mornings in the chimp house

Every morning, the lead caregiver (we rotate this role daily) will go unlock the chimp house and turn on the lights. During this time, the chimps are already awake, but are still starting their day slowly (like Rayne being wrapped up in a blanket, sitting in the sun). Usually, once the caregiver comes around to turn on lights, some of the chimps demand to groom or play, while some still have their “bed head”. Some chimps, like Negra and Terry, offer kisses to the back of our hands. Some choose to engage in a solo activity, such as Gordo foraging in the Greenhouse for seeds. While the video above is all from this morning, I will admit it is pretty chaotic and accurately depicts working with chimpanzees!