What a glorious day of weather! This morning was bright, sunny and humid as the chimpanzees made their way through the jungle of tall grass that is Young’s Hill right now. We noticed that they came in a little sooner than usual and right on their heels the sky started to brew billowing thunderheads and turn a deep violet. And then the thunder and lighting began.
I remember in the early days of Young’s Hill when a storm would come through and one boom of thunder would send the chimps hooting and running for the safety of the greenhouse. As time has passed, they became much more at ease with storms and even occasionally took cover atop the structures of Young’s Hill to watch the storm approach. If we have a rare extended one like today, it’s not uncommon to see them paying more attention of course, but I think they respond in much the same way we do. A little nervous, a little in awe, marveling at Mother Nature.
Jody sat at the entrance to the greenhouse for some time watching the storm roll in, but once the thunder began she quickly made her way back inside:
Annie:
Jody and Annie:
Everyone seemed to pick a spot they felt cozy in from which to wait out the storm. Foxie took her doll to a safe corner of the greenhouse:
Lightening flashed, thunder boomed, rain poured and the chimp house shook (eliciting a brief alarm call and some hoots). And we had the great joy of standing under the eaves of the chimp house watching the wondrous parenting skills of our neighbor swallow family as the parents braved the storm to keep all their fledglings well fed:
The sun’s back out, the chimpanzees are lounging in the greenhouse as they wait while Anthony prepares their dinner, the cattle decided it was safe to leave their barn and made their way to their new summer pasture and still, the fledglings are calling for their parents, awaiting the next round of scrumptious bugs. And all the while another round of thunderheads is brewing and heading this way. It’s a beautiful day.
