One of my favorite stories about Jody involves a baby mouse and a top hat. A blue velvet top hat, to be precise. And on a side note, who doesn’t need a blue velvet top hat and why don’t I have one?! But I digress.
A couple years ago, when Jody began exhibiting more of her seemingly natural “den mother” inclinations, I found her lying on her stomach in the greenhouse gently grooming the tiniest of baby mice with her lips. My heart sunk. But again and again, Jody would set the mouse down gently and watch them with seeming concern and curiosity, only to pick them up and touch them with her lips again when they squeaked.
As you may have seen us mention on the blog before, chimpanzees are territorial beings by nature and extremely intolerant toward any other animals being in their home space. Any time any animal is in the chimps’ enclosure we do our best when possible to invite the chimps into another area (i.e., attempt to bribe them with a small treat like gum, for example) in the hopes of being able to close off the area the animal is in and safely enter on a rescue mission. It should also be noted that once something has caught the attention chimps, they are not typically ones to forget about it and walk away. Sadly, I knew this baby mouse was probably not going to make it on their own, but I still wanted to spare it further stress. So we offered the chimps a treat in the front rooms and I was happy to see everyone leave the greenhouse and rush inside. But what did Jody do? Well, she scooped that baby mouse up, grabbed a nearby blue velvet top hat, gently placed the baby inside and carried hat and all into the front rooms to collect her treat.
Once in the front rooms, Jody set the hat on the ground next to her and whenever one of the other chimps would push it aside, she calmly reached out and pulled it back next to her. I waited for Jody to decide that mouse had to go. But she never did. She just sat quietly and continued to guard her mouse and her hat. While the chimps enjoyed their treats, and we watched our rescue plans growing dimmer by the minute, dear, sweet, Annie approached Jody, curious to see what all this top hat business was about. When she looked inside the hat, I suppose she didn’t expect to see a mouse and that woman screamed at the top of her lungs (thank goodness it wasn’t a snake) and tossed the hat and poor mouse across the room in a fright. And Jody silently went to collect them.
I wish I could say that the end went well for that precious wee mouse. And I wish I could say what Jody had been thinking. We were able to finally retrieve the mouse and relocate him or her to a calmer final resting place in the garden. For a story not ending as I would have liked, it remains dear to my heart for some reason. Intriguing, from a behavioral perspective. But mostly, endearing. And somehow, quintessentially Jody.
I captured beautiful Jody enjoying a minute of solitude in the shaded doorway to the greenhouse, inspecting this blue-haired, bunny slipper clad troll doll in much the same way she did that sweet baby mouse. It made me think of that story again. And that blue velvet top hat I still need.
Katelyn, gratitude ?? in sharing the past tale of Jody and her connection with the wee mouse and now her blue haired troll doll. I am sure you will soon being seeing blue velvet top hats. Ask and ya shall receive.
Thank you, Holly. The chimps are complex and fascinating beings. Haha, I suddenly don’t know how I’ve gone this long without a blue velvet top hat! 😉
What a beautiful caring creature!
That is one of the reasons I so adore my pal Jody.
Hi Kay,
It’s impossible to say what Jody was thinking of course, but regardless, she is indeed very endearing.
What a great story! Although Jody’s kindness and concern for others in her troop are well-known, I was not aware of this story until now. Yet another reason that I have to adore my chimpanzee pal. I have every suspicion that she will welcome Mave, Willie, and Missy’s daughter Honey B when the time comes that the seven can become ten.
Hi Tobin,
Yes, the chimps are always surprising, but it’s easy to imagine Jody being a primary member of the Welcome Committee. 🙂
Dear Katlelyn. you have such a magical way of expressing yourself and sharing with us your experiences with these wonderful creatures. Your talent to see the beauty in them and everything surrounding them is amazing. You never disappoint. Thank you for making every day a joy.
Vicki, what a really lovely thing to say, thank you. I’m so grateful to you, and everyone, who sees how special the chimpanzees are.
Wonderful story… what a sweet nature behind those eyes… I must (sadly) admit that I would be Annie in this scenario… no matter how much my mind would like to think I wouldn’t be… I feel we must all now have Blue Velvet Top Hats though… and maybe, just maybe keep a baby mouse in them.
Hi Judy, I’m sure Annie would appreciate the validation. After all, that’s not what one expects to find in a blue velvet top hat. 🙂
A wonderful story wonderfully told, as always, Katelyn!
Off topic…I was thinking tonight, for a different kind of enrichment….I wonder if the chimps would enjoy watching something like “American Ninja Warrior”…? Seeing all those hoomans trying to bracchiate like the chimps….just a crazy thought! Of course, they’re in bed when it comes on, but on a tablet or something
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Thank you, Linda! Thanks for the viewing suggestion. 🙂 Some of the chimps do occasionally enjoy watching various videos or looking at photos on our phones.
I thought maybe Jamie and Missy in particular would like it. It’s You-Tube-able.
Katelyn, thanks for sharing this story about Jody. I agree with everyone, especially Vicki. I greatly appreciate your gift for seeing beauty and wonder in everything everywhere. Especially in these private moments of Jody and her violet haired friend.
That’s so kind of you to say, Kathleen, thank you. There are so many beautiful, seemingly small moments we witness with the chimps throughout the day. And of course, so many not so beautiful moments (by human standards!) as well. 😉 I would be surprised to see this specific one repeated again.They’re fascinating people.
Katelyn…Thank you so much for that special way you have with words (you write so beautifully) because your lovely stories make it easier for us to understand each individual personalities as we learn these intimate details of the individual chimps behavior…The tenderness & gentleness Jody showed to the little baby mouse just reenforces my lifetime of fascination with such magnificent creatures as Chimpanzees …This fascination will stay with me for the rest of my life…(It began well more than a half-century ago when my father dropped me off at the Cincinnati Zoo (most Saturdays for over two years) where I’d just sit in a corner somewhere& observe all the great Apes…& begin my drawings of how I saw each individual animal(I grew up to become an artist & ardent supporter of animal welfare…Wild & domestic animals…especially Chimpanzees…
After reading my posted comment I sure wish I could start all over…It seems I fumbled over what I really wanted to say & was even redundant…I just want everyone to know my passion for Chimps… : ). Bless all of you…
Hi Debi,
I’m always happy if anything I share helps people connect with the chimpanzees, so thank you for your kind words. They’re much appreciated. What you shared was lovely, no fumbling noticed! 🙂 It’s wonderful knowing your childhood days at the zoo inspired a true commitment to the well-being of chimps, and all animals.