We humans sometimes have to rethink the traditional way we look at food when we are considering it for the chimpanzees. The chimps might see something we cut off and compost as more of a snacking challenge.
A great example of this is the pineapple top.
So just because it might seem slightly weird and fibrous to a caregiver, doesn’t mean it’s not delicious to a chimpanzee.
Chimpanzees enjoy alfalfa cubes
And fruit peels
Cattails and corn cobs
Fresh picked weeds
Green grass
Pine needles
And that tough part on the top of a leek.
Dear Neggie,
I wish you the top of the pineapple….always!
Thank you CSNW for always providing the chimps with countless food choices, always something for everyone. Out of everything you mentioned, the pineapple crown is the one food delicacy that blows my mind — really? Ouchie. But like you point out, this is the beauty of it all. (And thanks for the big photo of Neggie with her tough leak top. Look at her sweet face, clearly a favorite!)
I noticed the chimps hsve to get their energy up and eat a lot daily, but how does that work with burrito the only make? Shouldn’t the males be eating much more then the females. How do you handle that.
Hi Janet,
Burrito isn’t actually the largest chimpanzee in the group, and doesn’t need more than the others to manage his weight. In general, we serve all the chimps about the same amount of food, but we do limit Negra’s portions a little since she is curvier than the others. Jody too gets a little less chow for breakfast and lunch since she has had a bit of a belly in the past.
Thanks for that answer…I’ve always wondered about Neggie,considering that lettuce is her favorite! But I guess age and all of that sitting around…….
Do you find that the times you limit Jamie’s portions correlate with the times she pulls rank and steals someone else’s chow?
Hi Linda,
We only limit Negra and Jody’s portions of chow. Jamie pulls rank most when she really likes something or when she wants to test her caregivers.