Jody’s adventures on/with the hill have been so exciting and fascinating to watch. After the initial excitement of the grand opening of Young’s Hill was over, Jody went back into the outdoor area and stayed there. She monitored the activities on the hill daily, often standing in the raceway tunnel waiting for everyone to come in, and closely inspecting folks upon their return. It took a long time, but once she gained the courage to go out- she went way out! She walked the entire perimeter, exploring every inch of the hill. It was spectacular to watch!
What really struck me while watching her out there was how much she looked back towards the building and the rest of the property. She really seemed fascinated to see parts of the property that she hadn’t seen before- including her home for the last 3+ years. I can’t imagine how strange it would be to live in a house for years and not know what the place looks like from the outside. And after all this time, it must be really satisfying to finally be able to see inside the barn or the garden in it’s entirety, the mountains in the distance, and even just further down the driveway…
I’m so inspired and in awe watching the chimps explore the great unknown and to see their amazing confidence and courage. It makes me not only proud of the chimps, but so proud of this sanctuary. The way I see it- it’s such a huge change from anything they’ve ever known that the chimps really have to trust us to feel comfortable out there. They have to believe that we are taking care of them and that we are still protecting them in this big open space. I feel so proud of our team when I see the chimps out there– and so grateful to our supporters! Just like Jody, it’s a huge accomplishment- we did it! It’s such an amazing thing and definitely something for all to be proud of.
