If you’ve been following the blog for awhile you are probably aware that we talk a lot about enrichment for the chimpanzees. Things for them to play with, nest with, investigate, use as tools, make projects with, encourage natural behaviors, or use for whatever comes to their minds. Even the best facilities for captive chimpanzees will never be able to fully replicate their natural lives in the wild. And chimpanzees, who experience the world in much the same way that humans do emotionally and intellectually, are going to get bored in captivity at some point, despite the best of care. Keeping their active minds busy and their days interesting is one of the biggest challenges we face as caregivers.
We provide a variety of items for the chimps each day and everything comes out each morning to be cleaned and is replaced with new items. For the humans, there are two enrichment calendars hanging in the chimp house, one for daytime enrichment and one for evening enrichment. Each day, thanks to Keri, our Enrichment Coordinator, notes a particular “theme” for the day and a particular food puzzle for the evening. For example for daytime enrichment it might be “trolls in socks” day, “yellow” day, or “garden” day. The themes are really a way for the humans to think outside the box and try to present the same things in a new and interesting way for the chimps.
The enrichment theme for today was “giant pile” meaning that after we cleaned the chimp house, we put their fresh blankets and enrichment for the day in a giant pile in the middle of playroom. The chimps each took turns collecting the items they wanted from the pile and went their way. Jody took her time and pulled together quite a array of items she needed to nest with. After choosing an armful of blankets, she found a paper bag and decided to make a lovely wadge as she looked out over the garden. A wadge is a ball of food or something fibrous that chimps like to place in their bottom lips to suck on.
Once Jody had her blankets and wadge situated, she chose the dolls she needed. She decided on two trolls and a Dora doll, sticking two in her pelvic pocket and carrying one. Then she headed upstairs to find a quiet corner to construct her nest.
But it can be precarious carrying all of that stuff upstairs and once Jody reached the loft, she dropped one of the trolls down below. Much to my surprise, she came all the way back downstairs, rescued the fallen baby, and decided while she was at it she should grab some more blankets. Then she headed back upstairs with another precarious load covering her head. It’s hard work gathering the perfect nesting accessories.
I seriously love this page. I’ve learned so much!!! And the chimps are such interesting beings! Thank you!!
Interesting post. I learn something new about these wonderful beings every day
I love educational posts. Thanks for this interesting one! I learned a lot from it.
I believe Jody deliberately dropped that one troll doll just so she could toddle on down to gather up more blankets! The troll was just a decoy. ; ) The top 5 photos of Jody holding tight to her blankets while she prepares herself are just so sweet. I love her eyelashes. Great post!
What wonderful engaging intelligent creatures. I am enraptured. Following these chimpanzees, and others, as well following the plight of elephants in circuses, poaching and their other threats, has expanded my world view and taken me out of myself. This blog is a cure for human self-importance if I ever saw one.
Beautifully, eloquently, and perfectly stated!
Thanks Dax, a lovely compliment. Cheers.
THERE ARE SO MANY FEELINGS SURFACING FOR ME I HAD ONLY RECENTLY LEARNED THE ABUSE CHIMPS LIVE WITH EVERYDAY.I love all the videos the chimps u and many other sanctuaries give these primates of ABUSE NEGLECT & TORTURE they deserve so much better from Homo sapiens.I am more proud of being closely related to chimps.the chimpanzees from laboratories should be able to lock isolate sedate prod probe and what ever they feel like doing to people who support these criminals of humanity srry had to say it been watching videos for months i have probably watched every you tube chimpanzee clip there is and been going to the columbus ohio zoo to just be by them even when there exhibit is empty