Chimpanzees are very territorial and they are quick to respond if an “intruder” is spotted in their territory. If the intruder is someone who elicits fear or concern in the chimps they will respond by a vocalization known as “alarm calling.” This morning while the humans were cleaning the chimp house we suddenly heard loud alarm calls coming from Young’s Hill. When I ran out to see what all the hubbabaloo was about I could tell the chimpanzees had discovered a snake basking in the warmth of “Negra’s Cabin” and were banding together (well, with the exception of Burrito and Negra who watched from the safety of the greenhouse) to handle the situation.
After the crisis was averted everyone gathered in the doorway to Young’s Hill, their heads sticking out to survey the hill. But fierce Foxie bravely marched out all on her own, stood bipedally a safe distance from the cabin and gave things a final look to make sure the coast was clear for her family. Foxie may be little, but she is fierce.
Really interesting! Who was under the cabin trying to flick the snake away? Whomever it was is very brave.
I assume their instinct tells them what to do as they never saw snakes in the awful labs.They know to work as a group and challenge the intruder. Burrito is no fool..let the women handle a snake!!
I am hoping the snake was just a garden snake and nothing more serious. Have they ever caught a snake and gotten rid of it?
Thanks for sharing with us.
Hi Sherry,
That was Jamie trying to flick the snake away. When the chimps first arrived the tiniest of garter snakes terrified them (understandably) and no one would go near them, let alone touch them. As time has gone on they’ve gotten braver in dealing with them, but it’s still a big deal. Unfortunately, they do sometimes catch the snakes and it’s usually Jamie who flings them through the air or otherwise gets rid of them. We rescue the snakes (or other animals) whenever we can, but it’s pretty difficult unless they end up in the chimp house drain and we can flush the drain and catch them on the human side. 🙂 We do have rattlesnakes in the area, but there is a snake fence that surrounds the chimp house and Young’s Hill that has been effective keeping them out. Thanks for your questions!
Maybe a dumb question but how does the snake fence keep out rattlesnakes and not garter snakes? Thanks for your time!
Hi Holly, thanks for your great question! I had to check-in with JB! ???? There are two reasons: 1) the rattlesnakes den up in the rock cliffs and only come down during the summer, so when we fenced in Young’s Hill they weren’t already living inside like the garter snakes were, and 2) rattlesnakes are capable of climbing but don’t like to, so they don’t go over fences as readily as some other species.
Thanks Katelyn! I would assume then that the snake fence was installed months before chimps ventured out into the enclosure in September. I had been trying to figure out for months how the garter snakes got in and the rattlers didn’t. As long as there is not some freak incident of a birds of prey (which feed on snakes) dropping one while flying over everyone is very safe. :-). Mathematicians would have a hay day trying to calculate the probability of that ever happening. lol lol When you guys expand you’ll have to get in one of those reptile scent dogs to clear the area.
Thanks so much for answering questions!!! I think I only have another 998. 🙂
Is it Jody who is the one acting as the Snake Wrangler in the beginning of this video?! If so, I am very impressed, well done. But all in all, Missy, Jody and Jamie braved a very scary situation (and we all know how Jamie feels about snakes!). I wish you had captured Foxie, the sentinel guard, stepping out for the final once over. Thanks for sharing the excitement with us. I too get spooked by snakes (and BATS!) so I get exactly where Annie was coming from.
Hi Kathleen, Jody and Missy were in the beginning of the video, but it was Jamie who came in and attempted to flick the snake away. They were all very brave. 🙂
Interesting video. Hopefully the snake will stay away.
Jamie is such a brave and intelligent little soul. Heading into battle with the intruder with her family at her side. So valiant! I can only imagine how pleased she must have been with herself. Shes so sassy! Every time I see her, I always flash back to when we first met last month when my Primatology class came to visit. She’s so hard to miss with that vivid personality of hers.
I wondered how Jamie knew what a snake was when she got all agitated looking at a picture in her book. Thought maybe it was just instinct but now I understand that they have seen the real thing in person and that is why she ripped the picture out of her book. But I guess a bit of instinct is still evident that she (they) know it may be small but it is dangerous. Guess you all worry that one of them will get bit by a rattlesnake…it would take a considerable amount of time to round the rest of them up so that you can safely get to the one that was bitten.
that was exciting !!!!!