This morning I opened the door to Young’s Hill and 6 chimpanzees poured out onto the hill to investigate any changes that might have happened overnight in their 2 acre outdoor enclosure. Moments after opening the door, Negra surprised me by venturing out as well. I expected her to stop and maybe eat a little Autumn grass before going back inside, but instead she continued further out onto the hill and climbed a structure where she could overlook the valley below the sanctuary. Negra is mainly motivated by food and comfortable beds, and she seems to go outdoors primarily to forage, so I was pretty excited for her to feel secure enough to go out on the hill, just to get some sunshine and enjoy the view.
After taking a few photos, I left her to clean the playroom. Twenty minutes later, I peaked out the window and saw that she was still there, with the same dreamy look in her eyes! Elizabeth took a few more photos.
When Negra is outside, the other chimps get pretty excited about it too. Today, Missy and Jamie surrounded her for some grooming.
