It’s been a busy day (a fun intro with Cy, Rayne, Willy B, and Honey B) so I’m just going to let Honey B wish you all a good night.
Sock Foot
A chimpanzees’ sense of humor is undoubtedly different from our own but there’s no denying that they find certain things funny. For Missy, nothing is funnier than wearing a sock. Unless it’s giving someone a back massage with an avocado sock-covered foot. That is hilarious.
A few photos
(Above: Gordo, giving me his typical side eye)
Dora, celebrating the restoration of the primate chow supply chain:
And chomping on some leeks:
Nobody chomps like Willy B, though:
And no one reads as voraciously as Cy:
Rayne, taking a break from the grooming session:
One of the many bald eagles that have spent the winter around the sanctuary:
The elk herd paying a visit to the cattle barn this winter during the big snow storm:
The Wednesday Weigh-In
In our house we have a weekly event known as the “Wednesday Weigh-In”, in which we pick up our pup, Benny, and stand with him on a scale in the kitchen. It began as part of an effort to put pounds on an underweight rescue dog and, after getting a bit carried away, now serves to help take off an extra pound or two. We all agree that putting weight on a dog was way more fun.
Keeping track of the chimps’ weights is every bit as important, if not more so, not just for overall health but also because with a moment’s notice we may have to administer medications that, for safety reasons, must be carefully dosed by weight. In the chimps’ case, however, weight must be measured remotely, because when it comes time for Cy to require anesthesia, I am not going to be the one standing on a scale with him in my arms.
We were a little behind on getting a scale installed in the new playrooms but it’s finally in and it has been officially tested for durability by Gordo and Dora and given a multi-point inspection by our resident mechanic, Rayne. Everyone but Lucky took part in yesterday’s Wednesday Weigh-In, and that’s because Lucky is the only chimp in her group that we currently have on a diet and the universe sometimes likes to play jokes on us. I’m sure she’ll get the hang of it soon enough, especially with a little positive reinforcement training.
In case you’re wondering, we record weight in kilograms because most medications are dosed in milligrams per kilogram (“migs per kig” if you want to talk like the cool kids).
Off to the Races
Diana thought she was going right back to the office after cattle feeding but as she was backing the Gator into the barn, Jamie flagged her down. It was time to race.
Diana put the machine back into gear and drove up the hill.
Burrito ran to catch up and they both tried to stay ahead of Diana.
Missy came storming up from behind to join in the fun.
After a long, tough winter, it was good to see the gang out racing again.
I think Jamie let Diana win this one…
Lunchtime
The sights and sounds of lunchtime.
Rayne’s Coconut Party
Rayne turned 32 today! We’re so grateful to Tobin, Monica, and Paulette for sponsoring this day in her honor. At breakfast we served mangoes, which are a rare treat around here since we can’t store or prepare them in the kitchen due to Annie’s allergy. They were a huge hit. Later, the playrooms and greenhouses were filled with Rayne’s favorite enrichment and a forage of fruit smoothie, bok choy, grape tomatoes, and young coconuts with bamboo straws.
This group is notoriously difficult to photograph, as they prefer to stick to the upper levels of their playroom and greenhouse enclosures, but we managed to catch a tiny bit of the action. Here’s the birthday girl:
Cy:
Gordo:
Terry (that coconut really sticks in your teeth!):
Dora, who after having her first sip of coconut, had to tell me and the group next door all about it:
As the party wound down, Rayne gathered some smoothie and coconut, went up to the highest nest platform in the playroom (her favorite spot), and made a nice nest.
Happy Birthday, Rayne!
