I think this video answers a couple of FAQs – the two separate groups at the sanctuary do have visual access to each other (the video “Back in the Chute” is still one of my top five from 2022), and we plan to have the separate groups in their respective adjacent habitats at the same time eventually! They will be separated by four fences and space in between. What other questions to you have about the outdoor access plans?
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Jeepers! Is Burrito adorable, or what?! I could spot Dora immediately due to her size. It was interesting to see her scaling the caging next Cy, gave me a better understanding of the two and their size difference. And it’s so nice to see Honey B and Mave back in the chute. Can’t even begin to guess if they will or will not venture out into big open natural world when the time comes. Peer pressure can be everything. 😉
Thanks for the video!
How could anyone resist Burrito. He really puts on a show when he seems them in the chute. We’re hoping peer pressure helps when the day comes!
So I assume the decision has been made not to attempt to integrate the two groups going forward. Is this because of the earlier disappointing result or because at their current ages, any such attempt would be futile.
Because of the past.
Hi Mark – thanks for the question! We don’t have plans to integrate the two groups because of the failed attempt and integration in 2019 and the behavior we saw then. The building is well set up to have two separate groups. We leave anything open for the future as individuals and dynamics may change.
This is encouraging, Diana! This would be almost tolerable to hear on most days! Half of each group didn’t even bother to show up, including The Boss, and Cy seemed unfazed. I hope that’s the way it continues: “yeah, yeah, you’re there, we’re here, ruckus, ruckus, see you tomorrow ”
Bubba sure didn’t like you blocking his clear view,though! :smiley:
Is the snow really gone now?! That’s good.
I think Jamie did make an appearnce at some point but I didn’t film that. She’s fairly low-key (for Jamie) when she sees them ;). Burrito really was trying to tell me to get out of his line of sight! Yes – the snow is almost all gone! Spring is on the way, but not just yet.
Yes, we had temps below 0 and 28mph winds off the water last night, til 1am. There were shingles in my yard this am, I think sll are my neighbor’s
Love this video.. the great communications .. so cool to hear.. and see how they are interacting. 🙂
have any of the second group ever had an outdoor facility like this will be….?
Hi, Diana, I loved this video and once again it demonstrates how much work, huge preparation and foresght goes into planning these facilities to ensure all the residents are happy and healthy. One question I do have though and that is regarding a recent blog video showing one of the caregivers giving Missy(?) her birth control medication. I always assumed that the female chimps were “desexed”.I just wondered what would be the procedure if for some reason the the birth control medication didn’t work and you had a pregnancy on your hands I’m not being moralistic in any way on this issue but I am quite curious. Many thanks, Susan
Hi Susan! I missed your question before. A quick answer is that we have multiple methods in place to prevent unwanted pregnancies, and, just to be clear, any pregnancy would be unwanted – we don’t want to bring more chimpanzees into captivity. So, all of the males have had vasectomies. Like in humas, it’s a much less invasive surgical procedure to perform a vasectomy on a male than a tube tying or hysterectomy on a female. As a back up, the females in the group with males who mate (well, one male who mates – Terry), are also on birth control. We also use birth control for health reasons with Jamie and Jody on the other side of the building. Missy and Foxie had hyterectomies before they came to the sanctuary because they discovered benign tumors in their reproductive systems. Negra has never cycled, and we don’t know why. I hope that answers your question!