Last week, I wrote a bit about enrichment and some of the challenges of finding enrichment that is safe and suitable for certain chimpanzees with a proclivity for chewing on all manner of materials.
Today I am expounding on that a bit as a thank you to everyone who gave towards the Media and Enrichment Fund in the Comfort & Joy Auction (I listed everyone below!).
Enrichment is fun – it’s toys, and friends, and structures, and food puzzles, but it’s one of the most serious and important parts of caring for chimpanzees in captivity. Chimpanzees did not evolve to live in captivity. Captivity limits their lives, and chimpanzees need things to do! I am sure that enrichment coordinator Ellen would tell you that coming up with and giving the chimpanzees enrichment is extremely rewarding.
Seeing a chimpanzee interact with and be entertained and engaged by their environment is a uniquely fulfilling experience. Like Cy with his magazines. It’s difficult to imagine him without them, to be honest.
It’s quite obvious when Cy has been enriched with a magazine. He leaves evidence.
Volunteer Sarah C. was commenting about such evidence today while looking at one of the security cameras in the Marmot Mountain Playroom.
Here is the before security camera shot:
During:
After:
Huge thanks to the following donors for giving to the Media and Enrichment Fund in Comfort and Joy to support not just Cy’s magazine habit, but also books for Jamie and enrichment for all of the chimpanzees: Monica, Vicki, Jamie, Shelly, Arlen, Anne, Linda, Diana, Nancy, Julie, Jessica, Jayne, Deborah, Sue, Jackie, Jane, Deborah, Kevin, Jennie, Debbie, Nancy, Ionna, Lisa, Elena, Amy, Susan, Debbie, Martine, Zoe, Marisela, Regina, Cheryl, Linda, and Dora!
I have good news for those donors – the bookmarks celebrating our resident bookworms have arrived, and I’ll be sending them out this week!
