Chimpanzees are known for their ability to evaluate situations and find some pretty novel ways to handle the task at hand. Everyday, the chimpanzees are provided with numerous items throughout the day as enrichment. One of these items is a long, plastic tube. Jamie generally uses it to reach items just beyond her reach, or to groom the human caregivers. Burrito uses it to play tug-o-war. And every body uses it as a straw when we provide them with buckets of diluted Gatorade. At the end of each dinner service, we also provide the chimpanzees with nighttime food puzzles. The purpose of these puzzles is to exercise their cognitive functions, help promote natural behaviors, and to try to alleviate boredom. And every so often, they surprise us when two-and-two are put together.
Last night’s evening food puzzle were small PVC tubes. The purpose of this puzzle is to promote one of chimpanzees’ natural behaviors: fishing. In the wild, chimpanzees have been found to fish for termites, grubs, and honey. They will find a stick and modify it to suite the situation. They will adjust the length, girth, and the leaves depending on what they are fishing for, and where it is hidden. Here, caregivers put a smear of peanut butter, smashed fruit (bananas, avocados, etc) applesauce, or honey in PVC tubes for the chimpanzees to fish out. The chimpanzee’s are also provided a tool in the form of a chopstick. Some just use their fingers, while others use the chopstick they are provided. Last night, we were pretty amazed that Honey B decided she had an even better tool: the long plastic tube. It was so efficient, she waited patiently for Willy B and Mave (who were using chopsticks and fingers) to be done with theirs, collected them up, and got the peanut butter missed by both of them.
As mentioned before, the chimpanzees use these tubes as straws as well. Usually for buckets of diluted Gatorade or sometimes for their breakfast smoothie. Annie is one who is more likely to use a straw for her smoothie. That is, until caregiver Anthony witnessed her using the tube to siphon smoothie from Jamie’s cup as Jamie was drinking from it!
These chimpanzee people never cease to amaze and surprise us with their actions!
Lastly, an update on Jody. Jody was recovering so well and wanted nothing more to be back with her group, we decided she was well enough to be brought back into the group. She flew into the playroom and was greeted with a sincere hug by Annie.
Wow — isn’t Annie getting brave, siphoning the Boss’s smoothie!
Methinks Annie is pushing for a fight in the lunch room. :o)
Honey B is so smart!
So happy to hear Jody is well and back with her friends.
I honestly hope the one with the red cup got his breakfast after his got sucked up.
Actually it’s “she”. Jamie is the “Boss” of the sanctuary, and trust me, she has stolen sooooo many times that she probably deserved this! It’s particularly funny, because Annie is one of the lower ranking chimps and, Jamie being the boss and sometimes a bully, I loved watching her see this happen and not be able to do a thing about it without dropping that cup!
My thoughts exactly. I had a good laugh watching it. Jamie reduced to crouching down to get the remainder, after working to get the cup away from the invading tube, did elicit a sympathetic “Awww poor Jamie” from me though. This one is a contender for best CNW video, in my opinion.
I could hear you chuckling on that video, Anthony! I absolutely looooved seeing Annie get hers back! Btw, the child safety controls have turned off your comments on YouTube again
Okay, the ending might make this my new favorite funny video.
A+ to Honey B for her ingenuity. Pure genius!
And I cannot get over Annie siphoning Jamie’s smoothie as Jamie keeps trying to lower her cup to escape Annie’s straw. To add insult to injury Annie slurps away as she hits the bottom of the glass. This killed me! I was laughing out loud. How did Annie get away with that?!
I am thrilled to hear Jody is back in the fold where she belongs. My fingers are crossed there will no more surprise visits to your fancy new clinic this year. Great video, thanks so much.
What a crack up !
OK, my favorite part is when Jamie gives Annie that WTF ? Look. 🙂
And smarty-pants Honey B. Was making my mouth water watching her work so hard, and I don’t even like peanut butter!
I don’t have peanut butter often, but when I do I’m reminded how good it is. I can see that on Honey B’s face. And how clueless Jamie is that somebody is stealing her smoothie! Thanks for the great video, I really appreciate you taking the time to film these moments.
I sat down for my first cup of coffee and I simply had to watch your video again. This kills me! I love Honey B’s creative thinking, that tube was made for her enrichment toy (seriously, did any of you think of those two tools being the perfect fit?!). And Burrito giggling with J.B. is pure sunshine! I love that goofy boy. But Annie and Jamie and the audacious smoothie grab just makes be laugh out loud, like belly-laugh-out-loud! The way Annie just tosses the tube when she’s done slurping the bottom of Jamie’s cup, grabs her little night bag and heads off to bed as if it was actually Jamie’s job to hold the cup, it is just so funny. And there sits Jamie, sheepishly, like what just happened?! A very funny role reversal. Can’t stop laughing!
Might have to start each day with this video. Thanks! I needed this. Xoxo