As we mentioned on the Facebook page yesterday, sometimes the daily routine fluctuates, and as caregivers we have to be pretty flexible depending on the choices the chimps make. Typically though, we do have a regular schedule. First we invite the chimpanzees in for breakfast—and as long as everybody comes in, one person (the Care staff or Level III volunteer) will serve breakfast while the other person (the Lead Caregiver) will start cleaning the playroom. We never enter an enclosure at the same time as the chimpanzees, so we have to ensure that all the chimps are out of the room we want to clean, and that every chimp door is secure. We do this for cleaning the playroom, front rooms, and the greenhouse. (To see what cleaning is like, watch this video from a couple years ago). Today things followed the regular routine, which you’ll see in the video below.
chimp
Creative Jamie
I enjoyed watching this in person as much as I enjoyed making the video. Jamie is endlessly fascinating. I love the intense purposefulness that she employs no matter what she’s doing.
Thank YOU for an amazing year
Find out what the chimpanzees are wishing for in 2012:
The Silent Sacredness of Young’s Hill
It’s still amazing for the humans to see the chimpanzees on the two-acre hill, so we’re often silent too as we watch…
Best Christmas Ever
It’s been a very merry Christmas here at CSNW. The chimpanzees started the day with a special Christmas breakfast of peanut butter rice balls, bananas, and smoothie. After the playroom was cleaned, the real party began – complete with whole pomegranates and tangerines, new toys and blankets from friends Robbi and Dick Brown, Leslie Sodaro, and Joanne Pierce, and a Christmas tree decorated with popcorn and peanut strings and troll dolls.
Aside from the pomegranates, the tree might have been the star of the day. Diana had the idea to suspend it a couple of feet off the ground, so it spun festively whenever someone touched it. Burrito, in particular, seemed quite taken with it, as you’ll see below.
Foxie the Explorer
Yes, I believe that is a Dora the Explorer doll that Foxie is showing around Young’s Hill
Merry Christmas Eve! The chimps are in store for a big celebration tomorrow!!
Cleaning up
The chimps spent a little bit of time on the hill today, but it was really cold, so they were all warming up either in the greenhouse or inside. I was sitting in the greenhouse watching a nice peaceful grooming session between Annie and Missy…
…when all the sudden, I heard water spilling- a lot of water spilling. I looked over to find Jamie sitting at the water spigot in one of the front rooms, only she wasn’t getting a drink. Her feet were muddy from being on the hill, so she was pouring the water on her feet and wiping them off on the wall
I wasn’t able to get a very good photo, partly because of the angle, and partly because as soon as Jamie noticed I was taking pictures of her, she went back to just “getting a drink”
