Diana and Elizabeth have both noted on this blog that Annie seems to be getting more confident. She’s taking food in front of the more dominant chimps – sometimes from more the dominant chimps. And she has begun interacting with chimps other than Missy.
What really amazes me is her newest choice of playmates. In the past, Annie would occasionally attempt to join in on games that other chimps were playing, and it almost always ended badly. It’s like she didn’t know how to read the cues that playmates trade throughout a game. The other chimps would be playing a quiet game of tickle, and Annie would come running in with a slap to the head or a full-on tackle. Someone would get upset and a fight would break out, ending with Annie splayed on the ground in a full-blown, chimp style panic attack. This was especially true when she tried to play with Foxie.
That was the old Annie. The new Annie has realized that there is a world out there beyond Missy. And she seems to be figuring out how to get along with everyone else. Her newest playmate? Foxie. Go figure.
