie and her caregiver Elizabeth a birthday gift through Elizabeth’s birthday wish on Facebook!
Below are a few photos of Jamie (and her special pumpkin) from the morning/afternoon party. Jamie thanks Robbi, Stephanie P., Tamela, Margaret, Cari and Jeanie for the birthday goodies.
Stephanie brought Jamie a pair of cowboy boots for her birthday and she loves them! She picked one up right away and has been carrying it around with her all day. You can see the sole of the boot in the photo above – it’s tucked into Jamie’s groin pocket. It’s very windy today, but Jamie and I just played chase outside for a couple of minutes – a sign that she is in a great mood! J.B. will post a video in just a bit showing more of the party. Happy Halloween everyone!
Smiling?
Thursday, October 29th, 2009For me, going to Blockbuster or Hollywood Video to look for a movie is always an interesting experience. It never fails- I will see a movie with a chimp on the cover “smiling”. This facial expression that we, as humans, understand as a happy face is not a happy face for a chimpanzee. A “human smile” displayed by a chimpanzee is actually a “fear grimace” and is displayed when a chimp is afraid or excited. When a chimpanzee is used for entertainment purposes, they are trained to fear grimace for the camera. I thought, in this regard, I would post some pictures to demonstrate the difference between a fear grimace and a chimpanzee smile.
Below is an older picture of Jody displaying a fear grimace. If I had to guess, I would say she was afraid someone might steal her watermelon…
Here is a picture of Jody with a playface or a chimpanzee smile. THIS is a happy chimpanzee:
and a happy Foxie:
Blankets needed at WAO
Thursday, October 29th, 2009Wild Animal Orphanage (also known as Animal Sanctuary of the United States) is a sanctuary in San Antonio, Texas under new leadership. They are currently seeking donations to help their animals and prepare for the winter. WAO is home to former biomedical research chimpanzees, some of whom J.B. and I met on a visit to the sanctuary in 2001.
CSNW is fortunate to have a wonderful support network that has provided the Cle Elum Seven with an abundance of some of the items on the WAO wishlist. So, instead of sending your blankets, clothes, sheets and towels to us, please send them to WAO for the chimpanzees, smaller primates, and other animals living there – they need you too! They have posted their wishlist on the homepage of their website: www.wildanimalorphanage.org
Dirty work
Wednesday, October 28th, 2009Much of each day here at CSNW is spent cleaning. At 8:30 every morning, we invite the chimpanzees into the front rooms (four adjoining rooms adjacent to the playroom) for breakfast, and if everybody chooses to come in, staff and volunteers then enter the playroom and begin a thorough cleaning. The process usually takes about an hour and a half; during this time, the chimps occupy themselves in the front rooms by playing, nesting, or watching us clean (Jamie, especially, is always very interested in what we’re doing). Once we’re all finished and locked up, the chimps move to the playroom and we repeat the cleaning routine in the front rooms.
Here is a video of the daily playroom cleaning routine. It’s exhausting for sure, but it’s all part of providing a nice home for the Cle Elum Seven.
New view
Tuesday, October 27th, 2009The chimpanzees got to check out the new window today. The window replaced an extra door that went from the playroom to the outdoor area. J.B. still had some work to do on the outdoor area side, so we went out to say hello to the chimps through the window. In the meantime, the Poppoff crew was still hard at work in the mud (but no rain today) getting things ready for the foundation that will be part of the greenhouse structure going over the outdoor area. Workin workin again!
Jamie, of course, was the first to inspect the window
Jody was also very curious
It’s difficult to see, but Jamie and J.B. are “touching” hands through the glass in the photo below
For context – here is a zoomed-out view. The new window is to the left, the chimp door that we use from the playroom to the outdoor area is to the right. The two windows on top are just above the catwalk in the playroom.
Foxie likes the new window too
Many of the chimps watched J.B. working all day. Below is Jamie making sure J.B. is doing a good job (or maybe seeing how things come apart!)
Workin workin
Monday, October 26th, 2009Today we’re under construction! We broke ground on our greenhouse project (enclosing the outdoor area in a removable greenhouse so that the chimps can use that space more in the winter months) and we’re replacing one of our pneumatic doors with a clear glass window. That means that the chimps are closed in the front rooms only today, so we’ve been busy entertaining them. Right now, Burrito is watching a video. Jamie just finished some art projects, after watching Jackie paint the wall in the playroom. Missy is eager to play (as always!) and I just got done playing chase with her. Negra and Jody have been nesting all day and Foxie has been busy playing with her trolls. Earlier Missy lifted Annie off her feet in a game of wrestle! We’ve had raisin boards and seed forages and all kinds of healthy treats.
Here are some photos of the work in progress. First, here’s Matt Poppoff working on the concrete prep for the greenhouse. It’s a yucky rainy day so we’re especially grateful to Matt and Poppoff Inc for helping out today.
Getting ready to take the door out:
It’s out!
The window is installed in this picture, though it’s so clear you can’t even see it:
And here are some pics of the chimps. Missy working on a raisin board:
Jamie with her raisin board:
Burrito
Saturday, October 24th, 2009
Fun with yarn
Thursday, October 22nd, 2009In many biomedical labs, chimps don’t get any enrichment (i.e. blankets, toys, etc.). It’s hard to imagine spending 30+ years without anything to pass the time, when something as simple as a ball of yarn can keep Burrito and Jamie busy for hours.
