Chimp to chimp grooming is so much more than just a way to clean up. Sure, there are hygienic reasons to groom, but perhaps more importantly, grooming is a way of strengthening social bonds between group members. As Negra and Jody demonstrate, it takes a fair amount of trust to let someone get so up close and personal with your eyes.
For the love of a challenge
Jamie is an avid tool user. If something falls on the ground outside her enclosure and she knows that it’s within a tool’s reach, she is on it with a vengeance. Today, a couple slippery tomatoes fell during lunch service and she made it her mission to retrieve them as a bonus snack.
Blue sky and acres of silver snow!
This morning the chimpanzees woke up to the first major blanket of snow for the season. Lucky for all of us, it was also a beautiful, bluebird sunshiny day. Jamie made sure to stretch her legs and taste some of the fresh powder out on Young’s Hill.
Laughter is the shortest distance between two people
-Victor Borge
A perfect sentiment for these two unlikely play partners:
Breakfast with Jody
At the sanctuary, breakfast is probably the most exciting meal of the day. Like humans, the chimps have a sweet tooth, so that makes the primarily fruit based meal all the more enjoyable.
Today the chimps devoured pomegranates:
Apples:
And they finished their meal off with a couple bags of primate chow:
Not pictured: peanuts, chewable vitamins, and fruit smoothie!
Mr. B.
Even a boisterous guy like Burrito can enjoy a few moments of tranquility from time to time.
That first look
Jody is deeply concerned about organization and routine. When the chimpanzees are asked to move out of an area for cleaning in the morning, Jody hangs back to make sure every last chimp has exited. Sometimes she is even helpful to the staff, grabbing blankets that blockade a doorway or ushering out a reluctant family member so we can safely secure a chimp-free room for humans to enter.
Jody is often the first chimpanzee to enter Young’s Hill in the morning. She is wide-eyed and alert, scanning the horizon for intruders and changes to the 2 acre outdoor enclosure.
This sense of urgency is temporary though, after a few moments of vigilance, she can relax and enjoy sunshine, fresh air, and all the benefits that the chimpanzee playground has to offer.
