Jody often takes it upon herself to oversee the goings-on at the sanctuary. She wants everything to proceed as smoothly as possible. When we’re shifting the chimps to close off an area for cleaning, Jody sometimes hangs back in the doorway, ushering everyone through with an outstretched arm, and only going through herself when she’s confident that everyone else is accounted for. When the sanctuary is infiltrated by an unwelcome mouse or snake or squirrel, Jody is at the front lines of the war, bravely fighting for the safety of her chimp family.
While volunteer caregiver Becca was serving lunch to the chimpanzees in the greenhouse this afternoon, Jody was keeping a close eye on Young’s Hill. As soon as lunch was over, she ventured out and was on high alert. She was convinced that there was something of concern happening on the opposite side of the hill, but none of the other chimps seemed at all worried, and Jody didn’t seem to be able to work up the courage to go investigate on her own. Instead, she stood at a safe distance and monitored the situation.
After a few minutes, she seemed reassured that no one was in immediate danger, and she retreated to the greenhouse for a well-deserved rest.
