You may remember, several months ago I asked you all if you had additional questions about the integration of the two chimpanzee groups, or integrations in general, for a follow-up discussion I was recording with Jen Feuerstein. I finally put together both parts of the video together, and it’s now public for anyone to view.It’s a long one, but you can skip ahead to the second part if you’ve already seen the first.
We’re always open to answering questions, as you know, so do feel free to ask us anything that we may have left out of the discussion, and we’ll do our best to answer!
Overall, I would just say that for me personally, introductions between chimpanzees is the most stress-inducing thing I’ve voluntarily done. I can’t give enough praise to all of the staff who really made the introductions happen. And to Cy. And, especially, to Jen.
Thank you Diana, and Jen, for putting this together. I am looking forward to watching when I can watch quietly without interruption.
Diana, I watched Part 1 of the interview again and then the second part. Very interesting and fun.
Thank you to both!
What a great follow-up! So many interesting concepts and knowledge that I hadn’t considered, such as low value versus high value foods and types of enrichment to avoid competition and conflicts during the early days of integration and relationship development. The expertise and skills of the caregivers and Jen have been put in the spotlight during integration and it’s been amazing to witness. It’s kind of like being a proud mom to see all of the years of education, experience, and expertise come together to facilitate such a complex, dynamic, and rewarding integration. Of course, I’m not forgetting Cy’s leadership abilities and all-around awesomeness! We all knew he was top-notch from the get-go!
And on a side note, I totally relate to Jen seeking out the animals at parties! I’ve done this so many times!
It’s always good to learn more about chimp behavior. Thanks for taking time to follow-up with Jen and posting the discussion.