Enrichment

We have been having many days of much needed, but seemingly never ending, rain here at the sanctuary.  And let me tell you, Jamie has had a bee in her bonnet for days.  And when Jamie’s not happy she makes it well known.  I can’t really blame her as it’s hard to be stuck inside after we have had so many beautiful days recently.  As caregivers, it is always first in our minds as to how we can make the days better for the chimps, particularly when they aren’t able to go outside.  Yesterday, despite our best efforts, Jamie was a grouchy lady and let it be known in no uncertain terms that she wanted nothing to do with any of our suggestions.  But today the humans and chimpanzees finally awoke to sunny skies.  Everyone was in a good mood and JB even got a laugh from Annie, who typically reserves those for her raucous games of chase with her best friend, Missy.  We put a breakfast forage on Young’s Hill to make the most of the day and the chimps were all lined up waiting for the door to open.  They immediately all filed through the raceway together with Negra (!) in the lead. Everyone spread out, foraging through the now significantly taller grass, food squeaking with joy (we are hoping to have some great footage of this from the GoPro camera on the hill soon).  And then much to our surprise, we spotted Jamie trying her hand at tightrope walking across the fire hose bridge!  While this is usually a classic Missy move, I’d say Jamie is giving her a run for her money.  And the best thing yet? That bee that’s been in Jamie’s bonnet seems to have flown off.

I love Jamie’s face in this last picture.  It almost looks as though she’s giving herself a little congratulatory cheer.  I would look like that as well if I had just been able to do a tightrope walk across the fire hose bridge!