Chimps Ahoy
Aging Gracefully…Or Not
Greg and Armond are two of the oldest chimps here at the sanctuary. They have taken two stances on getting older; one is more accepting and the other is not. Learn more about how Greg and Armond are getting used to the aging process.
Read MoreThe Perfected Hand Eating Techniques
No utensils? No problem. Chimpanzees use their hands for basically everything – including eating. They rely on their hands in the same way humans do, if not more! When it comes to eating, the chimps are always showing off their hand eating skills.
Read MoreThe BCS – Weight Management for Captive Chimpanzee Populations
How would you know if a chimp is obese? Or too skinny? A chimpanzee’s body condition is an important indicator of overall physical health. One non-invasive, visual way to help gauge body condition is by using the Body Condition Scoring System, or the BCS.
Read MoreA Hair Plucking Journey
Behavior Coordinator Kate has spent many hours observing when Arielle plucks her hair. Once she understood when the behavior happened the most, she was able to come up with some solutions. Thanks to Kate, Arielle has stopped plucking and her hair has grown back!
Read MoreGirl Power
In the chimp world, females control a lot. Even though chimps live in a patriarchal hierarchy, the girls have a lot of influence. This understanding allows us to perceive chimp life and how it works.
Read MoreAural Hematomas in Chimps
There is normally not a lot of space in this area of the ear so when it fills, it can be very tight and cause an uncomfortable amount of pressure. If due to trauma, there could be bacteria trapped inside and potentially lead to an abscess. As the body tries to fix itself, it sends a lot of its helper white blood cells and tries to remove the blood and repair the aural hematoma.
Read MoreHow many ways can you eat a cucumber?
Chimpanzees eat their food in multiple ways. Each method is unique to that chimp. This helps humans learn more about the chimpanzee as an individual.
Read MoreBoy Meets Girl – Entry #11
Wow! That was amazing to watch them out in the yard today. This group is such a quiet, calm bunch of apes. No one was quite sure who should be in charge of the patrol this morning so there was a bit of a pile up in the tunnel at first, but then Maverick, Justin and Rocko maneuvered around everyone to take the lead and Roxy, Arielle, Tabby, and Moonie joined them. But Lindsey pushed ahead and was at the helm as this group of eight took a stroll to visit the residents in the DJ&T Villa who were watching with amusement from the safety of their outdoor porch.
Read MoreBoy Meets Girl – Entry #10
The group is ready to go outside for the first time together! I wonder if Rosemary will finally be brave enough to go into the habitat with the support of the boys?
Read MoreBoy Meets Girl – Entry #9
Waking the villa up after their first night fully together is another one of those moments that you aren’t ever quite sure what you are about to walk into. Will they have slept peacefully, or will they have stayed up all night getting to know one another and investigating other’s nesting habits and nighttime behaviors
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