We’ve spent a lot of time on this blog discussing group formation, or introductions, so you probably know by now that they are at once the greatest and most terrifying activity you can take part in as a chimpanzee caregiver. While I wouldn’t put them in the same category, reintroductions can be a bit of a roller coaster, too. Reintros occur any time a group is reformed after a period apart. This is commonly due to medical isolation of one or more members but it can also occur if a group is moved to a new facility or if an institution practices fission-fusion management, wherein individuals are routinely moved between groups (I dislike the use of the term fission-fusion in the captive context but I don’t get to make the rules). Most reintroductions are fairly easy, as the group members have already worked out their relationships. But if a group is separated immediately after a bad conflict for the purpose of treating injuries, they may need to be reintroduced more carefully—even from scratch—lest they immediately pick up where they left off. Whether or not the participants had a chance to reconcile in those cases can make a big difference.
Regardless of the reason for separation, some chimps do not reintro quietly. Males, in particular, seem to fear that everyone forgot who they were while they were gone. REMEMBER ME? THAT’S RIGHT, I AM STILL LARGE AND MAKE LOUD SOUNDS! DO NOT MISTAKE MY ABSENCE FOR WEAKNESS, FOR I HAVE REMAINED STRONG THIS WHOLE TIME AND HAVE COME TO RECLAIM MY POSITION! I pick on the males, of course, but only because their behavior is so familiar. In reality, chimps do sometimes have good reason to fear that the social order changed while they were away and they are right to test the waters when they return.
Willy B has been separated from his group a number of times over the last two years so we felt confident letting him meet the whole group at once, but given his, uh, peculiarities, you can’t help but get a few butterflies as you watch him reestablish himself.
It’s nice to see how the group tolerates him, and even comforts him when he needs it, despite his frequent awkward jerkiness. Willy B remains a special project for CSNW, one that occupies a lot of our collective brain power and dominates the discussion at most every staff meeting. What to do about Willy B? While we’re still searching for the right answer, I’m glad that his group mates are able to extend a little sympathy now and again to a guy that could really use some.
