Here at the sanctuary, mother nature seems to be making up for the lack of snow the past few years with an abundance over the past few days. This seasonal abundance provides great enrichment for the chimpanzees, who often venture out onto Young’s Hill (the chimps’ outdoor enclosure) to search for the snowy treats. But sometimes on days like today, it snows too hard for them to venture out to gather it themselves, so staff and volunteers bring it in to them.
Today, volunteer caregivers Patti and Stephanie discussed how best to present the snow to the chimps. After figuring out that the snow was not the best for making a snowman, they decided on making little snowballs with raisins inside of them. While they were doing that, staff member Elizabeth filled various containers and a new enrichment barrel with the newly fallen snow.
After cleaning, we brought the snowballs, containers and giant barrel inside and put them out in the Playroom (one of the chimps’ indoor enclosures). There were also large boxes full of paper as part of today’s “Lots of Paper” enrichment theme. We also put out lettuce as a forage item. Before giving the chimps access to the Playroom, we put bets on which of the items the chimps would go for first. Three out of the four of us here today voted that snowballs would be first, followed by the boxes of paper. Which one do you think the chimps went for first?
Well, we forgot to factor in the lettuce forage and that is what all of the chimps went for first, so we all lost the bet I guess. How did you do?
Jamie and Missy did peak into the barrel of snow, then the boxes of paper, but then went right back to foraging for lettuce.
After all the lettuce was eaten, Jamie settled down to do some more thorough investigating of the boxes and barrel of snow.
Much to my surprise, the snowballs were last!
While Jamie was busy with the barrel and boxes, Jody sat on the bridge and ate snow from one of the containers.
After all of the lettuce was finished, Annie, Burrito and Foxie stayed in the loft eating snow from containers but were out of sight and Negra relaxed under a blanket nest.
Kathleen says
What a fun post! I had guessed that Burrito and Negra would go straight for the lettuce forage. Then I had no idea what would be more fun, big boxes of paper, new container (that alone seemed like a curious novelty!), or sweet treat snow balls. Looks as if we were all surprised by the chimps today. Never thought Negra would nap through a lettuce forage.
I love the way you always keep things interesting, even through snowy weeks of winter!
Keri says
Hi Kathleen. Thanks for the comment! I should clarify that everyone did participate in the lettuce forage, especially our dear Negra! All of the chimps went straight for that and after there was no more lettuce to be found, Negra made her way up to her favorite spot in front of the window and put a blanket over herself. And Annie, Burrito and Jody did a great job of keeping themselves out of the spotlight.
Kathleen says
Ah haa! Now that makes perfect sense. Happy to hear Negra was a part of the yummy lettuce forage! And I just LOVE that first photo of Jamie.
Arlene says
That was such an interesting idea to put the raisins inside the snowballs. Glad the snow didn’t melt before they got to it!