Posts tagged great ape
Many of you know I volunteer photographing the chimps and animals at Fauna Foundation. This is the handsome Toby, who I have a tremendous fondness for. I have spent many quiet mornings shooting him up in his tree house. I found his expression in this photo to be so profoundly moving-his eyes cast down and his hands tucked in under his chin. He looks like such a thoughtful, old soul. I felt the sepia treatment supported his expression…
Follow the lives of these extraordinary chimpanzees on tumblr and facebook.
I love photographing the Binkster. He is his own art director, asking to see the photos on my LCD after every shoot. He generally likes to look at them twice. If you are interested in chimps or sanctuary life, you should check out Fauna.
Meet Binky-he’s still looking around for some leftover Christmas treats…
Blessings from the chimps at Fauna. Please keep these wonderful souls in your prayers today.
To all of our generous American fans and followers, we wish you a very happy Thanksgiving.
Their fingers and hands mesmerize me.
“The greatest danger to our future is apathy.” Jane Goodall
We are trying to get to 2000 Facebook “likes” by November 12th. Please consider lending us a hand!
I was very happy with the emotion in this shot. Sue Ellen had been relaxing up in the skywalk and she just peeked around the corner for a moment to see who was making all the noise (that would be me.) She looked right at me and I loved the way her eyes looked inside the matching copper “frame.” These creatures living at Fauna are truly magical. What a privilege to spend time with them-especially these little one-on-one moments.
The gorgeous Sue-Ellen.
I was so happy to get this shot. It is the first time Chance has let me photograph her. She is so gorgeous with all her glorious silvery hair. During her 14 years in the lab, Chance had a terrible time and would bite her fingers, pull out her hair and slap herself continually. Now she lives a better life at Fauna where she has learned valuable social skills from her chimp family. Please read Chance’s incredible story here. If you are not already following faunachimps, I am sure they would welcome your support.
The gorgeous Chance!
I found this fascinating and thought perhaps, you might as well. I had never seen chimp’s teeth-I certainly was impressed with these canines. They were much larger than I imagined. My first shot at Still Life “dental” photography…
These are Binky’s teeth.
This summer Fauna’s fabulous vet Dr. Bezner paid us a visit so she could investigate the infected air sack in Spock’s mouth. Because of the wonderful ways of Dr. Bezner, and the brilliant work of Anna, our enrichment coordinator, the examination was a great success. Kudos to Anna who specifically trained Spock to present his throat for a full examination. We were all very proud of him and thankful to Dr. Bezner, as he did not have to be anesthetized or have a surgical procedure. Plus, he enjoyed the attention and especially loved the squirts of juice in his mouth.
Good ol’ Binky saw all the fun and of course, wanted to join in. He came into the room after Spock was done and sat there with Dr. Bezner, completely cooperating. He was relaxed and enjoying his juice squirts when Dr. Bezner discovered his damaged teeth. Poor Bub. One moment he is having a good time, the next he is enduring a three-hour dental procedure. Tooth extractions are a very traumatic experience for a chimp, but Binky would be much healthier with them removed.
After his surgery a fascinating discovery was made. Inside one of his canines, Binky had lodged a small piece of plastic, clearly trying to find a way to ease his discomfort. The staff remembered seeing him working on his mouth in the mirror and it is likely this self-treatment must have been what he was trying to accomplish. (You can see the plastic in the top tooth in the picture.) It is not uncommon in the wild for animals to treat their injuries or discomforts with plants etc. Binky improvised by choosing something in his surroundings that might help him with relief.
After Binky was up and around, he was shown his teeth for inspection. He was curious about them and gave them a good sniff before turning away. Over the next few days, he would use a small mirror to examine the holes in his mouth and try to manipulate his stitches. It was a slow healing process and his diet was modified daily to accommodate his discomfort and healing. Thankfully, he has made a full recovery and although he looks a little different without those canines, he is once again making his wonderful raspberry sounds at everyone. pphhtttt!!
I never tire of photographing their hands. I am mesmerized by them… I still pinch myself that I am able to spend time with these remarkable beings. Please check out their home on tumblr.
It’s back to school time for the chimps-they love recess. Find out how you can help.
May I have another banana please? The charming Rachel at Fauna, enjoying a banana..or six. You can follow their antics on Facebook.
A big kiss to all my new followers courtesy of the gorgeous lips of Sue Ellen at Fauna.
A letter from Fauna’s founder Gloria Grow about Pepper’s final days. It is really quite exceptional.
It was a very sad day yesterday and I am sorry to tell you all that Pepper passed away Wednesday evening with her chimp family around her. Thank-you all who showed your love when I posted her picture earlier this week. Fauna will be releasing details on their blog and website in the coming days and I will let you know.
I came to know Pepper and her 11 chimp family members in the past months volunteering as a photographer at Fauna. It has been a remarkable experience and I can’t quite find the words yet to describe what it has been like getting to know the chimps. Pepper was indeed special. She loved her space outside and when I would arrive early and unload my gear she would often be up above keeping an eye on me. I enjoyed those few quiet moments speaking to her.
Last week when her condition became known to me I was so privileged to get to spend some quiet time with her. I can’t imagine the grief that her human and chimp family are feeling over her loss. I am grateful to have known her and am relieved she passed away peacefully with her friends around her, no longer in a laboratory cage.
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