With the frigid temperatures remaining, but most of the snow gone by yesterday, we awoke to yet a few more inches of fresh snow this morning! For whatever reasons, the chimpanzees LOVE to eat snow (and icicles!) so we put out several buckets again, topped to the brim with the fresh, powdery stuff. As the snow eating forage went on we could see some of the chimps shiver occasionally, covering up in blankets, slapping the ground seemingly experiencing a bit of “brain-freeze” and yet still, they continued to shovel the snow treats in with gusto and excitement!
Jamie eventually gathered her buckets around and covered herself up completely with a sheet. At first, we couldn’t tell who it was under there:
At one point, she finally laid down and playfully buried herself in her nest completely, occasionally popping her head out…
…only to go back to eating more snow from her nest:
Finally, Jamie had enough and like an apparition, she headed upstairs to the warmer loft completely covered in her sheet. You can just make out her bum and the heel of her boot under there:
And then there’s Foxie. This girl was so cold she was shivering, but was too excited to stop eating the snow!
The chimp house is kept at a toasty temperature and they have radiant floor heating, but all that snow eating would make anyone cold! We decided we needed to warm the chimpanzees up so we offered hot tea service for everyone afterward which was quite a hit. But isn’t that one of the best things about wintertime? Feeling the elements down to your bones and then getting to warm up with a cozy treat afterward?
While this might not always be considered to be the most ideal of locations for a chimpanzee sanctuary, the four seasons we have here bring so much to the chimpanzees lives for them to explore and experience. I would think after decades of darkness and deprivation, having such a variety for their senses and minds to experience would make life feel that much more…well, alive.
Wonderful post and great pictures!
Oh my – beautiful pictures! Jamie and Foxie are adorable. They are so cold but yet they keep eating the snow. High tea in the afternoon – what a great idea to warm them up:) Thank you for all the wonderful care that you give them.
Fabulous post! Thank you for sharing this with us.
So precious! So endearing! They are irresistible to me!!!
This is such a wonderful post Katelyn!! Jamie under that sheet, with her boot, suffering from freeze brain — I can’t stop giggling. Jamie needed a thick heavy fleece blanket not just a bed sheet — silly girl. There is nothing better than a hot cup o’ tea on cold wintery day, what a fun treat for them. I enjoy seeing the chimps get the most out of every season, we should all be more like them (I grumble at snow!!). CSNW brings a richness to their lives, and yes, it is such a drastic contrast to the deprivation and darkness of their past.
Thank you! It brings me such joy knowing these seven chimpanzees are so well cared for and loved.
I think they are in the perfect place.
I wonder what they’d do if presented with a Snow-Cone? *giggle*
Great Post and great idea with something warm to drink after.
Just fab post! I giggled and smiled throughout. Made my day. Thank you for all you do, and with such imagination! That’s extra special. You’re just not just providing food and shelter, you’re nurturing them physically, mentally and spiritually. You may not feel you should take pride in what you do but sometimes you should. Give yourself a pat on the back. I expect the chimps would, too. And then blow some raspberries.