I know all our regular blog readers have been waiting to see some more video of the chimps out on Young’s Hill. If you haven’t yet, watch this video from KOMO News that shows their first moments out (but have some tissue close by!) This montage is of highlights from the following days. Enjoy!
Enrichment
A Little Bit of Burrito in Your Life
I was looking through some photos from last month and came across two of Burrito that I had to share
Look closely at the one below – he’s hugging a coconut.
Burrito is featured on this year’s special label wine – only available at the 2011 Out of the Box auction in Seattle! Get your tickets quick!
Raisin Boards
Raisin boards are blocks of wood with holes drilled in them that we put raisins or other dried fruit into and the chimps have to use tools or find other creative ways to get the food out. We have implemented an evening “enhanced enrichment” program, in which we present the chimpanzees with a puzzles or some other type of challenge at the end of the day to help keep them from getting bored. Tonight’s raisin boards had a peanut butter/banana paste in them, which the chimps really loved. Here’s Missy’s strategy.
She alternated between using her hand made tool
and just sucking the peanut butter out (which had solidified some in the fridge)
Whatever works, right?
We Love Annie
Annie had a magnificent green-filled birthday. Lots of new gifts, lots of her favorite foods and lots of love from staff, volunteers and supporters.
The many things to do with troll dolls
Troll dolls can be used in many different ways.
Undercover
Missy has a way of making almost everything she does, no matter how mundane, silly. She has been thoroughly enjoying putting sheets and blankets over her head lately- both during play and while resting in her nest- and she incorporated that into her nesting technique today. Every addition to her nest, whether it be a sheet, a blanket, or a fire hose, began over her head and lingered for a bit before moving on to the next thing.
Once her nest was just right, she threw one more blanket over her and took a nap.
A Fox in a Box
We tend to get a lot of empty boxes around here at the sanctuary, and the other day Denice thought the chimps might enjoy this especially giant box. She was right, it turned out to be a lot of fun. Who knew a plain old leftover box could be so entertaining!
