Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

Interrupted play

by Debbie

Today Burrito and Foxie were wrestling and chasing and just being super playful in the greenhouse. Their laughter got to be pretty loud, and I think it caught Jamie’s attention…

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…She came out to see what was going on, and stepped right between Burrito and Foxie to interrupt their play.

This is a very boss-like thing to do in chimp society. We (lovingly) refer to Jamie as the “party police” because of instances like this.

But this time, she didn’t cease all playing—instead, she immediately started wrestling with Foxie and began to play “tug-o-troll” with her.

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Comments

  1. Nancy Lewis says

    So was Burrito then left out of the play when Jamie butted in? Or was he allowed to play with them? I work with greyhounds and the dogs that get snarky when the others are playing, we call the ‘fun police’. 🙂

    • Debbie says

      Nancy, Burrito ended up going off to do his own thing. It’s not unusual in chimp society for a lower-ranking individual to be displaced by the most dominant, and they move on pretty quickly.

  3. Kathleen says

    I love photos 4 and 5, the looks on the faces of Burrito and Foxie say “On no, busted!”

    And I have to ask like Nancy and Diane, what happened to sweet Burrito?! I know your past post mentioned that he gets “shy” and can turn his back or close his eyes as if to say to Jamie “I can’t see you”. Did Burrito continue in the play or was he pushed aside for The Boss.

    • Debbie says

      Kathleen, see my comment to Nancy above 🙂

      I love their faces in those photos, too. I think I even labeled them as “nothing going on here.” 🙂

      • Kathleen says

        Both Burrito and Foxie took their toys out of their mouths when Jamie came in closer…….. any significance to this move? It makes them both look “more serious”. ; )

        • Kerri says

          Kathleen- I can’t decide if they look more serious or more guilty. That’s “nothing going one here” if I’ve EVER seen it. 😉
          Those playmates are the best!!

  4. Kerri says

    #4- “oh (bleep), we’re busted”
    #5- “be cool, be cool”
    #6- “score! No one got “in trouble”, it’s on!”
    ……..
    #8- “if anyone is gonna have fun around here, it’s going to be the FUN police”