What could a spoon possibly be used for at a tea party? Well, if you’re Jamie chimpanzee, everything is a potential tool. And tools can be used for just about any activity; you just have to use your imagination.
Jamie
Sunny Spirits
This morning as we shoveled a pathway to one of the platforms on Young’s Hill, I could tell it was going to be well worth the effort. The sun was so warm and comforting that I knew there would be chimpanzees out on the hill the moment I gave them access to it. There is a certain infectious energy that spreads around the building when the weather is nice. The humans and chimpanzees alike thrive with this kind of atmosphere.
This morning a line quickly formed and everyone but Burrito (who later followed) and Negra (who basked in the greenhouse sun instead) were out on the hill at once.
They all headed for the closest platform.
Missy took up post at the top of the ladder with Jamie, Annie and Foxie underneath.
Missy:
Jamie:
Jody spent a lot of her time on the ground eating snow. Here she sports a relaxed facial expression with a very drooped lip (classic Jody face).
Missy and Annie were last to come in for lunch because they were too busy spending time together on Young’s Hill. Here’s to great moods and more sunshine in 2016!
Jamie the Merciful
We take a lot of photos and video around here, but Jamie isn’t always a fan of the camera. Sometimes she’ll be clear across the room, and as soon as she spots a caregiver with the camera she charges over and pounds on the caging to let us know to cut it out. If you’ve ever had an adult chimpanzee charge toward you, hair standing on end (even if there’s caging between you), you’ll know why we respect her wishes. She gets her message across loud and clear.
But sometimes Jamie’s in a tolerant mood. At times she even enjoys the camera; she likes for us to turn the camera around and show her what we’ve captured. Today she allowed me to record her building a nest in the playroom. She even gave me her patented head nod of approval (watch to the end).
Contagion
Excitement spreads fast in a chimpanzee group. All it takes is for one chimp to get excited or upset, and the whole group is on fire before you know what happened. The chimps respond to each other’s vocalizations even when they’re not in the same room. If someone starts pant hooting in the playroom, you can bet that someone will answer with a pant hoot of their own from the greenhouse. It makes sense that it would benefit a chimpanzee – maybe especially a captive chimpanzee – to be responsive to others’ emotions and moods. I know that if I lived in an enclosure with whirling dervish Burrito, I’d be on guard at the first sign that he was getting worked up.
Today shortly after we let the chimps back into the playroom after cleaning, there was a very brief and mild scuffle. You’ll see how quickly Jamie and Annie respond.
Jamie’s Display
Generally, a chimpanzee’s display involves pant hooting vocalizations, pilo erect hair (hair that stands on end), and it builds up to a dramatic finish. Each chimp seems to have their own preferred method or technique when they display. Burrito often claps his hands as he runs around the enclosure. Jamie usually has a plastic barrel with her to bang on and push around. Sometimes she adds in other enrichment for more impact..
What happened today?
This morning while we were cleaning the Playroom I noticed that the chimps were pretty quiet in the Front Rooms so I went to check on what they were up to. Annie and Missy were on the ledge in room 2 grooming one another, while Burrito sat quietly nearby. Unfortunately, none of the photos I took of Annie and Missy turned out, but the one of Burrito I think is pretty cute.
Burrito
Negra was on the ledge in room 3 in one of her blanket nests.
Foxie and Jody were on the ledge in room 4. Jody was just out of camera view, so I couldn’t get any clear photos, but Foxie wasn’t camera shy as she showed me her dora doll.
I kept walking back and forth looking for Jamie, figuring she must have been in the Greenhouse or on Young’s Hill gathering snow. I kept looking, but couldn’t find her until Katelyn said she was in room 2. I looked again and realized why I missed her. I initially thought it was a pile of blankets, but upon closer inspection, I could see her eyes and top of her head peaking out from her nest.
This photo was actually taken from the Playroom looking back into room 2.
After we finished cleaning the Playroom, we set out blankets, various sized boxes filled with enrichment items (boots, dolls, paper, brushes, socks, wooden blocks and tools) and filled their new blue bucket with snow. We also put out lettuce as a forage food.
Missy trying to open one of the boxes.
Sometimes you just have to put your whole body into it when two hands just doesn’t cut it.
Foxie took some time to inspect (and lick) the box that one of our new office computers came in (thanks again to Diana Petri for purchasing the computers from our Amazon Wishlist).
Jamie’s first mission was to gather lettuce before checking out any of the boxes or eating any snow.
Annie sat and ate snow that she took out of the blue bucket.
And Jody did her best at staying out of camera view by gathering the lettuce we had put out as a forage and heading up to the loft to make a blanket nest in front of one of the windows that overlooks the neighbors farm.
A look of contentment in their eyes
Often times I catch myself gazing at these chimpanzees, wondering what they are thinking. It’s easy for me (and maybe for most people) to attribute my own human feelings of awe and wonder as I watch them explore Young’s Hill (their 2 acre outdoor enclosure) or sit quietly looking out the windows from the catwalk in the Playroom. It seems that there is a sense of excitement and enjoyment when they are playing with one another and a curiosity as they inspect new enrichment items.
Looking at the pictures below, I can’t help but think that there is a sense of contentment in their eyes.
Jamie
Negra
Burrito
Jody
Foxie
Missy
Annie
